Coconut

Studies in people

• Benefit

  Heart and cholesterol effects²

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

• No harm found

  Heart and metabolic health³

  Coconut oil did not improve heart or metabolic health in people, despite beliefs that it is healthier than other oils.

• Open question

  Cholesterol levels⁴

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

• Open question

  Heart and blood cholesterol⁵

  Coconut oil raises total and LDL cholesterol less than butter, but more than sunflower, safflower or canola oil.

• Concern

  Heart health⁶

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

• Open question

  Cholesterol levels in the blood⁷

  In people, coconut oil raised LDL cholesterol less than butter did, and raised HDL cholesterol more than butter or olive oil.

• Open question

  Weight loss claims⁸

  Research on coconut oil, satiety and weight loss is not consistent, so it is unclear whether it helps.

• Benefit

  Cholesterol levels in obese men¹¹

  In men with obesity, coconut oil raised HDL cholesterol and lowered the total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio.

• Open question

  Blood fats after eating¹²

  In people, coconut oil raised blood fats less than canola oil did after a meal.

Study type not stated

• Open question

  Heart and weight effects¹³

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

Found in some samples or products

These come from where it was grown, how it was processed or cooked, or what it was made into. They are not about the ingredient itself, so the signal does not count them.

• Cholesterol in the liver¹⁴

  In lab studies, heavily processed coconut oil raised cholesterol in liver cells, and the processing made contaminants that did the same.

How it’s made and used

• Daily fat needs⁹

  Coconut oil is rich in saturated fat, so it cannot meet all your daily fat needs alone.

• Appetite and fullness¹⁰

  In people, coconut oil did not cut how much was eaten at lunch, unlike MCT oil.

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 one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. 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.