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One tablespoon of this — you lose 8 pounds in 2 weeks! One sip detox water for weight loss and you'll outlive the turtles (and their children).
The world of diet and training, and especially marketing, likes to label foods as super-powerful or evil or this or that.
But, if we think about it a little more, food is food. It is neither perfect, nor evil, nor “super”.
Today we will take off the marketing cellophane.
Let's see what really hides behind one of the most popular stars of modern nutrition — coconut.
Is coconut really good for weight loss? Is it a “superfood” or just another in a string of victims of exaggerated expectations in the goal of rapid weight loss? Let's see.
What is Coconut and How Did It Become Popular?
Coconut is a tropical fruit tree that comes to us in handy “packaging” — a hard shell that hides juicy water and nutritious flesh.
Where most plants would just “raise their hands,” that's where coconut palms grow — on damp, sandy beaches.
Coconut has become one of the symbols of a healthy life in the last ten years or so - from coconut water, which “saves” from dehydration, to coconut oil.
Add some tropical charm and voila! Coconut has become a staple in kitchens and Instagram posts around the world. 🌴✨
Can Coconut Help You Lose Weight?
Yes, coconut can help with weight loss, but it is far from “ideal and all-promising.”
Whether coconut is good or bad for weight loss also depends on what form you take it in. Let's say, coconut water is ideal because it plants a very small number of calories. Coconut meat is not a bad option (more information below) although again it is very caloric.
To help with weight loss, it is necessary to know the correct useand the types of fat it contains and the forms in which you can find it in stores.
Honestly, as a nutritionist, I regularly bypass it as a food item in my clients' diet plans or in a list of dietary dishes for weight loss. There are simply better tricks for weight loss and more important details to solve.
I will explain everything in the following lines.
Coconut Fats vs. Other Fats
Although fats are high in calories and can be an obstacle in the weight loss process, the key lies in the type of fat we consume.
Not all fats are created equal, and coconut contains specific fats that can have beneficial effects on metabolism and calorie burning.
It is for this reason that we most often see recommendations of coconut oil for weight loss.
Coconut (fresh flesh from the fruit tree) mostly contains medium chain fatty acids (MCT) (50-60%), while olive oil and other vegetable oils are generally rich long chain fatty acids (LCT).
MCTs are digested and absorbed faster by the body.
Then MCTs are immediately used as an energy source, unlike LCTs that are first stored in the body.
This rapid absorption of MCTs can increase thermogenesis, the process in which the body burns calories to produce heat, thereby increasing energy expenditure and reducing the possibility of fat accumulation.
How do MCTs help with weight loss?
Scientific studies support the effectiveness of MCT in the weight loss process.
For example, in research published in the Journal of Translational Medicine, it has been shown that adding MCT to the diet can increase weight loss if combined with a ketogenic diet. Consider that most people, probably like you, do not practice the ketogenic diet (at least not in the long run).
In addition, other studies, such as the study published on ScienceDirect, also confirm that diets enriched with MCTs are more effective for weight loss compared to diets enriched with LCTs.
An essential detail of the study is the following: subjects consumed pure MCT oil, not coconut oil. I explain the difference soon below!👇
In summary, diets that included pure MCTs achieved a greater reduction in body mass compared to those that were based on long-chain fatty acids.
It's all great and promising, but let's now take a look at what that actually means for us.
How Can Coconut Be Consumed?
Coconut is a truly versatile food — it offers different forms for consumption, each with its own specific flavor, texture and nutritional values.
Here's how you can enjoy it:
1. The hard part of the coconut (rich in fiber)
It is the white flesh inside the coconut shell that you can eat fresh, dried or grated. This is the most natural form of coconut.
The hard part of coconut is rich in fiber, healthy fats, B vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, potassium and iron. Thanks to fiber, it helps digestion, and healthy fats provide a long-lasting feeling of satiety.
Nutritional values for 100 grams of coconut:
- Calories: 160
- Fat: 15 g
- Sodium: 9 mg
- Carbohydrates: 6.8 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Sugars: 2.8 g
- Proteins: 1.5 g
- Potassium: 160 mg
- Manganese: 0.68 mg
- Selenium: 4.5 µg
Nutritionally speaking, coconut meat has a relatively high calorie content due to fat, but these are mostly medium-chain fatty acids (MCTs), which are broken down faster and used for energy.
2. Coconut water
This is a liquid that is naturally found inside a young coconut. Slightly sweet and refreshing in taste, coconut water is rich in electrolytes such as potassium, magnesium and sodium. This makes it an ideal natural hydration drink.
Nutritional values per glass of coconut water (240 ml):
- Calories: 43
- Fats: 0 g
- Proteins: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.2 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Added sugars: 0 g
- Sodium: 62.4 mg (2.7% of the daily recommended value)
- Potassium: 396 mg (8.4% of the daily recommended value)
With a low calorie content (about 20 kcal per 100 ml), coconut water is an excellent choice for those who want a light, moisturizing drink without excess sugar and calories. However, it is important to choose unsweetened variants to avoid added sugars.
3. Coconut milk
Coconut milk is made by mixing grated coconut flesh with water. This creamy liquid is often used in cooking, especially in Asian and Caribbean dishes, where it adds richness to flavors.
I would by no means recommend coconut milk for weight loss, especially not the one that you can most often find in your favorite retail chains.
They simply have too many calories, added sugar that varies depending on the manufacturer, and questionable quality.
Nutritional values per glass of coconut milk (240 ml):
- Calories: 552
- Fat: 57 g
- Proteins: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Vitamin C: 11% of the recommended daily dose (RDI)
- Folic acid: 10% RDI
- Iron: 22% of the RDI
- Magnesium: 22% of the RDI
- Potassium: 18% of the RDI
- Copper: 32% RDI
- Manganese: 110% RDI
- Selenium: 21% RDI
Nutritionally, coconut milk contains more calories and fat than coconut water — about 150 kcal per 100 ml. Most of these calories come from saturated fats, but again, these are one-part MCT fats that are metabolized differently than long-chain fats and can serve as a quick source of energy.
In addition, it contains minerals such as manganese and copper, which are important for bone health and immunity.
4. Coconut Flour
Coconut flour is an increasingly popular choice among those looking for an alternative to wheat flour, especially in a diet that excludes gluten.
It is obtained from the flesh of the coconut that is dried and then ground, and one of its greatest properties is its high fiber content and low carbohydrate content.
Nutritional values of coconut flour (per 100 g):
- Calories: 443 kcal
- Proteins: 6 g
- Fats: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 40 g
- Sugars: 8 g
- Potassium: 650 mg
- Calcium: 25 mg
- Magnesium: 90 mg
Coconut flour has a low glycemic index, which means that it slowly raises blood sugar levels, thereby helping to control appetite and reduce cravings for unhealthy snacks.
The high fiber content helps to feel satiated, which can reduce calorie intake throughout the day while supporting digestion. In addition, fiber helps maintain stable energy levels, which can help maintain an active life and burn fat.
Although coconut flour can be useful in a diet aimed at weight loss, it is important to note that it is still caloric, so it should be consumed in moderation.
5. Coconut oil
Coconut oil is obtained by pressing the dried flesh of coconut. It is popular in cooking, but also as a cosmetic product. It is almost 100% fat, most of which falls on saturated fatty acids, primarily lauric acid, which has antimicrobial properties.
Nutritional values per tablespoon of coconut oil:
- Calories: 104
- Proteins: 0 g
- Fats: 11.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 9.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Sugars: 0 g
Nutritionally, coconut oil is high in calories — one tablespoon contains over 100 calories. Although the MCT fats in it are beneficial for energy, coconut oil is a highly concentrated source of calories.
Why do I never recommend coconut oil for weight loss?
There is an established opinion that coconut oil can help lose weight and speed up metabolism. However, personally, I would never recommend consuming coconut oil as a “secret” to losing weight, and here's why.
Although coconut oil contains MCTs (medium chain fatty acids), it is important to know that their concentration is not the same as in pure MCT oil, nor is pure coconut meat.
In pure MCT oil, you will find a much higher percentage of these fatty acids, while coconut oil contains only about 15-20% of MCTs. The rest is made up of long-chain fatty acids, which are metabolized differently and for longer.
So if you're looking for a source of MCTs to boost energy or support weight loss, pure MCT oil would be a much better choice.
In addition, coconut oil is rich in saturated fats, and saturated fats are known to be able to increase triglyceride levels in the blood, especially when consumed in larger quantities.
In a market that is flooded with commercial coconut oils, many products are not of high quality, and even these “better” oils can have a negative effect on health.
For heart health, it is much better to choose oils like olive, which are rich in monounsaturated fats and have many health benefits.
Therefore, even without a clear diet plan, I would never put coconut oil on the list as a “super food” for weight loss.
An additional problem is that most people who use it simply add another tablespoon of this oil to their diet, without thinking about the calories they add by doing so.
Although it may seem like a small supplement, when you combine it with a high-calorie diet, the result can be a much higher calorie intake than necessary.
And poof, consuming coconut oil does not lead to a smaller waist...
After all, high-quality coconut oils are not very widely available in our areas.
This means that we cannot always be sure of the quality of the oil. Precisely because of this, it would be much safer to consume olive oil, which is much easier to access and is much more stable in terms of quality.
Drinking Coconut Water And Consuming Oil Is Not The Same!
Coconut water is low in calories and mostly hydrating, while coconut oil is a concentrated source of fat and energy.
Consuming a glass of coconut water and a tablespoon of coconut oil is not the same — their effects on calorie intake, satiety and energy are completely different.
Of course, calorie quality plays a role — calories from coconut provide healthy fats, fiber, and micronutrients. This makes them a better choice compared to fats from sunflower oil or empty calories from processed products.
But for weight loss, overall energy balance is key.
No matter how good quality calories are, excessive intake can slow your progress. So balance is the key — enjoy coconut, but with measure and consciously choose the shape that suits your needs. 🌴
Disadvantages of Coconut Consumption in Our Climate
Coconut is a tropical fruit tree native to the southern parts of Asia, Central America and the Pacific Islands.
In other areas, however, coconut is not a native fruit, and its availability is reduced to imports. This means that we often consume old coconut or that in dried or processed form.
The freshness of food is key to preserving its nutritional values.
In tropical fruit trees such as coconuts, freshness has a major impact on flavor, quality, and nutritional benefits. Fresh coconut directly from the fruit tastes much better and has more nutrients compared to coconut that has undergone long-term transportation or processing.
When the coconut is dried, it loses some of its nutrients, and time-consuming processes such as pasteurization can also “degrade” its nutritional values.
It is this transport process that is the main reason why coconut can be impractical for daily consumption.
so, it's best if you're in the area where coconuts are available fresh.
It is not pleasant when the desire for a smaller figure on the scales falls on your wallet, and without clear results. Whether fresh fruit, milk, water or oil, the price is often higher compared to foods that have a similar nutritional profile.
Let's say nuts or seeds, and even apple cider vinegar for weight loss or wormwood tea for weight loss, which we can get at a more affordable price.
Although coconut can be rich in certain nutrients, its high price, relative impracticality and freshness problem make it less ideal for everyday consumption.
While it can be beneficial, for everyday eating, I will always prefer options that are nutritionally rich, affordable, fresh, and locally available.
Can Coconut Reduce Belly Fat?
Getting rid of fat in a specific zone, including the abdomen, is an almost impossible mission.
As I explain in Your Free Stomach Workout, focusing on fat loss only in certain parts of the body is not realistic. The body burns fat evenly from the whole body.
Thus, coconut oil or any other type of oil will not directly “attack” fat deposits on the abdomen. Although it can contribute to general weight loss, it is important to use it in moderation, within a balanced diet and with regular exercise, to see real results.
Last Words on Coconut
Coconut is an interesting food with a lot of potential, but it is not a magic wand to lose weight nor is it natural remedy for fat in the bloodor the body.
It can be a useful part of a balanced diet — if you use it wisely and with measure. However, as with any other food, coconut won't do the job for you.
Remember, no food helps you lose weight. Food naturally helps you gain weight.
Marketing often likes to sell “superfood” stories, but the real power is not in the coconut but in your accumulated choices and habits.
If you want to use coconut for weight loss, let it be conscious, in addition to monitoring calories and understanding its nutritional values. And if you don't use it — nothing to worry about.
You still have eggs, or oatmeal or a handful, the obvious stars of everyone's menu!
Looking for more ways to lose weight?
As a nutritionist and a lover of healthy living, I often explore topics related to weight loss. I always come across stories of “magic” foods and quick fixes — and it encourages me to peek into the science behind them. I like to share with readers what really works and what is just a myth.
Here are some of the topics and foods I've researched so far:
- Anti-inflammatory diet
- Amino acids for weight loss
- Detox water for weight loss
- Apple cider vinegar for weight loss
- Tricks to lose weight
- 45 diet dishes for weight loss
- 14 healthy breakfasts to lose weight
