Coconut oil proponents also try to argue that coconut oil has MCTs—medium chain triglycerides—shorter-chain saturated fats that aren’t as bad as the longer-chain saturated fats in meat and dairy. But you can’t apply the MCT research to coconut oil. Why? MCT oil is composed of MCTs, the medium chain fats, caprylic and capric acid, about 50% of each, whereas those MCTs make up only like 10% of the coconut oil. Most of coconut oil is the cholesterol-raising longer-chain saturated fats, lauric and myristic. “It is therefore inaccurate to consider coconut oil to contain…predominantly [MCTs].” So, you can’t extrapolate from MCT studies to coconut oil.

That’s actually quite a common misconception, that the saturated fat in coconut oil is mainly MCTs. Actually, coconut oil is mainly lauric and myristic, which have potent LDL (bad cholesterol)-raising effects. “Coconut oil should therefore not be advised for people who should or want to reduce their risk of” the #1 killer of U.S. men and women—heart disease.

So, basically “coconut oil should be [treated no] differently than [animal] sources of dietary saturated fat.” The latest review, published in March 2017 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, put it even more simply in their recommendations for patients: “Avoid.”

Dr Klaper offers health advice on whether or not whole coconut meat has any health benefits. He explains why coconut oil on its own is not good for the body and can cause health issues. However, he does give coconut meat and eating coconut as a whole food the thumbs up!