A research citing coconut fats as being more unhealthy than butter went viral recently. Published in the Circulation journal by the American Heart Association, the research blames saturated fats for causing cardiovascular disease – and coconut oil contains 82% of it. This then makes coconut oil seem more unhealthy than butter and lard.

The research has since attracted a lot of positive and negative comments. Health conscious people are also in a dilemma regarding the status of coconut oil – is it actually good or bad for health?

The good

It has good cholesterol (fats)

The saturated fats in coconut oil is able to boost ‘good’ cholesterol in your body. High-density lipoprotein, commonly referred to as HDL, is a cholesterol particle that can remove ‘bad’ cholesterol from your body. Having a high amount of HDL in your body means that your chances of getting heart disease is lower.

It has antioxidants

Antioxidants are commonly found in fruits and vegetables – and coconut has lots of it. These substances have proved to be good for your heart, prostate, and skin. They can even boost your immune system.

The bad

It also has bad cholesterol (fats)

Not all the cholesterol (fats) you get from coconut oil are good. There’s the ‘good’ HDL cholesterol with every scoop, but there’s also the ‘bad’ low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in it as well. High amount of saturated fats in your diet will also increase the amount of LDL in your body, which will put you at risk of heart diseases.

It’s high in calories

Coconut has high calories, so too much coconut oil isn’t good for your body as well. When your body has too much calories than it can burn, it’ll store them in fat cells. That will lead to weight gain and an increase in body fat, which may put you at risk of heart diseases, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

So… should we still consume coconut oil?

As the saying goes, everything should be in moderation. As much as something proves to be healthy, you should not be consuming it to the point of excess. The same goes to coconut oil – including a bit of it in your diet can do wonders to your body; but too much of it might result in the opposite.

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