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Limited evidenceGeneral health

Coconut Oil

A largely saturated fat sold as a health food. The trial evidence is consistent in the opposite direction: it raises LDL cholesterol compared with unsaturated oils, and does nothing for body weight.

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What the science says

  • Raises LDL cholesterol Strong evidence

    A systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 clinical trials published in Circulation found that coconut oil significantly increased LDL cholesterol compared with non-tropical vegetable oils, by around 10 mg/dL. The direction of effect was consistent across trials.

  • No weight or metabolic benefit Moderate evidence

    A meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials of coconut oil on the cardiometabolic profile found no meaningful effect on body weight, waist circumference, fasting glucose or inflammatory markers, while confirming the rise in LDL. The medium-chain triglyceride argument does not transfer well, since coconut oil is mostly lauric acid, which behaves more like a long-chain saturated fat.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseThere is no therapeutic dose. Trials typically used 15–30 mL/day. As a food, treat it like any other saturated fat and keep it within the overall saturated fat allowance.
SafetyNot toxic, but it displaces unsaturated fats and raises LDL, which matters for anyone with elevated cholesterol or cardiovascular risk. Oil pulling has no established medical benefit and lipoid pneumonia has been reported after aspiration. Coconut allergy exists but is uncommon.

How to take it

TimingTiming does not matter.
With food?It is a food fat, so use it in cooking or on food rather than swallowing it by the spoon.
Worth knowingCount it against your saturated fat allowance rather than adding it on top — the LDL rise is the reason to be careful, and it is not offset by the MCT marketing.

Frequently asked questions

Is coconut oil healthy?

Coconut oil is not the health food it is sold as: a meta-analysis of 16 trials found it raised LDL cholesterol by around 10 mg/dL compared with non-tropical vegetable oils, a finding graded strong. Treat it like any other saturated fat.

Does coconut oil help you lose weight?

No. A meta-analysis of randomized trials found coconut oil had no meaningful effect on body weight, waist circumference or fasting glucose. The MCT argument does not transfer, because coconut oil is mostly lauric acid, which behaves more like a long-chain saturated fat.

Does coconut oil raise cholesterol?

Yes, strong evidence shows coconut oil raises LDL cholesterol compared with unsaturated vegetable oils, consistently across trials. That matters if you have elevated cholesterol or cardiovascular risk.

Does oil pulling with coconut oil work?

Oil pulling with coconut oil has no established medical benefit, and lipoid pneumonia has been reported after aspiration.

Scientific references

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