You can’t get away from the craze that is coconut oil. People are baking with it. They’re cooking with it. They’re pouring it in their coffee and slathering it on their toast. They’re even smoothing it into their hair and skin, and more. It seems there’s nothing coconut oil can’t do!
But just because keto enthusiasts embrace this oil doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthier than other kinds. One thing to keep in mind when you’re eating or cooking with coconut oil is its saturated fat content. Like other fats that are solid at room temperature, coconut oil is high in saturated fat, the kind most experts recommend limiting in the diet. The vast majority — 90 percent — of the fat in coconut oil is saturated, research shows.
While there has been some debate about how unhealthy saturated fat really is, a systematic review published in 2020 of 16 clinical trials concluded that coconut oil causes higher LDL (“bad”) cholesterol than using nontropical plant oils. So while it may raise heart-protective cholesterol like HDL, it also bumps up the LDL cholesterol linked to heart disease risk.
For this reason, the American Heart Association recommends limiting your saturated fat intake to 13 grams per day. One tablespoon of coconut oil has about 11 grams of saturated fat, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It’s really easy to hit or exceed that limit if you use coconut oil liberally. Plus, it leaves little room for other sources of saturated fat in your diet.
Remember that if you’re eating coconut oil, it should be one of many oils in your diet, says the integrative medicine and women’s health expert Tieraona Low Dog, MD, the author of Fortify Your Life: Your Guide to Vitamins, Minerals, and More. No need to heap it on everything (it does contain 121 calories per tablespoon, about the same as other oils). Simply include it in a rotation among extra-virgin olive oil, peanut oil, grapeseed oil, and ghee, she says.
But coconut oil has so many other benefits that even if you’re enjoying it in moderation, a jar may not last long! Take a look at these ways to use coconut oil from head to toe.
1. As a Natural Treatment to Soothe Eczema
If you’re hoping to help tame an eczema flare-up, you may want to give coconut oil a try, says Dr. Low Dog. Thanks to itchy skin, scratching can potentially introduce staph bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, which requires antibiotics). On the other hand, “Research showed that applying [coconut oil] daily on your skin for a month led to a 95 percent reduction in staph on the skin,” she says. Coconut oil is rife with lauric acid, which has antibacterial and antifungal activity that fights harmful bacteria. As a moisturizer, it may also help repair the skin’s barrier, which is your body’s first line of defense against infection.
2. As a Treatment for Acne
Along with the many other benefits of coconut oil’s antifungal and antimicrobial properties, early research indicates it may be “a reasonable option for patients with mild to moderate dermal infections, especially acne vulgaris caused by P. acnes.” While coconut oil, like any other, is comedogenic, which means it can clog pores, research has also found it has anti-inflammatory effects, may protect the skin from UV radiation, and may enhance the skin’s natural function as a barrier against environmental harms. So if you have sensitive skin or are prone to acne, consult a board-certified dermatologist before trying it.