Coconut is one of those foods that once got a bad rap, but now is suddenly back in style as a potential superfood. But the final word on the health benefits of coconut has yet to be determined, at least by U.S. experts. "There are very few people in the United States, if anyone, looking at coconut health effects," cautions nutrition chemist Tom Brenna, PhD, a professor of human ecology at Cornell University. Rather, much of the research on the health benefits of coconut comes from India, a country that dominates the production of coconut food products — potentially tainting research results. What is known about coconuts is that — in moderation — they offer a healthier type of saturated fat and fiber for your diet, and nutrients such as iron, potassium, selenium, choline, phosphorus, and niacin.
Here are more pros and cons.
Coconut Meat for Fiber
"Coconut is a good source of fiber," says Joannie Dobbs, PhD, CNS, an assistant specialist for food composition and health education in the department of human nutrition, food, and animal sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. But she also cautions that it can act as a laxative if you eat too much. Perhaps more alarming, coconut is high in saturated fat — packing 29.7 grams of saturated fat and 354 calories per 3-ounce serving.
CREDIT: Suzanne Plunkett/AP Photo
Coconut Meat for Safer Saturated Fat
Although coconut is high in saturated fat, studies have shown that among people who eat coconut meat regularly, such as residents of the islands of Indonesia, coconut does not contribute to heart disease development, perhaps in part because diets including coconut also traditionally include fish, vegetables, and rice. Rather, heart disease risk in populations that eat coconut rises as people's diets start to contain more meat, eggs, and dietary cholesterol.
One reason that coconut's saturated fat seems not to be harmful when included in an otherwise healthy diet is that it's made up of medium-chain fatty acids that are metabolized differently than animal-based saturated fat. Current thinking suggests that including coconut meat in your diet is as good for your heart as including other sources of healthy fats, Brenna says, whose research focuses on healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids. But remember — everything in moderation.
Coconut Water and Potassium
Truth is, health claims attached to coconut water might not actually hold water. One manufacturer, Vita Coco, recently settled a class-action lawsuit that challenged the health claims the company made about its products — the product as not as "super hydrating," as it claims to be. And while coconut water does contain high potassium levels, Dobbs also cautions that it may be too low in sodium as a beverage for long-endurance sports. So while coconut water may taste good, refresh you, and even provide some added potassium, there's no clinically proven health benefit to drinking it.
Coconut Butter: Benefits Unknown
When you see the word "butter," you're looking at a food that's 60 to 80 percent fat, Brenna says. And there's not a lot of data about any possible health benefits of coconut butter. He suggests that if you'd like to try coconut butter, first find out how it's made. Coconut fats and oils are better if they're prepared slowly under low heat. Because many coconut products come from outside the United States, it can be difficult to know the details of their preparation — but Brenna says that your sense of smell can provide some clues. High heat removes coconut scent. Look for a food with true coconut aroma — the label shouldn't suggest that coconut fragrance was added. If you find a product you like, use small amounts in place of other fats in your diet. As with dairy butter, cautions Dobbs, overeating coconut butter can lead to weight gain.
Coconut Milk as a Dairy Substitute
Coconut milk is a staple ingredient for curries and soups from India and Thailand. If you're lactose-intolerant and enjoy the flavor of coconut, Dobbs says you might consider using the milk in place of dairy in some recipes. But she adds that it lowers iron bioavailability, meaning your body might not be able to get iron out of the foods that you eat along with the milk. (The fix is to eat iron-rich foods at separate meals.)
But on the other hand, the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition published a paper that showed that vegetables rich in vitamin A, such as carrots, squash, and sweet potatoes, yield more vitamin A when eaten in a curry made with coconut milk.
Coconut Oil as a Dairy Fat Stand-in
Coconut oil enjoys perhaps the most storied past of all coconut products, Brenna says. Several decades ago, a highly processed, scentless, and flavorless coconut oil, also called copra oil, came onto the market. Researchers ultimately showed that it contributed to unhealthy cholesterol in lab animals, he says. Today you can find virgin coconut oil, which has not been tested in the United States, but which Brenna believes may be processed more gently, therefore preserving the heart-healthy fats associated with coconut. "I would not hesitate to substitute virgin coconut oil for other fats in the diet, [but] keep an eye on lipid levels," Brenna says.
Coconut Ice Cream and Calcium
You can make coconut-flavored ice cream at home, with coconut flesh and coconut milk, or buy ice cream made with coconut ingredients in place of dairy fats. This coconut ice cream can be a good source of calcium, research published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association showed. Plus, Brenna says it tastes good.
- Last Updated: 01/17/13