Coconut oil has long been regarded as an unhealthy fat in the United
States, although it is enjoyed liberally in many other countries, especially
where the coconut palm naturally flourishes. In those countries it is a key
daily dietary component.
However, here in the West we are beginning to rethink this narrowminded
stance, as there are solid scientific arguments that contradict prior
opinion. Coconut oil is a saturated fat, and a healthy diet should consist of
no more than 6% saturated fat out of total fat intake. However, most of
what we consume in the United States consists of artery-clogging longchain
saturated fats derived from animals. The plant-based medium-chain
fatty acids or medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) tend to digest quickly, producing
energy and stimulating the metabolism. A number of studies have
found that the MCTs in coconut oil neither are as readily converted into
stored fats as long-chain fats are nor can be readily used by the body to
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