26/04/2026
di ako ang nagsabi ha
A significantly increased blood cholesterol can be seen within hours of eating a slice of cake made from coconut oil, but not from the same cake made from flaxseed oil.
A month-long randomized, controlled, crossover study looking at the impact of two tablespoons of virgin coconut oil per day found that it elevated cholesterol 14% over control (safflower oil). The increase in LDL (bad) cholesterol from coconut oil would be expected to have an adverse effect on heart health, specifically atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
A common misconception is that the saturated fat in coconut oil is made up mainly of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). In fact, itās mostly lauric and myristic acids, which have potent LDL raising effects. If your goal is to reduce heart disease, the leading killer among men and women in the United States, then coconut oil should be avoided.
Coconut oil isnāt only bad for our cholesterol. It can increase insulin resistance, which can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes. This worsening of insulin resistance was seen even after study participants made healthier lifestyle choices, such as increasing intake of fruits and vegetables, cutting down on sugars and animal fat, and walking for exercise.
While coconut milk may seem like a healthy choice, it has been shown to acutely impair artery functionāas much as a Sausage and Egg McMuffin. So, whether a meal has mostly meat-and-oil fat or coconut milk fat, our arteries similarly clamp down. Although coconut fat in the form of coconut milk may not have the same effects on cholesterol as coconut oil, frequent consumption (defined as three or more times a week) has been associated with increased risk of vascular disease, stroke, and heart attack. So, we should really try to reduce the amount of coconut milk we consume, too, and opt for soy milk or other dairy-free options instead.
See our coconut videos to learn more.
āCoconut Oil and Abdominal Fatā at https://bit.ly/2nSILpG
āCoconut Oil and the Boost in HDL āGoodā Cholesterolā at: https://bit.ly/3zXDkWY
āWhat About Coconuts, Coconut Milk, and Coconut Oil MCTs?ā at https://bit.ly/2yNr4rJ
PMID: 21736782, 28277823, 26699442, 19437058, 11603133, 24282632, 27650783, 26946252, 28254181
doi.org/10.18051/UnivMed.2015.v34.149-158
