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Coconut oil

Cocos nucifera · नारिकेल

Supplements. Caribbean, Ayurveda and Modern nutrition.

Also called Virgin coconut oil, Cold-pressed coconut oil

Pinyin: yē zi yóu

Spanish: Aceite de coco

Sanskrit: नारिकेल (Narikela)

Raises LDL cholesterol

Oil pressed from coconut meat, used in cooking and on skin and hair, and promoted as a health food.

Did you know? Coconut oil is more than 80 percent saturated fat, more than butter.

What it may help, and how strong the proof is

Skin. Small trials show coconut oil softens dry skin and may help the skin barrier. Evidence is thin.
Early proof
Mouth, gums & teeth. Oil pulling with coconut oil may cut plaque a little in small studies. It does not replace brushing or flossing.
Traditional proof
Heart health. The popular claim that it is heart-healthy is not supported. Trials show it raises LDL (bad) cholesterol more than olive or other unsaturated oils.
Not supported

Parts of the body

Heart & vessels, Skin & hair, Mouth & throat

Traditional use

Coconut oil has been used in cooking, hair care and skin care across tropical regions for centuries. Ayurveda uses coconut oil as a base for massage and hair oils.

How it is classified

Herbal actions: Nutritive, Antimicrobial. Energy: cooling.
Ayurveda: Calms Pitta. Can raise Kapha. Taste (rasa): sweet. Energy (virya): cooling. After digestion (vipaka): sweet.

How people take it

Most people use it in cooking, on the skin and in hair care. Oil pulling uses about a tablespoon swished in the mouth for 10 to 20 minutes.

Oil, food and topical.

Where to get it

Pressed from the dried or fresh meat of coconuts, which are grown mainly in the tropics. Virgin and extra-virgin oils are sold in grocery stores, and refined versions are sold for cooking.

Be careful

Coconut oil is high in saturated fat, which raises LDL cholesterol, so most heart groups advise limiting it. People with high LDL or heart disease should use it sparingly. Allergic reactions are rare, but some people react to coconut.

Avoid if: high LDL cholesterol; heart disease; coconut allergy.

Mixing with other things

Works well together
Often diluted in a carrier oil like coconut oil for skin use.

The honest take

Coconut oil is mostly saturated fat, and it raises LDL more than unsaturated oils. Its skin and oral benefits are small and early. Using it in cooking now and then is fine, but it is not a heart-healthy oil.