Coconut Oil: A Nutritional Breakdown for Vegan Diets

If you are unsure whether you should consider adding coconut oil to your healthy diet or not, this article might support you in making your decision. 

Let me start by saying that coconut oil has been a controversial topic, as it is with healthy eating. 

Coconut oil has been inaccurately believed to be unhealthy due to its high saturated fat content from time to time. But it is now known that the fat in coconut oil is different from many other fats. 

Aromatic, delicious, light and completed with unique benefits, topical coconut oil is a plant-based superfood that is good for the human body, skin and hair.

Due to the unique fat molecules found in coconut oil, it is remarkably different to most other dietary and tropical oils and has unique nutritional and medicinal properties.

• Prevent heart disease

• Balance blood sugar

• Dissolve kidney stones

• Supports healthy thyroid function

• Control Crohn's disease

• Reverse Alzheimers

• Enhance the immune system

• May cure autism

• Kill disease-causing bacteria, viruses and fungi

• Protect skin against free-radical damage

• Helps hair growth

• Improve oral health 

• And many more nutritional, healing and mind-enhancing powers. 

In the study' Fouling studies of food fats' by Reilly Nigo in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at the University of Cambridge, coconut oil is healthy in the human diet and is comparable to olive oil.

Coconut oil is filled with heart-healthy fatty acids, reduces hunger pangs and seizures, encourages fat burning, and protects hair, teeth, and skin. Coconut oil also contains valuable characteristics, such as low melting temperature and resistance to oxidative rancidity. Coconut oil consumption in cooking is not a new phenomenon in most tropical countries, where fresh oil is readily available.

Coconut oil has been used in South Asia, Africa and South America for generations. Until about the 1940s, coconut oil was a primary non-dairy fat source in the US diet until other vegetable oils like soybean oil replaced it.

Even though there has been a debate on using coconut oil for daily consumption, its versatility makes it stand out from other oils, and the focus on healthy fats has facilitated the use of coconut oil. A survey in 2016 uncovered that 72% of Americans regarded coconut oil as a healthy food. Many health enthusiasts worldwide also consider adding coconut oil to their healthy diet. This could result from the vegan movement and the world's health concerns. The daily virgin coconut oil consumption is still very high in Sri Lanka, South India, especially Kerala, Thailand and the Philippine. 

Plant-based health professionals, fitness advisors and ayurvedic herbal practitioners also endorse the coconut oil benefits.

Coconut oil is a flavorful edible oil extracted from the fresh meat of matured coconuts harvested from the coconut palm tree (Cocos Nucifera), a member of the Arecaceae palm tree family. Despite their name, coconuts are not from the nut family but are fruits with a single seed called drupes.

The traditional way of making coconut oil was by using an ox-powered mill. Coconut oil can also be made by heating the white coconut flesh via boiling water, the sun or a slow fire.

In most Asian countries and West Africa, coconut oil is produced mainly by crushing, pressing and filtering dried coconut meat, called copra, under 60 to 70 Celsius in large mills. In some instances, copra primarily gets sun-dried instead of machine heating. 

Global coconut oil production has been increasing over the past decade due to the greater global demand due to the essential characteristics of coconut oil. The Philippines is the most significant worldwide producer of coconut oil and was the number one coconut oil exporter in 2020, accounting for 42% of the exports. Indonesia and India, Vietnam, Mexico, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are the following largest producers, respectively.

Whether in food and beverage, culinary, oral care or beauty care, we can see coconut oil's prominence in many industries today. Especially virgin coconut oil is considered higher quality than refined coconut oil.  

Virgin coconut oil or extra-virgin coconut oil is cold pressed from fresh coconut meat to extract the oil. Therefore it is also known as unrefined coconut oil or cold pressed coconut oil.

The method used to produce virgin coconut oil, extra virgin or unrefined, is a better method than the traditional coconut oil derived from copra.

There are two main methods for coconut pressing: wet and dry. The dry process involves drying the fresh coconut with a machine to remove the oil before it gets pressed. Conversely, the wet method presses the fresh coconut meat into milk to make coconut milk and oil through a machine. The two substances then get divided by fermentation, enzymes or centrifuge machines, depending on the manufacturer.

In the commercial, technical enzymes for coconut oil extraction, fresh coconut meat is ground and conveyed through a warm/hot air dryer, then cold-pressed. 

In the Expeller extracted cold pressed method, ground coconut meat is passed through a hot-air dryer up to about 80C before being pressed.

In the Centrifuge method, the milk is finely spun at high-speed using a centrifuge extractor, allowing only fresh oil to separate. The temperature during the whole process is monitored to be under 38C. This produces a colourless and mild aroma, pure virgin coconut oil. Also, oil has a delicate taste due to the absence of significant heat in the extraction process.

The most unrefined coconut oil in the world market is extracted using the wet process. Some oils may be cold-processed but not cold-pressed.

Depending on the manufacturer, they may or may not undergo additional processing, as it is with refined coconut oil.   

Refined coconut oil is produced by pressing crude coconut oil from copra. This procedure may be similar to the dry extraction of unrefined coconut oil. Copra is pressed through a machine to extract the oil, which uses steam or heat to deodorise the product. The oil is filtered through clays to remove any impurities or bacteria. This process is called bleaching, even though no bleach is used. 

Depending on the manufacturer, crude coconut oil could go through heat-deodorising, neutralising, no bleach bleaching process or degumming. 

Refined coconut oil is odourless and has a neutral taste compared to expeller-pressed unrefined coconut oil. 

The amount of unsaturated fats in coconut oil is partially hydrogenated to extend shelf life and help maintain its solid texture in warm temperatures. 

The two may be said to have identical nutrient profiles, but they are remarkably different. Unrefined can have more essential nutrients like vitamin E and antioxidants like polyphenols. Refined oil is processed with or without chemicals, but the true extra virgin oil is pressed but unprocessed.

• Texture and consistency

• Aroma and taste

• Nutritional value

• Shelf life

It is crucial to remember that some refining processes might have chemicals that can cause adverse effects on the human body. 

Refined coconut oil can be a better choice for baking and frying due to the higher smoke point of 400–450°F (204–232°C). Unrefined has a lower smoke point of 350°F (177°C), which makes it perfect for salads, low temp baking or sautéing, and skin and hair care. 

However, coconut oil consumption provides consumers with numerous health benefits.

Coconut oil is recognised among people from diverse cultures, languages, religions and races for its incredible healing powers and as a nutritious health food.

The nutritional benefits of a tablespoon of coconut oil

• 99 kcal / 407 KJ

• 11g fat

• 9.5g saturated fat

• 0.7g monounsaturated fat

• 0.2g polyunsaturated fat

Recently, WHO recommended that saturated fat intake be less than 10% of a person's total energy consumption to reduce cardiovascular disease.

The conception of fats and oils raises harmful cholesterol levels (LDL) and lowers beneficial cholesterol (HDL), increasing the risk of developing strokes and heart disease and also linked to type 2 diabetes.

There is an ongoing debate about whether saturated fats are good for human health. Many health organisations advise against consuming coconut oil merely because coconut oil is rich in saturated fat, with a fatty acid profile of 82%.

The amount of unsaturated fats in coconut oil is partially hydrogenated to extend shelf life and help maintain its solid texture in warm temperatures. 

The magic of coconut oil is in the fat molecules. All fats and oils comprise fat molecules, which are called fatty acids. These dietary fatty acids can be divided into four categories: saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and trans fats.  

Coconut oil contains a high level of saturated fatty acids (SFAs), with 48% lauric acid and 19% of myristic acid, 9.5% palmitic, stearic, and short-chain fatty acids. Lauric acid, a medium-chain fatty acid, is rapidly absorbed, taken up by the liver, and oxidised for energy production. Due to its uniquely high content of lauric acid, coconut oil has been likened to a medium-chain fatty acid with unique properties different from other SFA-rich plant oils such as palm oil and beef fat.

However, research published in 2018 suggested that virgin coconut oil's effect on blood cholesterol may be equivalent to extra virgin olive oil. The results yet remain inconclusive, and more studies are probably needed.

The universal truth is that fats have calories that can make us overweight. But fat is an integral part of a healthy diet. Dietary fats are vital in newborns' healthy gut microbiome and retaining a healthy microbial population throughout life. Healthy fatty acids also make our bones stronger.

Based on the size of the fat molecules, there are 3 types of fatty acids; Long-chain, medium-chain and short-chain fatty acids triglycerides.

Most of the cooking oils and fats we consume, whether saturated or unsaturated or from an animal or a plant, are composed of long-chain triglycerides. Saturated fat in coconut oil is structured in medium-length chains, whereas the saturated fats found in beef and cheese, for example, are structured in long chain fatty acids. As the fats in coconut oil are composed of 65% medium-chain fatty acids, it has fat-burning properties similar to pure medium-chain triglycerides oil. So coconut oil may aid in reducing belly fat and weight loss.

A study compared the effects of diets rich in MCTs or LCTs on 24 overweight men and found that having more MCTs over the month-long investigation led to weight loss by an extra pound compared with those consuming a similar amount of LCTs.

In coconut oil, saturated fat is easily broken down, directly absorbed into the bloodstream, and transported quickly to the liver, where it evolves readily available for energy production.

Research comparing two products found that coconut oil was less likely to activate diabetes and weight gain in mice. This research was titled "Soybean oil is more obesogenic and diabetogenic than coconut oil." This may have led to the interpretation that coconut oil can help individuals lose weight.

As mentioned earlier, heart disease is the primary cause of premature deaths around the world.

Interestingly, South Asia and counties where coconut oil is widely consumed have low death rates from heart disease.

The American Heart Association says saturated fat can raise the level of LDL cholesterol in the blood and advises against using coconut oil due to its high saturated fat, which can harm heart health. 

However, Dr Bruce Fife, who has done a lot of research in this area, shows why coconut oil is heart healthy despite the American Heart Association's view. AHA's article restated its longstanding position against the use of saturated fats. But 

Dr Bruce Fife further presents his study on how coconut oil lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke after four weeks of consuming coconut oil. This study provides evidence that people consuming coconut oil are at reduced risk of heart disease, despite claims from the AHA, which has established a biased preconception against coconut solely based on its saturated fat content.

Another study in 2016 also said coconut oil might protect against several chronic health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Coconut oil also has antioxidant properties that may control oxidative stress, affecting cardiovascular health. 

The research on this area is mixed; the positive or negative effects may depend on genetics and how much coconut oil you consume.

Alzheimer's disease is a brain condition that gradually declines mental function, such as memory and thinking skills and, ultimately, the ability to carry out the simplest familiar tasks.

Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia among older adults around 60 and is one of the leading causes of death in the USA(7th cause). Worldwide, Alzheimer's disease statistics show that more coconut-consuming countries like the Philippines and India are at lower risk of Alzheimer's disease.  

Dr Mary Newport (MD) proved that coconut oil itself, or in combination with medium chain triglyceride oil, could effectively control the progression of Alzheimer's disease when her husband suffered from it. Her husband suffered for six years before trying coconut oil. After beginning regular treatments with coconut oil, her husband retrieved energy, and his tremors virtually disappeared.

Coconut oil has anti-microbial and antifungal properties due to lauric acid, which contributes 50% of MCFAs in coconut oil. Lauric acid makes it reasonably hard for fungi and viruses to survive, and coconut oil is best known for its anti-bacterial properties.

Coconut oil is one of the richest natural sources of MCFAs, with more than it found in a mother's breast milk. Coconut oil comprises 63% MCFAs, with lauric acid comprising almost 50%, and has the anti-microbial fighting power to protect us from infections.

The Ateneo de Manila University in the Phillippines did clinical trials on virgin coconut oil on COVID-19. Virgin coconut oil could be used as an adjunct supplement to potential and suspect cases of COVID-19 due to the oil's anti-viral and immunomodulatory properties. Further studies were suggested to gather more affirmative proof of the coconut oils' health benefits for COVID-19.

Coconut oil's anti-microbial attributes can combat harmful pathogens that may have entered the gastrointestinal tract. The oil's medium chain fatty acids are more accessible to breakdown compared to other fats and oils in your diet. It can help you digest easily without putting too much strain on your gut. Virgin Coconut Oil has anti-inflammatory properties making it a perfect choice for patients with Crohn's disease and other gastrointestinal conditions.

Topical coconut oil has many usages, from helping keep the skin moisturised in the winters and acting as a sunscreen in summer, protecting the skin from drying and wrinkling. Some studies show coconut oil can block the sun's Ultra-Violet (UV) rays, leading to skin cancers. There are numerous benefits of coconut oil for the face. 

Coconut oil has been renowned for hydrating the skin, anti-ageing properties and its ability to improve dermatitis and other skin conditions like acne.

Using coconut oil on the skin can reduce eczema symptoms in children more than using mineral oil. Coconut Oil has been the only oil used for massaging newborn babies in South East Asia for generations as it's believed to be the purest with no chemicals.

In Ayurveda, coconut oil was applied to heal wounds, manage scars, and make the skin look flawless. Pure coconut oil is an excellent cleanser and a makeup remover. Due to its rich anti-bacterial properties and vitamin E content, many health and beauty manufacturers use coconut oil to produce soaps, lotions, and other cosmetics.

The magical benefits of coconut oil on hair have made this oil timeless, from acting as a beneficial scalp treatment to keeping hair healthy, luxuriant and robust. Coconut oil for hair is a natural hair care routine to keep hair and scalp healthy. Coconut oil contains nutrients like lauric, capric acids, and vitamin E that hair growth and split ends. 

Ancient Ayurvedic technique, coconut oil pulling involves swishing the oil in the mouth as a mouthwash for about 15-20mins and then spitting out and rinsing the mouth with water. The oil attracts bacteria from around teeth and gums. This method will help draw out toxins, reduce plaque, improve oral health, and even assist teeth whitening, preventing intrusive dental work.

Coconut oil can be used as toothpaste. Even though fluoride is recommended as an ingredient in all dental products, it is toxic and does not control cavities, but it could lead to many serious health problems. Mouthwashes packed with chemicals and artificial ingredients are also recommended as part of our daily oral hygiene routine by the American Dental Association. But the lauric acid in coconut oil reacts with saliva to create a soap-like substance that controls cavities.

However, the studies report that there isn't enough evidence and only a shred of limited evidence on this topic; therefore, ADA doesn't recommend oil pulling.

Virgin coconut oil may have antioxidant properties. In a rodent experiment, it appeared to reduce stress resulting from exercise and chronic colds. Experimenters believe virgin coconut oil could help treat some types of depression.

There is a study where rats with liver disease consumed a high glucose diet either with or without coconut oil. Those who consumed coconut oil had better liver health after four weeks than those who did not. It shows that some components in coconut oil may aid protect the liver. 

Research has shown that the medium-chain triglycerides component in coconut oil may aid boost good cholesterol levels. Participants took one tablespoon of coconut oil twice daily for eight weeks.

However, another research has a different finding and shows dietary MCT increased bad cholesterol in 17 healthy young men. The researchers did not examine any other indicators of heart health.

Some Studies found no obvious evidence that coconut fat either benefits or harms cholesterol levels. In contrast, in the study, as mentioned earlier, coconut oil's impact on cholesterol is said to be similar to olive oil.

Virgin coconut oil may have antioxidant properties. In a rodent experiment, it appeared to reduce stress resulting from exercise and chronic colds. Experimenters believe virgin coconut oil could help treat some types of depression.

You could also add a teaspoon of virgin coconut oil to your smoothie to energise you and regulate blood sugar.

• Baking

• Cooking

• Salads

• Lip balm

• Treat Acne Problems

• Anti ageing

• Skin/Facial Cleanser

• Makeup Remover

• Night cream/serum

• Deodorant

• Foot Fungus Fighter

• Shaving cream 

• Bath Scrub with Pink Salt 

• Bath oil

• Massage oil

• Body lotion/moisturiser 

• Rash relief 

• Ointment to heal wounds mixed turmeric

• Tooth Paste

• Oil Pulling

• Hair and scalp treatment

Whether you choose unrefined or refined coconut oil, there are other things to consider when buying coconut oil.

Food-grade. Coconut oil you use for cooking or consuming raw is better to find food-grade coconut oil sold in the cooking aisles. This coconut oil will also be excellent for your skin or body.

Organic. You don't necessarily need to buy organic because most coconuts are organically grown and don't have significant pesticide residue. But, purchasing certified-organic refined coconut oil means no harmful chemicals were involved during the extraction process.

Cold pressed. This means the coconut oil was processed without heat or is cold press, not processed.

Transparency. Read labels, descriptions, trademarks or research to avoid suppliers and brands that don't mention the origin or the type of coconut oil, how it's produced, and how to use it. This is very critical to see if the oil is blended with other palm oils or has any chemical involvement. 

When purchasing unrefined coconut oil, you may also notice the expeller-pressed and cold-pressed labels on the product. Unrefined coconut oil with an expeller-pressed label reveals the oil has been through an appliance utilising heat or steam to press the oil from the coconut flesh. A cold-pressed coconut oil avoids engaging heat to extract the oil. Therefore, extra virgin coconut oil will be labelled as a cold press.

Refined oil is mainly labelled as refined or refined organic, so you cannot go wrong. 

As coconut oil is very shelf durable, it can be kept in the cupboard. Even though the oil is solid in winter, it will become a liquid on warmer days. The coconut oil virgin or extra virgin has a long shelf life of up to two to three years, but the refined has a much shorter shelf life.

Focusing more on a healthy diet containing less processed ingredients may lean more toward unrefined oil because it isn't as processed. 

Refined will have less coconut scent with a higher smoke point, while unrefined has quite a strong coconut flavour and aroma, lower smoke point, and is only slightly processed or cold-pressed.

Be it a stir-fry, baking or moisturiser, depending on what you want to use your coconut oil for, you'll be able to choose from the two. But always seek professional advice to suit individual conditions.

When researching the topic of coconut oil, I did not find enough convincing evidence to support that coconut oil is harmful, besides the fact that it is high in saturated fat and, therefore, may raise serum cholesterol concentrations. The health effects and impacts of saturated fat in extra virgin coconut oil for vegans are still unclear. 

In my opinion, the health effects do not depend solely on whether coconut oil is good for you or not but on what diet you follow. 

Coconut oil has been used by several populations worldwide who consume it mainly as part of their staple vegetarian or vegan diets.

A study shows that coconut oil in traditional dietary patterns does not lead to adverse cardiovascular effects. Still, due to significant dissimilarities in dietary and lifestyle practices, it may not be exact from a typical Western diet.

When considering that research, it is clear that coconut oil is better than the saturated fat in meats and dairy products in a non-vegan diet. 

The primary sources of saturated fat to be decreased are dairy fat, lard, beef fat, palm oil and palm kernel oil. Polyunsaturated fats are in canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, and walnut oil. But, authentic high-linoleic varieties of safflower and sunflower oils are said to be a little uncommon. High-oleic types of safflower oil and sunflower oil, olive oils, avocados, and tree nuts such as almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pistachios, and pecans have primarily monounsaturated fats and are pretty low in saturated fat.

Therefore, non-vegans should consider the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to balance their diet by adding healthier fat in plant oils, such as flaxseed oil, rapeseed oil or olive oils and consume foods rich in (fiber) fibre, and low processed and sugary foods.

Despite the debates on the effects of coconut oil, no one can disagree with the coconut's benefits in its natural form – flesh and water. Coconut meat is high in fat but has a high fibre content as well. Additionally, pure coconut water and king coconut water are good sources of potassium, manganese and magnesium and can be enjoyed anytime as part of a healthy diet. 

Dr Bruce Fife N.D, a naturopathic doctor and certified nutritionist and the author of "The Coconut Oil Miracle", says, "Coconut oil is the healthiest oil on Earth". 

Joseph Mercola, an American osteopathic physician, says, "Coconut oil is the healthiest oil you can use"

The retired cardiothoracic surgeon Mehmet Cengiz Öz, known professionally as Dr Oz, reveals the benefits of coconut oil in many of his shows. 

Is coconut oil good or bad for your cholesterol?

mW/is-coconut-oil-good-or-bad-for-your-cholesterol 

Randomised trial of coconut oil

Supplementation - Dependent Effects of Vegetable Oils with Varying Fatty Acid Compositions on Anthropometric and Biochemical Parameters in Obese Women

Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association (healthyliving.gr)

Tropical Oil Consumption and Cardiovascular Disease: An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil and palm oil's role in nutrition

Encyclopedia of Human Nutrition

Studies on the fatty acid composition of edible oil. Bangladesh J of Sci and Ind Res. 2007;42(3):311–316

Randomised trial of coconut oil