A coconut is not a true nut. Botanically it is a drupe, or stone fruit. The species name nucifera means nut-bearing, even though the fruit is not a nut.
The common name comes from a 16th-century Portuguese word for head or skull. The three dark eyes at one end look like a face.
The raw white meat is unusual among plant foods for its fat. A 1 oz (28 g) piece has 100 calories and 9.5 g of fat. Of that, 8.42 g is saturated, 42% of the Daily Value (the daily target on US food labels).
Per 100 g that is 29.7 g of saturated fat, 148% of the Daily Value, and about half of it (14.9 g) is lauric acid. The same 100 g gives 9 g of fiber and 65% of the Daily Value for manganese.
Almost all the research on coconut and health tests coconut oil, a different product. Other studies look at people who eat coconut as part of a traditional diet. Studies of raw coconut meat itself are few, so each card below says which product was tested.
On the Pacific atolls of Tokelau, coconut supplied 63% of energy in a 1981 study that found little vascular disease. But a later review says such findings cannot be applied to a typical Western diet.
Health benefits of coconut
The top findings from 27 studies, strongest evidence first
What the stars mean
- Strong. Several randomized trials, pooled in a meta-analysis, point the same way, or regulators (FDA or EFSA) have approved the claim.
- Moderate. Good randomized trials support it, but there are fewer of them, or their results vary.
- Limited. Small, short or single trials, or mixed results. Promising, but it needs confirmation.
Population and lab studies get no stars: they show a link or a mechanism, not proof.
How we rate evidence →- ★★★Raised “bad” LDL cholesterol versus most plant oilsAcross 16 trials, coconut oil (not coconut meat) raised LDL against non-tropical vegetable oils (by 10.47 mg/dL). Against butter, a separate pooled analysis found it lowered LDL (by 14.90 mg/dL).
- ★★Higher “good” HDL cholesterolAcross 14 trials, virgin coconut oil (not meat) raised HDL (by 7.91 mg/dL) and lowered triglycerides (by 12.12 mg/dL). LDL did not clearly change.
- ★★No clear effect on weight or waist sizeIn 7 trials with 515 adults, coconut oil did not clearly change weight or waist size. The risk of bias was high and the certainty of the evidence very low.
- ★★No better thinking scores in Alzheimer’s diseaseIn 120 older adults with Alzheimer’s disease, virgin coconut oil (30 mL a day for 24 weeks) did not improve thinking more than canola oil.
- ★Lower LDL cholesterol from coconut flake cerealIn 21 people with high cholesterol, coconut flake cereals lowered LDL by 11.0% and 9.2% in 2 weeks, against 8.8% with an oat bran cereal. The flakes were a coconut flour by-product, and the trial was small and short.
All 27 studies, strongest evidence first
Coconut oil raised LDL by 10.47 mg/dL against non-tropical vegetable oils
This meta-analysis (a study that pools earlier trials) combined 16 clinical trials of coconut oil, not coconut meat, lasting at least 2 weeks. HDL (“good”) cholesterol also rose, by 4.00 mg/dL. Markers of blood sugar, inflammation and body fat did not clearly change. Results varied a lot between trials, but held after dropping non-randomized and poor-quality trials.
Coconut oil lowered LDL against butter, raised it against several oils
This meta-analysis pooled interventional studies of coconut oil, not coconut meat. Against butter, coconut oil lowered LDL by 14.90 mg/dL, but against corn, palm, soybean and safflower oils it raised LDL. Across all comparisons it raised total cholesterol by 15.42 mg/dL, LDL by 10.14 mg/dL and HDL by 2.61 mg/dL. LDL was not higher than with olive oil. The authors say coconut oil can be one of the risk factors for heart disease in South Asians.
Coconut oil did not clearly change LDL, weight or waist size
This meta-analysis pooled 7 randomized trials in 515 adults, followed for 4 weeks to 2 years. It compared coconut oil, not coconut meat, with other oils and fats, and HDL rose by 3.28 mg/dL. Risk of bias was high, the certainty of the evidence very low, and the methods differed between trials. The authors found no clinically relevant gain in blood lipids or body composition and advise other oils.
Virgin coconut oil raised HDL and lowered triglycerides in 14 trials
This meta-analysis pooled randomized trials in 1,049 adults taking virgin coconut oil, not meat, for 2 to 24 weeks. HDL rose by 7.91 mg/dL and triglycerides fell by 12.12 mg/dL. LDL, blood sugar, body measures, blood pressure and CRP did not clearly change, though total cholesterol rose in people under 50. The authors call for larger, longer trials.
Coconut oil did not raise LDL more than olive oil; butter did
In this randomized trial, 94 healthy adults aged 50 to 75 ate 50 g of fat a day for 4 weeks. Butter raised LDL by 0.42 mmol/L more than coconut oil and 0.38 mmol/L more than olive oil. Coconut oil raised HDL more than butter (0.18 mmol/L) or olive oil (0.16 mmol/L). Weight, blood sugar and blood pressure did not differ, and the trial lasted only 4 weeks.
Olive oil lowered LDL more than extra virgin coconut oil
In this 12-week randomized trial, 156 adults with central obesity (belly fat) ate diets of about 2,400 kcal. The diets were enriched with red palm olein, extra virgin coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil. The main outcome, hs-CRP (an inflammation marker), was similar across the three diets, and LDL and HDL subfractions did not differ. Two of the authors work for the Malaysian Palm Oil Board.
Lauric acid greatly raised total cholesterol, but much was HDL
This meta-analysis of 60 controlled trials compared single fatty acids and carbohydrates. So it tests lauric acid, the main saturated fat in coconut, and not coconut itself. Oils rich in lauric acid lowered the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol, though replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat lowered it more. The authors say the effect of lauric-rich fats on heart disease risk remains uncertain.
Virgin coconut oil did not improve thinking scores in Alzheimer’s disease
In this double-blind trial, 120 Sri Lankan adults over 65 had mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease. For 24 weeks they took 30 mL a day of virgin coconut oil or canola oil. Lipids and HbA1c did not differ either. Scores rose by 2.37 points in carriers of the APOE ɛ4 gene compared with non-carriers, a subgroup result. About 30% of people dropped out.
Coconut flake cereal lowered LDL cholesterol by 11.0% and 9.2%
In this double-blind randomized crossover trial, 21 people with total cholesterol of 259 to 283 mg/dL ate each test cereal for 2 weeks. In the test cereals, 15% or 25% of the fiber came from coconut flakes. The oat bran reference cereal lowered LDL by 8.8%. The flakes came from coconut flour production, so this is a coconut by-product and not raw meat. The trial was small and short.
Coconut flour macaroons and carrot cake had low glycemic index values
In this crossover trial, 10 healthy people and 10 people with diabetes ate bakery products with different amounts of coconut flour. Macaroons and carrot cake made with 200 to 250 g of coconut flour per kg had glycemic index values of 45.7 and 51.8. Glycemic index (how fast a food raises blood sugar) fell as flour and fiber rose. But pan de sal and a multigrain loaf with 50 and 100 g per kg had high values (87.2 and 85.2). The authors say the fat in coconut-flour foods should be considered.
Coconut oil with diet and walking raised HDL and cut waist size
In this double-blind trial, 40 women aged 20 to 40 with abdominal obesity took part for 12 weeks. They took 30 mL a day of coconut oil or soybean oil, followed a low-calorie diet and walked 50 minutes a day. HDL was higher on coconut oil (48.7 against 45.0 mg/dL). Only that group lost waist size, though BMI fell in both groups.
Coconut oil raised HDL but left body measures unchanged in obese men
In this randomized trial, 29 men with obesity ate a balanced diet with the same calories for 45 days. They also took 1 tablespoon (12 mL) a day of extra virgin coconut oil or soybean oil. Body measures did not differ between groups, while HDL rose more and the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol fell on coconut oil. It was small and short.
Virgin coconut oil raised LDL by 13.5 mg/dL in postmenopausal women
In this randomized crossover study, 12 women with an average age of 58.8 took 30 mL a day of virgin coconut oil for 28 days. They also took safflower oil for 28 days, with a 28-day washout (break) in between. Total cholesterol rose 18.2 mg/dL and HDL 6.6 mg/dL, and the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol did not change. Safflower oil did not change lipids, and one woman had an adverse reaction with more inflammation.
Coconut fat diets gave lower LDL than butter diets in Pacific islanders
41 healthy Polynesians in New Zealand ate foods rich in butter, then coconut fat, then safflower oil, each for 6 weeks in that fixed order. ApoB (a protein that carries LDL) was also lower on coconut and safflower than on butter. Total and HDL cholesterol did not differ between butter and coconut. Because the order was fixed, the periods cannot be compared as cleanly as in a randomized trial.
Coconut oil at breakfast lowered hunger in normal-weight men, versus olive oil
In this randomized crossover study, 20 men took part, 10 of normal weight and 10 with obesity. They had 25 g of extra virgin coconut oil or olive oil at breakfast. Hunger and desire to eat 3 hours later fell in the normal-weight men. At a lunch 180 minutes later, intake did not clearly differ. Normal-weight men ate 924 against 845 kcal, and men with obesity 859 against 994 kcal.
Coconut oil in a Mediterranean diet improved memory and orientation scores
In this pilot trial, 44 people with Alzheimer’s disease were split into two groups of 22 for 21 days. Gains looked clearer in women with mild to moderate disease. The trial was small and short, used a screening test, and the larger 120-person trial above found no overall gain.
Coconut water did not differ from plain water for rehydration after exercise
This systematic review covered 11 studies that compared milk, coconut water or beer with water after exercise-induced dehydration. The 3 coconut water trials showed no differences at multiple times in hydration measures. Coconut water is a different product from the raw meat the nutrition facts above describe.
Tokelauans, eating more coconut, had higher serum cholesterol than Pukapukans
This study compared two Polynesian atoll populations who ate little dietary cholesterol or sugar. Tokelauans got 63% of their energy from coconut and Pukapukans 34%, and Tokelauans had serum cholesterol 35 to 40 mg/dL higher. The authors found vascular disease uncommon in both, despite a diet high in saturated fat. A 2016 review cautions that such traditional diets and lifestyles cannot be applied to a typical Western diet.
Among Indonesian coconut eaters, coconut intake did not predict heart disease
This case-control study compared 93 people with coronary heart disease and 189 matched controls among the Minangkabau of West Sumatra. It used a 12-month food questionnaire. Coconut as flesh or milk, and saturated fat intake, did not predict heart disease. More animal foods, protein and cholesterol and less plant carbohydrate did. Recall of past diet is imperfect.
Filipino women eating more coconut oil had higher HDL cholesterol
This cohort study (it follows people over time) covered 1,839 women from Cebu aged 35 to 69. Coconut oil intake averaged 9.5 g a day, from two 24-hour diet recalls. The link was mostly before menopause, and coconut oil was not clearly linked to LDL cholesterol or triglycerides. This is a link, not proof, and the intake was small.
Coconut allergy affects about 0.39% of US residents, roughly 1 in 260
This nationally representative survey covered 78,851 people in 2015 and 2016. The rate was 0.43% in adults and 0.22% in children. Of those with convincing allergy, 47.5% had reactions involving multiple organ systems. Fewer than half reported a physician diagnosis.
About half of reactions to eating coconut met anaphylaxis criteria
This chart review in a children’s hospital covered 275 patients with a positive coconut test. Of them, 69 reported reactions (57 from eating it), and 206 were only sensitized or not allergic. Anaphylaxis is a severe, whole-body allergic reaction. A positive skin test predicted allergy only about 50% of the time. Co-sensitization with tree nuts, legumes and seeds was common, most strongly with macadamia nut (r = 0.81).
In children, peanut or tree nut allergy did not raise coconut sensitization
This chart review covered 191 children tested for sesame and 40 tested for coconut. Peanut or tree nut sensitization raised the odds of sesame sensitization (6.7 and 10.5 times), but not of coconut. Only 40 children were tested for coconut.
In rats, coconut kernel hemicellulose lowered total and LDL + VLDL cholesterol
Fiber isolated from coconut kernel was split into a hemicellulose-rich and a cellulose-rich part and fed to rats. The cellulose-rich part changed nothing clearly. Rats on the hemicellulose fiber also excreted more bile acids and fecal sterols. This is a study in rats, not people.
Coconut kernel protein lowered cholesterol and triglycerides in rats compared with casein
Rats fed isolated coconut kernel protein had lower cholesterol, phospholipids and triglycerides in serum and most tissues. They also broke down more liver cholesterol into bile acids. The authors credit the protein’s very low lysine to arginine ratio. This is a rat study of one protein, not of the food.
Coconut oil gave mice higher plasma cholesterol than soy oil
This study in mice, not people, used high-fat diets enriched with coconut oil or soy oil for 8 weeks. Weight gain was the same. The coconut oil group also had a lower relative abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila, a gut bacterium. The authors link specific gut bacteria to changes in fat metabolism.
Mice on virgin coconut oil did worse on memory tests
This study gave 30 male mice chow or diets with 5% or 20% virgin coconut oil for 28 days. Visuo-spatial memory was worse on both coconut diets, and recognition memory was worse at 20%. At 20%, the hippocampus, a memory area of the brain, also showed damage. This is a mouse study, and it does not match the human Alzheimer’s trials above.
Who should be careful with coconut
Most people can eat coconut freely. Take a little care if one of these applies:
- High LDL cholesterol or heart disease. Raw coconut meat has 29.7 g of saturated fat per 100 g (148% of the Daily Value). Pooled trials found coconut oil raises LDL cholesterol. The American Heart Association’s 2017 advisory concludes that replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat lowers heart disease. So keep portions small if your LDL is high. None of the studies here tested raw coconut meat on heart outcomes.
- Coconut allergy. It is uncommon, about 0.39% of US residents. But about half of the reactions to eating coconut in one children’s hospital met the criteria for anaphylaxis. The FDA listed coconut as a tree nut for labeling until its January 2025 guidance dropped it. So packaged foods may no longer name it in a “Contains” statement, though it still goes on the ingredient list. A 1999 report called coconut allergy in people with tree nut allergy rare, but ask an allergist if you have a diagnosed allergy.
- Calories. A 1 oz (28 g) piece has 100 calories, and 100 g has 354. In a pooled analysis of 7 randomized trials, coconut oil did not clearly change body weight. So this is a small concern that comes down to portions.
How to choose, store and eat coconut
- Raw meat: the numbers on this page are for raw coconut meat. A 1 oz (28 g) piece has 100 calories, 2.6 g of fiber and 8.42 g of saturated fat.
- Flakes and flour: a trial had 21 people with raised cholesterol. Cereal with 15% or 25% of its fiber from coconut flakes lowered their LDL by 11.0% and 9.2%. Macaroons made with 200 to 250 g of coconut flour per kg had a low glycemic index (45.7). The flakes were a by-product of flour making, not raw meat.
- Oil and water: these are different products from the meat. Coconut oil raised LDL by 10.47 mg/dL against non-tropical oils in 16 trials. Coconut water did no better than plain water for rehydration in 3 trials.
Choose a heavy coconut with no soft spots or mold. A whole coconut can last up to two months at room temperature. Keep fresh meat in a container of water that you change daily, and use it within several days.
Packaged shredded coconut keeps about a year unopened and 6 months after opening, in the refrigerator, according to a university extension chart.
Sources
- Sacks FM, Lichtenstein AH, Wu JHY, et al. Dietary fats and cardiovascular disease: a presidential advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2017.
- Schwingshackl L, Schlesinger S. Coconut oil and cardiovascular disease risk. Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2023.
- Eyres L, Eyres MF, Chisholm A, Brown RC. Coconut oil consumption and cardiovascular risk factors in humans. Nutr Rev. 2016.
- Neelakantan N, Seah JYH, van Dam RM. The effect of coconut oil consumption on cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Circulation. 2020.
- Frequently asked questions: food allergen labeling guidance for industry. US Food and Drug Administration. Content current as of March 26, 2025.
- Questions and answers regarding food allergens, including the food allergen labeling requirements of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (Edition 5): guidance for industry. US Food and Drug Administration. January 2025.
- Teuber SS, Peterson WR. Systemic allergic reaction to coconut (Cocos nucifera) in 2 subjects with hypersensitivity to tree nut and demonstration of cross-reactivity to legumin-like seed storage proteins. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1999.
- Trinidad TP, Loyola AS, Mallillin AC, et al. The cholesterol-lowering effect of coconut flakes in humans with moderately raised serum cholesterol. J Med Food. 2004.
- Trinidad TP, Valdez DH, Loyola AS, et al. Glycaemic index of different coconut (Cocos nucifera)-flour products in normal and diabetic subjects. Br J Nutr. 2003.
- De Brier N, Borra V, Berry DC, et al. Oral rehydration beverages for treating exercise-associated dehydration: a systematic review, part II. The effectiveness of alternatives to carbohydrate-electrolyte drinks. J Athl Train. 2025.
- Coconut. Real Life, Good Food. University of Minnesota Extension.
- Guide to safely store foods. Ohio State University Extension.
- FoodData Central: Nuts, coconut meat, raw (FDC ID 170169). US Department of Agriculture. (Nutrition numbers as shown on this site.)
History of coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, was formally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. The western name has older roots. Marco Polo called the fruit nux indica in Sumatra around 1280, a translation of an Arabic name that meant Indian nut.
The word coco came later, apparently from Portuguese and Spanish explorers who met Pacific Islanders in 1521 and saw ghostly faces in the shells.
Coconuts are not one population. A genetic study of 1,322 coconuts from around the world found two highly different groups, one from the Pacific and one from the Indo-Atlantic region. The authors take this as a sign that people began cultivating coconut in two places. These were island Southeast Asia and the southern margins of the Indian subcontinent.
The traits people bred for appear only in the Pacific group: the dwarf habit, self-pollination and a rounded, water-rich fruit called niu vai. Pacific coconuts mixed with Indo-Atlantic ones mainly in the southwestern Indian Ocean. That fits the ancient Austronesian trade route between Madagascar and Southeast Asia. Later Arab trade may explain the mixing on the east African coast.
Portuguese ships carried Indo-Atlantic coconuts from their colonies in India and Sri Lanka to West Africa, the Caribbean and Brazil from the 16th century. Drift models based on winds and currents suggest coconuts could not have crossed the Pacific on their own, so people helped them travel.
Even so, coconuts do float. A university extension guide notes reports of them being spotted as far away as Scandinavia.
Coconuts were on the Pacific coast of Panama before Columbus’s time. Spanish chroniclers wrote about them, and a 2014 review of the old accounts confirmed their pre-Columbian presence there. Genetic data point to the Philippines as the source, but when, where and by whom they were brought is still under study.
Sources
- Gunn BF, Baudouin L, Olsen KM. Independent origins of cultivated coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) in the old world tropics. PLoS One. 2011.
- Baudouin L, Gunn BF, Olsen KM. The presence of coconut in southern Panama in pre-Columbian times: clearing up the confusion. Ann Bot. 2014.
- Coconut. Wikipedia.
- Coconut. Real Life, Good Food. University of Minnesota Extension.
Frequently asked questions about coconut
Is coconut good for you?
It can fit in a balanced diet, but it is a high-saturated-fat food and the evidence for benefits is thin. Raw coconut meat has 9 g of fiber and 65% of the Daily Value for manganese per 100 g. It also has 29.7 g of saturated fat (148% of the Daily Value).
A cereal with coconut flakes lowered LDL by 11.0% and 9.2% in a trial of 21 people. But no study here tested raw meat on heart outcomes.
Is coconut high in saturated fat?
Yes. Raw coconut meat has 29.7 g of saturated fat per 100 g (148% of the Daily Value). A 1 oz (28 g) piece has 8.42 g (42%). About half is lauric acid, at 14.9 g per 100 g.
In a 1981 study, Tokelauans who got 63% of their energy from coconut had little vascular disease. But a later review says that cannot be applied to a typical Western diet.
Is coconut oil healthy?
The evidence is mixed, and the main result is higher LDL cholesterol. Across 16 trials, coconut oil raised LDL by 10.47 mg/dL and HDL by 4.00 mg/dL against non-tropical vegetable oils. In a 94-person trial, butter raised LDL by 0.42 mmol/L more than coconut oil, and coconut oil did not differ from olive oil.
The American Heart Association’s 2017 advisory favors unsaturated over saturated fat. A 2023 review found no randomized trial or prospective cohort of coconut oil and heart disease itself.
Is coconut oil the same as MCT oil?
No. The MCT (medium-chain triglyceride) oil in weight trials was made of the C8 and C10 fats. In a meta-analysis of 13 trials, it lowered body weight by 0.51 kg compared with long-chain fats, and the authors detected commercial bias.
Raw coconut meat has 2.35 g of caprylic acid (C8) and 1.86 g of capric acid (C10) per 100 g. It has far more lauric acid (C12), 14.9 g. In a pooled analysis of 7 randomized trials, coconut oil did not clearly change body weight.
Is coconut a nut, and can you eat it with a nut allergy?
No, it is a drupe, or stone fruit, and coconut allergy is uncommon, at about 0.39% of US residents. In a chart review, children with peanut or tree nut sensitization were not more likely to be sensitized to coconut. Only 40 children were tested for it, though.
If you have a diagnosed allergy, ask an allergist before eating it. About half of the reactions to eating coconut in one hospital met the criteria for anaphylaxis.
Is coconut water better than a sports drink?
It is a different product from the meat, and the nutrition numbers on this page do not describe it. In a systematic review, 3 trials found no difference between fresh coconut water and plain water for rehydration after exercise. So there is no sign that it hydrates better than water. The same review team found that commercial sports drinks can restore fluid balance in dehydrated people.
Is coconut good for weight loss?
No study here tested coconut meat for weight loss. In a pooled analysis of 7 randomized trials, coconut oil did not clearly change body weight. In 29 men with obesity, it did not change body measures in 45 days.
Raw coconut meat has 100 calories and 2.6 g of fiber in 1 oz (28 g), so portions matter.
How much coconut can you eat a day?
No study here sets an amount. A 1 oz (28 g) piece gives 8.42 g of saturated fat, 42% of the Daily Value. So a few pieces use up much of a day’s allowance.
Several oil trials used 30 mL a day. If your LDL is high, ask your care team before adding coconut.