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Nutrition · Healthy Fats
Coconut Oil Benefits: Heart Health, Uses, vs. Butter & MCT Oil
A physician's guide to coconut oil: why your body handles it differently from other saturated fats, how it compares with butter, olive oil and MCT oil for your heart, and the best ways to cook with it and use it on your skin, hair and teeth.
Evidence-based33 sources citedUpdated September 24, 2026
The Dr. Axe Score™
Scientific Evidence
7.2/10
Dozens of trials on cholesterol and skin; few long-term studies of heart outcomes.
Antioxidant & Anti-Inflammatory
6.6/10
No change in CRP in trials, and mostly saturated fat, so it resists oxidation when heated; few polyphenols or vitamin E.
Clinical Effectiveness
7.5/10
Our judgment: strong results for dry skin and eczema and better cholesterol ratios than butter, held back by a rise in ApoB compared with unsaturated oils.
Nutrient Density
6.0/10
Rated against other oils: the richest vegetable source of medium-chain fats, but low in vitamin E and plant sterols.
Why this score?
Why Coconut Oil Benefits scores 6.9 / 10
- Look past LDL alone and coconut oil mostly holds up: it raises protective HDL, leaves triglycerides and CRP unchanged, and in a head-to-head trial matched olive oil on the total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio, while butter made it worse.
- Its main fat, lauric acid, improves the total-to-HDL ratio, which palmitic and myristic acids, common in butter and beef fat, don't do.
- Virgin coconut oil eased eczema far better than mineral oil in a trial of 117 children.
- What holds the score back: ApoB rose compared with unsaturated oils in the trials that reported it, it has fewer antioxidants and vitamins than olive oil, long-term heart outcome studies are missing, and many benefits credited to it come from studies of concentrated MCT oil.
- How the score works: Scientific Evidence rates the amount and quality of human, animal and lab research; Antioxidant & Anti-Inflammatory reflects protective compounds and effects on inflammation; Clinical Effectiveness is the team's judgment of real-world usefulness, informed by human trials, traditional use and Dr. Axe's clinical experience; Nutrient Density for an oil is rated against other oils, counting vitamins, protective compounds and functional fats like medium-chain fatty acids. Heart effects are judged on ApoB, cholesterol ratios, triglycerides and CRP, not LDL alone. These are editorial judgments, not clinical measurements.
- Weighting: Evidence 30% · Antioxidant & Anti-Inflammatory 25% · Clinical Effectiveness 25% · Nutrient Density 20% (7.2×0.30 + 6.6×0.25 + 7.5×0.25 + 6.0×0.20 = 6.885, shown as 6.9).
How the score works → Editorial score · Coconut oil Coconut oil is one of the best saturated fats you can eat and one of the most useful oils in your home, from the skillet to your skin. Judged by the heart markers that matter most, the picture is mostly favorable but not spotless: it raises protective HDL, leaves triglycerides and CRP unchanged and keeps the ApoB-to-ApoA-I ratio steady, but ApoB itself rose compared with unsaturated oils in the trials that reported it. That, plus olive oil's far richer antioxidants and stronger long-term heart record, is why it scores below extra virgin olive oil (9.0).
A transparent, weighted index built for foods. See how it’s calculated →
Interaction check: Low. No meaningful medication interactions are documented for coconut oil in food amounts. Interactions are reported separately and don't change the score.
Dr. Axe Quiz
Coconut oil at a glance
Coconut oil is a stable, mostly saturated fat pressed from coconut meat, and it behaves differently from other saturated fats. About 62% of its fatty acids are medium-chain, which your body can send straight to the liver and burn for quick energy, and its main fat, lauric acid, raises protective HDL cholesterol. It raises LDL cholesterol more than unsaturated oils in most trials, and ApoB in the trials that reported it, but it also raises protective HDL and leaves triglycerides and CRP unchanged, so its cholesterol ratios hold up well, and in head-to-head trials butter raised LDL more. It shines for baking and medium-heat cooking, and virgin coconut oil is a proven moisturizer for dry skin and eczema.
- Best for: baking, stir-fries, skin and hair care, and oil pulling
- Everyday amount: about 1 tablespoon a day, rotated with olive oil and other fats
- Choose: unrefined (virgin) for flavor and skin; refined for higher heat
- Watch: your ApoB and cholesterol ratios if you use coconut oil every day
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Few foods have been praised and condemned as loudly as coconut oil, and both sides tend to miss the most interesting part of the story.
The debate usually stops at one number: coconut oil is about 82% saturated fat by weight.1 But saturated fats aren't one thing. They come in different lengths, and your body handles a short, medium-chain fat very differently from the long-chain fats in butter and beef fat. Coconut oil's fats are unusually short. About 62% of its fatty acids are medium-chain, the most of any vegetable oil.2
That changes how its fats are digested, where they travel and how quickly they're burned, and it's why coconut oil acts differently in your body than other saturated fats. Here's what the research shows, including the parts that complicate the story, so you can decide how coconut oil fits your kitchen.
Did you know?
In a human study that tracked individual fats, 41% of lauric acid, coconut oil's main fat, was burned for energy within 9 hours, compared with 13% of stearic acid.3
Coconut oil melts at 73 to 77°F (23 to 25°C), which is why it's solid in a cool kitchen and liquid on a warm day.2
On two Pacific atolls, people got 34% to 63% of their calories from coconut, and vascular disease was uncommon in both.4
What is coconut oil?
Quick answer
Coconut oil is the fat pressed or separated from the white meat of mature coconuts. Virgin coconut oil is made from fresh coconut milk without chemical refining, bleaching or deodorizing, so it keeps its coconut aroma. Refined coconut oil is usually made from dried coconut meat (copra) and refined like other commodity oils, which leaves it nearly flavorless.2
A coconut takes about 12 months to mature, and its fresh meat is about 40% oil; dried into copra, it's about 65% oil.2 Coconut has been a staple fat across the tropics for generations, and it's still the main source of energy in some traditional Pacific island diets.4 Beyond the kitchen, it's one of the most widely used oils in skin and hair care.
Coconut oil nutrition facts
One tablespoon of coconut oil (13.6 grams) has about 121 calories and 13.5 grams of fat, 11.2 grams of it saturated, with no cholesterol, no carbohydrates and almost no vitamins or minerals.1
| Nutrient | Per 1 Tbsp (13.6 g) |
|---|---|
Calories | 121 |
Total fat | 13.5 g |
Saturated fat | 11.2 g |
Monounsaturated fat | 0.9 g |
Polyunsaturated fat | 0.2 g |
Cholesterol | 0 mg |
Plant sterols | 12 mg |
| Main fatty acids | ||
|---|---|---|
Lauric (C12) | 42% | Lauric acid (C12) |
Myristic (C14) | 17% | Long-chain |
Palmitic (C16) | 9% | Long-chain |
Caprylic (C8) | 7% | Medium-chain (C8, C10) |
Oleic (C18:1) | 6% | Long-chain |
Capric (C10) | 5% | Medium-chain (C8, C10) |
Stearic (C18) | 3% | Long-chain |
Linoleic (C18:2) | 2% | Long-chain |
USDA values for coconut oil, rounded.1 Caprylic and capric acids, the fats concentrated in MCT oil, make up about 12% of coconut oil.
Why coconut oil is different: the fat-burning shortcut
Quick answer
Most fats take a long route: they need bile and enzymes to break down, get repackaged into particles called chylomicrons, travel through your lymph system, and need a carrier called carnitine to enter your cells' power plants. Medium-chain fats take a shortcut. They're absorbed more easily, travel in the blood straight to your liver, and enter your mitochondria without carnitine, where they're burned for energy or turned into ketones.56
This is what makes coconut oil unique among cooking fats: your body has less work to do before it can use these fats. Here's the difference, step by step.
The long route: long-chain fats
The fats in butter, beef fat and most oils
- Bile from your gallbladder breaks the fat into droplets
- Pancreatic enzymes split it into fatty acids
- Your intestinal cells absorb them
- They're rebuilt into fat molecules
- They're packed into chylomicrons
- Chylomicrons travel through your lymph system
- They enter your bloodstream
- They're unloaded to muscles, or stored as body fat
- Carnitine shuttles them into your mitochondria
- They're finally burned for energy
About 10 steps
The shortcut: medium-chain fats
Caprylic and capric acids, and part of coconut oil's lauric acid
- Absorbed quickly and efficiently
- Carried in the blood straight to your liver
- Enter your mitochondria with no carnitine needed
- Burned for quick energy or turned into ketones
About 4 steps
Why it matters: fats that take the shortcut are burned readily and raise energy expenditure, so they're less likely to be stored as body fat.
In coconut oil: the pure medium-chain fats are about 12% of the oil, and its main fat, lauric acid, takes the shortcut only in part.
Simplified from reviews of fat digestion and metabolism.567
Because medium-chain fats skip the repackaging and go straight to the liver, they're used rather than stored. They're burned readily, raise energy expenditure and may help you feel full sooner.8 They're also absorbed so easily that medium-chain fats have long been used in clinical nutrition for people who struggle to digest regular fats.7
Here's the nuance that matters. Coconut oil isn't the same as MCT oil. Its purest medium-chain fats, caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acids, make up only about 12% of the oil.1 Its main fat, lauric acid (C12), sits on the border: food scientists point out that your body digests much of it like a long-chain fat,2 yet in a human tracer study it was still the most readily burned fat tested, with 41% burned within 9 hours.3 In practice, coconut oil gets you part of the shortcut. In one study it raised blood ketones only about a quarter as much as pure C8 oil,9 so if quick energy or ketones are your goal, MCT oil takes you further.
Coconut oil vs. butter and other saturated fats
Quick answer
Not all saturated fats act the same. Across 60 controlled trials, lauric acid, coconut oil's main fat, raised total cholesterol mostly by raising protective HDL, so lauric-rich oils improved the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol, while palmitic and myristic acids, common in butter and meat, had little effect on it.10 In head-to-head trials, butter raised LDL cholesterol more than coconut oil did, and coconut oil raised HDL more.1112
The best direct test is a UK trial in which 91 adults ate 50 grams (about 3½ tablespoons) a day of extra virgin coconut oil, butter or extra virgin olive oil for four weeks. Butter raised LDL cholesterol by about 16 mg/dL more than coconut oil did. Coconut oil and olive oil had the same effect on LDL, and coconut oil raised HDL by about 7 mg/dL more than butter and about 6 mg/dL more than olive oil.11
- 16 mg/dL lower LDL than butter
- 7 mg/dL higher HDL than butter
- Same LDL effect as olive oil
- 6 mg/dL higher HDL than olive oil
Four-week randomized trial, 91 adults, 50 grams a day of each fat.11
Other studies point the same way. In people with high cholesterol, butter raised LDL more than coconut oil over six weeks, though both were higher than safflower oil.12 Reviews of the trials find that coconut oil gives a better cholesterol profile than animal fats, and virgin coconut oil looked better than refined.1314
| Saturated fat | Where you find it | Effect on total-to-HDL ratio | Burned for energy |
|---|---|---|---|
Lauric acid (C12) | Coconut oil (42%) | Improves it, mostly by raising HDL | Most readily: 41% in 9 hours |
Myristic acid (C14) | Coconut oil, butter | Little effect | n/a |
Palmitic acid (C16) | Butter, beef fat, palm oil | Little effect | Less readily |
Stearic acid (C18) | Beef fat, cocoa butter | Improves it slightly | Least readily: 13% in 9 hours |
Ratio effects from a meta-analysis of 60 trials;10 burn rates from a human tracer study, where burning dropped as saturated chains got longer.3
That's the case for coconut oil among saturated fats: its main fat favors HDL and is burned readily. The same researchers are careful to note that cholesterol ratios are markers, and the effect of lauric-rich fats on heart disease itself remains uncertain.10 See coconut oil and your heart for how it compares with unsaturated oils.
Health benefits of coconut oil, ranked by evidence
1
Soothes dry skin and eczema
Strong evidenceRCTs · 117 childrenIn a double-blind trial of 117 children with mild to moderate eczema, virgin coconut oil applied for eight weeks cut eczema severity scores by 68%, compared with 38% for mineral oil, and nearly half the coconut oil group had an excellent response.15 In people with dry, scaly skin, virgin coconut oil worked as well as mineral oil, improving hydration and skin surface lipids with no side effects.16 More ideas in our guide to coconut oil for skin.
Study takeaway: virgin coconut oil beat mineral oil for childhood eczema.
2
A better cholesterol profile than other saturated fats
Moderate evidenceRCTs · meta-analyses · 60+ trialsLauric acid raises protective HDL enough to improve the total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio, which other saturated fats don't do,10 coconut oil raised LDL less than butter in head-to-head trials (see coconut oil vs. butter),11 and it left triglycerides unchanged.13 How it compares with unsaturated oils on ApoB and other markers is covered in the heart section.
Study takeaway: among saturated fats, coconut oil is one of the kindest to your cholesterol ratio.
3
Quick energy and ketones
Moderate evidenceHuman metabolic studies · Crossover trialMedium-chain fats are burned readily and raise energy expenditure,8 and coconut oil raised blood ketones in healthy adults, peaking at about a quarter of the rise from pure C8 oil.9 That makes coconut oil a helpful fat on a keto diet, while MCT oil is the stronger tool if ketones are the goal.
Study takeaway: coconut oil gives modest ketones; MCT oil gives more.
4
Oral health through oil pulling
Moderate evidence4 RCTs · 182 peopleA systematic review of four randomized trials with 182 people found that 7 to 14 days of oil pulling with coconut oil lowered plaque scores and the number of bacteria in saliva.17 The trials were short, but the practice is simple, inexpensive and traditional.
Study takeaway: oil pulling with coconut oil reduced plaque and mouth bacteria.
5
Protects hair from damage
Emerging evidenceLab studies · Hair fiber testsLauric acid's small, straight molecule can penetrate the hair shaft. In lab tests on hair, coconut oil reduced protein loss from both undamaged and damaged hair, while sunflower and mineral oil did not.18 See our guide to coconut oil for hair.
Study takeaway: coconut oil protected hair protein where other oils didn't.
6
Brain energy
Emerging evidenceRCT (MCT oil) · 83 adults · 6 monthsAn aging brain can struggle to use glucose, and ketones offer an alternate fuel. In a six-month trial of 83 adults with mild cognitive impairment, a drink with 15 grams of MCT twice a day improved several memory and language tests compared with placebo.19 That was concentrated MCT, not coconut oil, which raises ketones far less.9
Study takeaway: medium-chain fats helped memory in a 6-month trial; coconut oil is the milder version.
7
Waistline support
Mixed evidenceSmall RCTs · meta-analysis · 40 women · 16 trialsIn a 12-week double-blind trial of 40 women with abdominal obesity, all on a reduced-calorie diet and daily walks, 2 tablespoons a day of coconut oil reduced waist size, raised HDL and improved the LDL-to-HDL ratio, while soybean oil did not.20 A small open-label study found a 2.86 cm drop in waist size, in men only.21 But a review of 16 trials found no effect on body fat compared with unsaturated vegetable oils,22 while concentrated MCT oil trimmed about half a kilogram across 13 trials,23 and in a 16-week weight-loss program, people using MCT oil ended about 1.67 kg lighter than those using olive oil.24
Study takeaway: coconut oil isn't a weight-loss food, but it fits well in a healthy diet.
8
Antifungal and antimicrobial activity
Preclinical evidenceLab studies · 52 Candida samplesIn lab tests, virgin coconut oil stopped the growth of every Candida albicans sample tested,25 and fatty acids purified from coconut oil repelled biting flies, ticks, bed bugs and mosquitoes in lab tests.26 These are lab findings, not proven treatments, but they help explain coconut oil's long use on skin. For the dietary approach to yeast overgrowth, see the Candida Cleanse.
Study takeaway: strong antifungal activity in the lab; human treatment trials are still needed.
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Is coconut oil good for your heart?
Quick answer
LDL alone doesn't tell you. Coconut oil raises LDL, but it also raises protective HDL, leaves triglycerides and CRP unchanged, and in a head-to-head trial matched olive oil on the total-to-HDL ratio while butter worsened it.111322 The caveat is ApoB, the count of cholesterol-carrying particles: in the trials that compared them directly, coconut oil raised ApoB more than unsaturated oils did.1227 The ApoB-to-ApoA-I ratio held steady, including in a 2-year trial of 200 heart patients,28 but if you use coconut oil every day, ApoB is the number to watch.
The case against coconut oil rests almost entirely on LDL. The American Heart Association's 2017 advisory urged replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fats and advised against coconut oil, saying it raises LDL and "has no known offsetting favorable effects."29 Across 16 trials, coconut oil did raise LDL by about 10 mg/dL compared with unsaturated vegetable oils, but it also raised HDL by about 4 mg/dL and had no effect on blood sugar or inflammation.22
Why ratios matter more than LDL alone. In the INTERHEART study, which compared 9,345 people who'd had a first heart attack with 12,120 who hadn't across 52 countries, the ratio of ApoB to ApoA-I (the main protein in HDL) was the strongest lipid predictor of heart attack. It accounted for 54% of the population's risk, compared with 37% for the LDL-to-HDL ratio and 32% for the total-to-HDL ratio.30 That's why I pay more attention to ApoB, cholesterol ratios, triglycerides and CRP than to LDL alone. Here's how coconut oil does on each.
| Marker | What coconut oil does |
|---|---|
HDL | Rises, by about 4 mg/dL vs. unsaturated oils and 7 mg/dL vs. butter2211 |
Triglycerides | No change across trials; butter raised them more in one trial1312 |
CRP (inflammation) | No change across five trials, and no different from extra virgin olive oil in a 12-week trial of 156 adults2231 |
Total-to-HDL ratio | Same as olive oil in a 4-week trial, while butter raised it11 |
ApoB-to-ApoA-I ratio | Steady: the same as sunflower oil after 2 years in heart patients (about 0.64 in both); in a smaller trial, about 0.58 on coconut oil and on safflower oil vs. 0.61 on butter, calculated from average values2812 |
ApoB | Rises compared with unsaturated oils in the trials that reported it (91 vs. 77 mg/dL for safflower oil in one), so it's the marker to watch1227 |
ApoB is where coconut oil comes up short. Only a few trials have measured it, and they point the same way. In a New Zealand trial of 28 adults with moderately high cholesterol, ApoB averaged 91 mg/dL on coconut oil, 86 on butter and 77 on safflower oil.12 In a Norwegian trial of 25 women, ApoB was higher on a coconut-oil diet than on a diet rich in unsaturated fats.27 ApoB usually moves in the same direction as LDL, so if coconut oil replaces olive oil or other unsaturated oils in your kitchen, expect your ApoB to go up. The ApoB-to-ApoA-I ratio is more reassuring. It held steady in the New Zealand trial because ApoA-I, HDL's main protein, rose too, and in a 2-year trial of 200 heart patients in India, the ratio was the same on coconut oil as on sunflower oil (about 0.64 in both), with no difference in CRP, blood vessel function or heart events.28 Those patients were all taking statins, and the trial was partly funded by India's Coconut Development Board, so it can't settle the question on its own.
Traditional populations fit this picture. On the atolls of Pukapuka and Tokelau, where coconut supplied 34% to 63% of calories, vascular disease was uncommon, even though the islanders eating the most coconut had cholesterol levels 35 to 40 mg/dL higher.4 Those diets were built on whole coconut, fish and active lives, so the finding can't be applied directly to a typical Western diet.14 And no long-term trial has yet tested coconut oil against heart attacks or strokes.
What this means for you: coconut oil deserves a place in a heart-healthy kitchen, especially in place of butter and other saturated fats. Keep extra virgin olive oil as your main oil, use coconut oil where it shines, and if it becomes a daily habit, check your ApoB, triglyceride-to-HDL ratio and hs-CRP so you know how your own body responds, because results varied widely from trial to trial.22
Four markers that show how your body handles coconut oil
These markers can't tell you whether coconut oil is right for everyone, but they show how your own body responds to the fats you eat. Look at particles, ratios and inflammation rather than LDL alone; if you use coconut oil daily, ApoB is the marker to watch. The ranges below are the optimal targets Dr. Axe uses in his clinical framework. They're narrower than standard lab ranges, which are built to flag disease; these aim for the range linked with the lowest risk.
- ApoB · Optimal: under about 80 mg/dL · The number of cholesterol-carrying particles
- HDL · Optimal: above about 60 mg/dL · Protective cholesterol; coconut oil tends to raise it
- Triglyceride-to-HDL ratio · Optimal: under about 1.5 · A ratio that tracks insulin resistance and heart risk
- hs-CRP · Optimal: under 1.0 mg/L · Low-grade inflammation anywhere in the body
See the heart & metabolism panel
Upload a recent panel to see each marker against functional ranges. The panel page shows what's included, how the draw works and who reviews the results.
Have results? Analyze them free → →Virgin vs. refined vs. MCT oil: which coconut oil to buy
For most uses, choose unrefined (virgin), organic coconut oil. It's my oil of choice, because it keeps its natural coconut flavor and hasn't been chemically refined, bleached or deodorized.2
| Type | How it's made | Flavor and heat | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
Virgin (unrefined) | Separated from fresh coconut milk, with no chemical refining | Coconut flavor; up to about 350°F | Baking, medium-heat cooking, skin and hair |
Refined (RBD) | Usually made from dried copra; refined, bleached and deodorized | Neutral; up to about 400°F | Higher-heat cooking when you don't want coconut flavor |
MCT oil | Concentrated caprylic and capric acids | Neutral and liquid; best unheated | Coffee, smoothies and ketone support |
Partially hydrogenated | Processed to stay solid | n/a | Avoid; partial hydrogenation can create trans fats |
Look for "virgin" or "unrefined" and "organic" on the label, ideally in glass. Smell it when you open the jar: good virgin coconut oil smells fresh and sweet, like coconut, never sour or sharp. For the concentrated medium-chain version, see our guide to MCT oil.
Coconut oil vs. olive oil, avocado oil, butter and ghee
| Fat | Main type of fat | Heat | Heart evidence | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Coconut oil | Saturated, rich in lauric and medium-chain fats | Medium (virgin) to medium-high (refined) | Raises HDL; raises LDL less than butter, but more than most unsaturated oils | Baking, stir-fries, skin care |
Monounsaturated | Medium to medium-high | The strongest record of any cooking fat | Everyday cooking and dressings | |
Monounsaturated | High | Less direct research | Searing and roasting | |
Saturated, long-chain | Low to medium | Raised LDL more than coconut oil in trials | Flavor, in small amounts | |
Saturated, with milk solids removed | High | Limited research | High-heat cooking and flavor |
Coconut oil is also one of the few fats that isn't a seed oil. It comes from the coconut's meat and is about 82% saturated fat, so it's far more stable than polyunsaturated oils like soybean or corn oil.2
Want help choosing the right fats for you?
Ask Dr. Axe AI and get a clear answer. Answers are grounded in this library, with sources shown.
How to cook with coconut oil
Quick answer
Cook with virgin coconut oil up to about 350°F (177°C) and refined coconut oil up to about 400°F (204°C).2 Because it's about 82% saturated fat, it resists the oxidation that breaks polyunsaturated oils down into harmful aldehydes during high-heat cooking.32 It's excellent for baking, sautéing, stir-fries, roasting and popcorn.
Bake with it. Swap it 1:1 for butter or shortening. Use it softened where you'd cream butter, and melted where a recipe calls for oil.
Match the type to the dish. Virgin coconut oil for curries, granola and baked goods where coconut flavor fits; refined for stir-fries, roasting and popcorn.
In coffee. Blend 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon into hot coffee for a creamy, keto-friendly cup. MCT oil raises ketones more if that's your goal.9
Keep the amount sensible. About a tablespoon a day works for most people. It has about 11 grams of saturated fat, and the American Heart Association's daily limit is about 13 grams, so rotate it with olive and avocado oil.2
Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup virgin coconut oil, softened
- ½ cup almond butter
- ¼ cup raw cacao powder
- 1 to 2 tablespoons raw honey or maple syrup (optional)
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Stir everything together until smooth.
- Spoon into mini muffin liners or a silicone mold.
- Freeze 20 minutes until firm. Store in the refrigerator, since coconut oil softens above about 76°F.
Coconut oil for skin, hair and teeth
Coconut oil is one of the best-studied natural moisturizers, and it's simple to use. For dozens more ideas, see 77 coconut oil uses.
Dry skin and eczema. Apply a thin layer of virgin coconut oil twice a day, the way it was used in the dry-skin trial, ideally right after a shower while your skin is still damp.16
Face and lips. It's a gentle makeup remover and lip balm. If you're acne-prone, test it on a small area first, because heavy oils can clog pores for some people.
Hair mask. Warm 1 to 2 tablespoons, work it through the lengths of your hair, leave it on for 30 minutes or overnight, then shampoo. Its lauric acid can penetrate the hair shaft and reduce protein loss.18
Oil pulling. Swish about a tablespoon around your mouth for several minutes, spit it into the trash rather than the sink, then brush.17
Not a sunscreen. Plant oils measured only SPF 2 to 8 in lab tests,33 so use coconut oil to soothe sun-dried skin afterward, not to prevent a burn.
Myths vs. facts
Myth
Coconut oil is the same as MCT oil.
Myth
All saturated fats affect cholesterol the same way.
Fact
Lauric acid raises HDL and improves the total-to-HDL ratio; palmitic and myristic acids barely move it.10
Myth
If coconut oil raises LDL, it must be bad for your heart.
Myth
Coconut oil is worse for cholesterol than butter.
Myth
Coconut oil is a natural sunscreen.
Fact
Plant oils measured only SPF 2 to 8 in the lab.33
Myth
Coconut oil melts belly fat.
Fact
Effects on weight are small; across 16 trials, it didn't change body fat compared with unsaturated oils.22
Coconut oil side effects & who should be careful
Quick answer
Coconut oil is safe as a food for nearly everyone. The main consideration is ApoB: compared with unsaturated vegetable oils, coconut oil raised LDL in most trials and ApoB in the trials that reported it,221227 so if your ApoB is already high or you have heart disease, favor olive oil and check your numbers if you use coconut oil every day. On the skin, it caused no reactions in the patch-tested volunteers in the dry-skin trial.16
Cholesterol. Check ApoB, your triglyceride-to-HDL ratio and hs-CRP a couple of months after making coconut oil a daily habit, and adjust from there.
Digestion. Large amounts at once, especially of MCT oil, can loosen stools. Start with a teaspoon or two and build up.
Skin. Patch-test it first, and use a lighter oil on your face if you break out easily.
Allergy. Coconut allergy is uncommon but possible. Stop at any itching, hives or swelling.
Medications. No meaningful interactions are documented for coconut oil in food amounts.
Is coconut oil good for you?
In moderation, yes, and it's one of the better choices among saturated fats. Its main fat, lauric acid, raises protective HDL cholesterol and is burned for energy more readily than the saturated fats in butter or beef fat, it holds up well to heat, and virgin coconut oil soothes dry, eczema-prone skin. It does raise LDL more than unsaturated oils in most trials, and ApoB in the trials that reported it, while also raising HDL and leaving triglycerides and CRP unchanged, so make it one of your fats, not your only one, and keep an eye on your ApoB.
Is coconut oil bad for your cholesterol?
Not by most measures, but it isn't neutral either. Across 16 trials it raised LDL by about 10 mg/dL but also raised protective HDL by about 4 mg/dL compared with unsaturated vegetable oils, with no change in triglycerides or CRP. In a head-to-head trial it matched olive oil on the total-to-HDL ratio, while butter worsened it. ApoB, the count of cholesterol-carrying particles, rose compared with unsaturated oils in the trials that reported it, though the ApoB-to-ApoA-I ratio held steady. If you use coconut oil every day, ApoB is the number to watch.
Is coconut oil healthier than butter?
For cholesterol, yes. In a 4-week trial of 91 adults eating 50 grams a day, butter raised LDL cholesterol about 16 mg/dL more than coconut oil, while coconut oil raised HDL about 7 mg/dL more than butter. An earlier trial in people with high cholesterol also found butter raised LDL more than coconut oil.
Which is healthier, coconut oil or olive oil?
For everyday use and heart health, extra virgin olive oil has the stronger record. In one 4-week trial, coconut oil and olive oil had the same effect on LDL, and coconut oil raised HDL more, but larger reviews find unsaturated oils like olive oil keep LDL lower, and ApoB was lower on unsaturated oils in the trials that reported it. Use olive oil as your main oil and coconut oil where its flavor and heat stability shine.
Is coconut oil a seed oil?
No. Coconut oil comes from the white meat of the coconut, and it's about 82% saturated fat, so it's far more stable than polyunsaturated seed oils like soybean or corn oil. Virgin coconut oil is separated from fresh coconut milk without chemical refining; some refined coconut oil is made from dried coconut and refined like other commodity oils.
What's the difference between coconut oil and MCT oil?
MCT oil is concentrated caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acids, the medium-chain fats your body turns into energy and ketones fastest. Coconut oil contains only about 12% of those two, plus about 42% lauric acid. In one study, coconut oil raised blood ketones only about a quarter as much as pure C8 oil.
Is refined or unrefined coconut oil better?
Unrefined (virgin) coconut oil is not chemically refined or deodorized, so it keeps its coconut flavor and aroma, and it's the kind used in the skin trials. Refined coconut oil is neutral-tasting and handles higher heat. I choose unrefined, organic coconut oil for most uses and keep refined for higher-heat cooking.
What is coconut oil's smoke point?
About 350°F (177°C) for virgin coconut oil and about 400°F (204°C) for refined. Because coconut oil is about 82% saturated fat, it resists the oxidation that breaks down polyunsaturated oils during cooking.
Does coconut oil help you lose weight?
Only modestly, if at all. Some small trials found less waist fat, but a review of 16 trials found no effect on body fat compared with other oils. Concentrated MCT oil has better evidence, trimming about half a kilogram (roughly a pound) on average across 13 trials.
Is coconut oil good for your face and skin?
It's an excellent moisturizer for dry skin and eczema. In a trial of 117 children, virgin coconut oil cut eczema severity by 68%, compared with 38% for mineral oil. If you're acne-prone, test it on a small area first, because heavy oils can clog pores for some people.
Does coconut oil help hair grow?
No study shows it makes hair grow faster. What it does well is protect hair: its small, straight lauric acid molecules can penetrate the hair shaft, and in lab tests coconut oil reduced protein loss from hair, while sunflower and mineral oil did not. Less damage means less breakage.
Does oil pulling with coconut oil work?
It helps. A review of four randomized trials with 182 people found that 7 to 14 days of oil pulling with coconut oil lowered plaque scores and the number of bacteria in saliva. Swish about a tablespoon for several minutes, spit it into the trash rather than the sink, then brush as usual.
Does coconut oil go bad?
It's one of the most shelf-stable oils because it's so saturated, and it doesn't need refrigeration. It melts at about 73 to 77°F (23 to 25°C), so it's normal for it to be solid in winter and liquid in summer. Throw it out if it smells sour or sharp, tastes bitter, or shows mold.
How much coconut oil should I have a day?
Trials used about 2 to 3½ tablespoons a day for a few weeks. For everyday cooking, about a tablespoon is a sensible amount; it has about 11 grams of saturated fat, and the American Heart Association's daily limit is about 13 grams. Rotate it with olive oil, avocado oil and other fats.
Can coconut oil help with a yeast infection?
Coconut oil stopped the growth of Candida yeast in lab tests, but no human trial shows it treats a yeast infection. Cooking with it is a reasonable part of an anti-Candida diet; see the Candida Cleanse protocol for the full approach.
The bottom line
Should you use coconut oil?
Yes, wisely. Coconut oil is one of the most useful fats in your home: a heat-stable cooking fat, a moisturizer that outperformed mineral oil for eczema, and among saturated fats, one of the kindest to your cholesterol ratio, thanks to lauric acid and medium-chain fats your body can use with fewer steps. When you judge it by cholesterol ratios, triglycerides and CRP rather than LDL alone, it holds up far better than its reputation. It isn't a miracle oil: ApoB rose compared with unsaturated oils in the trials that reported it, its weight and brain benefits come mostly from concentrated MCT oil, and it carries few vitamins or antioxidants.
Build your kitchen around extra virgin olive oil, use about a tablespoon of unrefined, organic coconut oil where its flavor and heat stability shine, and keep a jar in the bathroom for your skin, hair and oil pulling. If you use it every day, check your ApoB, triglyceride-to-HDL ratio and hs-CRP so you know how your own body responds. Used this way, coconut oil earns its place as one of the most versatile healthy fats you can own.
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What changed in this update (September 24, 2026) — Comprehensive rebuild with the Dr. Axe Score and interaction check, a step-by-step comparison of how medium-chain and long-chain fats are digested, head-to-head trials against butter, olive oil and other saturated fats, an evidence-ranked benefits list, and cooking, skin, hair and oral-care guidance, with every source verified. Corrected the previous version's description of the American Heart Association's saturated fat limit. Heart effects are judged on ApoB, cholesterol ratios, triglycerides and CRP rather than LDL alone, and nutrient density is rated against other oils. Added ApoB results from more trials, including a 2-year trial in heart patients, and lowered Clinical Effectiveness because ApoB rose compared with unsaturated oils (editorial score 6.9).
Originally published August 31, 2023. —
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