from bbc health
How healthy are coconuts? I use coconut a lot in cooking but I've been told that it's rich in fat.
Sam
Dr Trisha Macnair responds
One of the problems with coconut is that it's not only rich in fat but the type of fat is saturated fat, which isn't healthy.
Most plant fats are of the unsaturated type. Polyunsaturated fats (such as in sunflower oil) or monounsaturated fats (such as in olive oil) are healthier than saturated fats (which usually come from animal sources and tend to be solid rather than liquid). Only two plant oils in common use are high in saturated fats (the other is palm oil).
Polyunsaturated fats are essential
Saturated fats and monounsaturated fats are not strictly needed in the diet because the body can make them itself from basic chemicals. However, certain polyunsaturated fatty acids, called essential fatty acids, can't be made in the body and must be taken in as food in the diet.
Particularly important are the omega-6 fatty acids (from vegetables oils such as sunflower or olive) which are needed to make cells and for hormone production, and omega-3 fatty acids (from some vegetable oils and from oily fish like salmon and mackerel) needed for nervous tissue formation and to control inflammation in the body, among other things.
Coconut oil increases cholesterol levels
Although coconut oil doesn't contain cholesterol, it contains the type of fat which can be used by the body to make cholesterol. So a lot of coconut in the diet can raise cholesterol levels and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Because of the saturated fat content, the calorie count for coconut is high - about 350 Kcal per 100gm. But otherwise it's a poor source of nutrients. Unlike other nuts, levels of vitamin E and minerals are low.
The only good points are that it's a useful source of fibre in the diet, and that it's easily digestible, so providing a good source of fat for people with digestive disorders who have problems absorbing fat into the body.
Another positive feature of coconuts is that fresh coconut milk (straight from the nut) is a suitable nutritional drink to rehydrate children (and adults) with severe gastroenteritis. It's also clean and sterile if prepared properly.