Why You Shouldn't Be Eating Coconut Oil

Coconut oil may be positioned as a health food – but the American Heart Association doesn't want you to buy into it.

In a recent advisory statement drawing on the latest research, the AHA notes that the oil is full of saturated fat, which can boost "bad cholesterol." Though claims are swirling that coconut oil is healthier than other saturated fats, the AHA says the studies supporting those claims don't pass the smell test. The organization published its stance this month in its journal, Circulation.

The AHA says 82 percent of coconut oil's fat is saturated. For comparison's sake, butter only has 63 percent saturated fat; beef fat only 50 percent; and pork lard just 39 percent.

A review of seven controlled trials found coconut oil increased LDL cholesterol – the "bad" kind – in all of them, and significantly in six out of the seven. What's more, the seven trials found that all types of high-saturated-fat items – whether butter, palm oil, beef fat or coconut oil – had the same effect on LDL cholesterol, eroding the claim that coconut oil is somehow special, the review authors note.

The coconut oil "bombshell" is just one of a host of facts the AHA details in its updated advice on dietary fats and cardiovascular disease.

"We want to set the record straight on why well-conducted scientific research overwhelmingly supports limiting saturated fat in the diet to prevent diseases of the heart and blood vessels," lead author Dr. Frank Sacks told the BBC. The organization has advised reducing saturated fat intake to limit cardiovascular disease risk since 1961.

The organization encourages replacing limited amounts of saturated fat with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat. This recommendation is based on randomized clinical trials indicating that polyunsaturated fat from vegetable oils versus saturated fats from dairy and meat decreases cardiovascular disease, and that "prospective observational studies in many populations showed that lower intake of saturated fat coupled with higher intake of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat is associated with lower rates of CVD and all-cause mortality," according to the study.

Cardiovascular disease kills 17.3 million people every year and is the leading cause of death worldwide, according to the study abstract.