Question:
Is coconut oil healthy or not?
—from comments on March Newsletter
Answer:
Last month’s Train Right Nutrition Newsletter article about cooking oils raised many questions, particularly about coconut oil and a battle between its pros and cons. I decided to look into it, and provide everyone with an answer I’m comfortable with.
As a cooking oil, coconut oil adds great versatility and a bounty of nutrients. The relatively high smoke point of this oil (400 degrees Fahrenheit) makes it one of the most stable oils used in commercial kitchens and bakeries, as well as the packaged food industry. Coconut oil is very slow to oxidize and turn rancid, which makes it ideal for food products that need a long shelf life. And interestingly, in response to public concern over trans fat, many manufacturers are switching over to coconut oil and its relative, palm oil.
Here’s what you get with that long shelf life: 90% saturated fat. And of that 90%, 60% of those fats are in the form of lauric acid. This fatty acid is a medium chain triglyceride (MCT), meaning the overall size of this particular fat molecule is much smaller, and more efficiently metabolized than other fat molecules. Because they’re metabolized quicker than larger fat molecules, they’re tapped for energy sooner and result in less stored fat. For ultra-distance training sessions and races, where the intensity is by definition lower than during 1- to 2-hour session, and where overall caloric intake is crucial, consuming MCTs may have a place in the athlete’s diet. That’s because at these easier intensities, a higher percentage of fat is burned as fuel. Add in the reported antimicrobial and immune boosting effects of the lauric acid, and this seems like wonder oil.
Yet, before you go out and buy a gallon of coconut oil, let me put this into perspective. First off, MCTs are not metabolized faster than carbohydrates so they should never be thought of as source of high-octane fuel for maximum performance. In discussing this issue with CTS Coaches, the ones who believe in the ergogenic effect of MCTs still won't recommend them to their athletes until training sessions or competitions go over 5 hours in duration. Plus, heavy oils like coconut and palm tend not to sit well in the gut—as soon as your heart rate jumps to a higher intensity, these fats are often not tolerated during a hard-charging workout. And, let’s not lose sight of the 90% saturated fat content. Saturated fat is still artery-clogging, plaque-forming, atherosclerosis-causing stuff to be generally avoided.
Overall, I agree that the saturated fat found in coconut oil and used in many packaged foods may be a step up from trans fats. But in terms of good nutrition and sports performance, I find it difficult to recommend consuming coconut oil, especially when there are much better oils out there, including grapeseed, olive, and canola oils. While these are lower in MCTs, they are nutritionally sound choices with much less saturated fat. As a result, they’re better choices for sautéing and use in stir-fries, dressings and in baked goods, respectively.
By Alicia Kendig, RD, CTS Sports Dietitian
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