Coconut

Studies in people

• No harm found

  Heart and metabolic health²

  Studies in people show coconut oil does not improve heart or metabolic health despite its growing popularity.

• Concern

  Cholesterol and heart risk³

  In people, coconut oil raised LDL cholesterol less than butter but about the same as olive oil.

Study type not stated

• Open question

  Heart and weight effects⁴

  Scientists do not yet know whether coconut oil helps with weight loss or heart health, so more studies in people are needed.

• Benefit

  Heart and cholesterol effects⁵

  Coconut oil may help heart health and cholesterol, but scientists do not yet know for sure.

• Open question

  Cholesterol levels⁶

  Coconut oil raised LDL cholesterol more than other vegetable oils, but also raised HDL cholesterol.

• Open question

  Heart and blood cholesterol⁷

  Scientists do not yet know whether coconut oil affects heart disease, though it raises cholesterol less than butter.

• Concern

  Heart health⁸

  Coconut oil raises LDL cholesterol, which could work against heart health, though long-term effects are not yet known.

• Open question

  Weight loss⁹

  Scientists do not yet know whether coconut oil helps with weight loss, as studies so far show mixed results.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least two findings in people. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.