Is coconut oil healthy? We are clearing up your doubts!

What does coconut oil contain?

Coconut oil, although it is repeatedly ranked as a superfood, in reality this statement turns out to be somewhat exaggerated. Everything is due to the fact that the fatty acids contained in coconuts are saturated. It is well known that these are bad for the human body and cause the liver to increase the production of so-called bad cholesterol, or LDL lipoproteins.

The proof? Saturated fatty acids have a solid texture at room temperature. The best test is to convince yourself of this in practice and see that coconut oil, unlike unsaturated fats (e.g. fish oil - cod liver oil), is not able to remain liquid at low temperatures.

Coconut oil and MCT oil - what is the difference?

One of the basic arguments in favour of the alleged health benefits of coconut oil is its medium-chain fatty acid content. It is difficult to deny this, but it is worth knowing that their amount is disproportionately lower in relation to long-chain fatty acids - these, as we already know, are not beneficial for the body and rather bring more harm than good.

Then what about MCT oil, which is derived from coconut oil? As an industrially produced dietary supplement, it is completely free of unhealthy long-chain fats. In addition, MCT oil has a much higher content of caprylic acid and capric acid, which are valuable medium-chain fats.

Nutrition and supplementation experts attribute its extremely beneficial properties for people who are physically active. Recreational exercisers and professional athletes often use it, for example, as a source of easily digestible energy. In addition, MCT oil is a very good option for people on a ketogenic (high-fat) diet. Olimp Sport Nutrition offers the MCT Oil as a dietary supplement, which is a high class complex of medium chain fatty acids of plant origin, which was prepared according to a high standard in a modern research and development centre of the Olimp Laboratories pharmaceutical company.

Is coconut oil healthy and worth using?

Despite many positive opinions, coconut oil is not healthy for the daily diet. The presence of medium-chain fatty acids in relation to the content of long-chain fats is an insufficient argument for including this oil in a nutritional plan. Occasional consumption will not be dangerous. However, other sources of fat such as olive oil or rapeseed oil would be a much better choice.