It鈥檚 being called , but it is something nutritionists have known for years: Coconut oil is not a health food. The oil is naturally high in saturated fat, which has been proven to increase the levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol in the body and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
鈥淚 think coconut oil has so many advocates right now because it鈥檚 plant-based and has a good cooking quality,鈥 says Julie Metos, RD, a dietician with 91麻豆天美直播. 鈥淗owever, earlier nutrition research showed its high saturated fat content. The new warning from the American Heart Association is a reiteration of what we already know.鈥
If coconut oil isn鈥檛 the miracle food it has been touted to be, then what is the best oil to use? According to Metos, the answer is all of them. Use mono or polyunsaturated oils like olive or canola for cooking when you don鈥檛 want a heavy flavor. Use sesame oil for stir-fry. Use butter for baking. And even use coconut oil in recipes where it will add the flavor you want 鈥 like in Thai food. 鈥淭he most healthful thing is to use a variety of oils,鈥 Metos said. 鈥淭he real problem is when Americans get hung up thinking a single thing is the best. That鈥檚 when nutrition gets out of balance.鈥
There is one fat that Metos wants you to leave out though: margarine with trans fats. Trans fats are found in products called partially hydrogenated oils 鈥 which are the base of some margarines. These fats not only raise your LDL cholesterol but also lower your HDL (good) cholesterol. Eating high levels of trans fats do not only raise your risk of heart disease but also your risk for diabetes. 鈥淢argarines with trans fats are worse than any of the oils we have talked about,鈥 said Metos.
Of course, people aren鈥檛 only crazy about using coconut oil for cooking. It is popping up in hair products, lotions, and other beauty products. There are many bloggers and beauty gurus who swear by applying it straight from the jar to skin and hair to moisturize. Metos said those applications are just fine.
鈥淧ut all you want on the outside,鈥 she said. 鈥淛ust limit how much you ingest.鈥