Health nuts have a new reason to hold off on the coconut.
Coconut oil is just as unhealthy as beef drippings and butter, according to a new report from the American Heart Association. It’s packed with saturated fat, which can raise levels of “bad” cholesterol in the blood.
That’s a huge blow to health advocates.
The oil is marketed as a healthy alternative to animal fats because plant-based oils, including olive and sunflower, generally contain less saturated fat. However, the American Heart Association says this just isn’t true when it comes to coconuts.
In fact, coconut oil has more saturated fat than butter or beef fat. According to BBC, 89 percent of the fat in coconut oil is saturated. That’s compared to 63 percent in butter and 50 percent in beef fat.
“Bad” cholesterol, or LDL, can clog the arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack or other cardiovascular problems. Because of this, the AHA recommends replacing sources of saturated fats with unsaturated ones instead—like olive oil for example.
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