Coconut Oil: an Overview of Cardiometabolic Effects and the Public Health Burden of Misinformation

Overview

Journal Arch Endocrinol Metab

Specialty Endocrinology

Date 2023 Jun 26

PMID 37364144

Authors

Bernardo Frison Spiazzi

Ana Claudia Duarte

Carolina Pires Zingano

Paula Portal Teixeira

Carmen Raya Amazarray

Eduarda Nunes Merello

Laura Fink Wayerbacher

Laura Penso Farenzena

Poliana Espindola Correia

Marcello Casaccia Bertoluci

Fernando Gerchman

Veronica Colpani

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Recent data from meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) suggest that dietary intake of coconut oil, rich in saturated fatty acids, does not result in cardiometabolic benefits, nor in improvements in anthropometric, lipid, glycemic, and subclinical inflammation parameters. Nevertheless, its consumption has surged in recent years all over the world, a phenomenon which can possibly be explained by an increasing belief among health professionals that this oil is as healthy as, or perhaps even healthier than, other oils, in addition to social network misinformation spread. The objective of this review is to present nutritional and epidemiological aspects related to coconut oil, its relationship with metabolic and cardiovascular health, as well as possible hypotheses to explain its high rate of consumption, in spite of the most recent data regarding its actual effects.

Citing Articles

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PMID: 38891580 PMC: 11171206. DOI: 10.3390/ani14111534.

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