Coconut oil is one of the most popular organic foods on the planet. It’s also one of the riskiest. The coconut palm grows abundantly in many parts of the world, including Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Taiwan, and South Pacific nations. If a farmer does not properly manage their plantation, or if they harvest the fruits at the wrong season, then they may face serious monetary losses. For this reason, more people are paying attention to the dangers of palm oil farms, like the one in Borneo.
Recently, a documentary was made about the risks of coconut oil, and the film “The Coconut Diet” did not mince words when it came to the dangers of saturated fat and heart disease. According to the film, coconut oil contains up to twenty times more saturated fat than sunflower oil, which is the standard for cooking purposes. The movie also implied that lauric acid, another natural substance found in coconut oil, is also unhealthy, because it has been associated with cancer.
Is all of this true? Experts have looked at the issues surrounding the health claims made about coconut oil, both on the internet and in prominent health publications, and have determined that the claims are unsubstantiated by evidence. Even if true, it is unlikely that consuming large amounts of coconut oil would have any serious negative health effects. However, it is always important to read the labels on all ingredients, to make sure that you are not eating something with unhealthy saturated fat or something that could cause heart disease.