Coconut Oil
Scientific Name(s): Cocos nucifera L.
Common Name(s): Coconut oil, Copra oil, Palm oil, Virgin coconut oil
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jun 6, 2022.
Clinical Overview
Use
Consumption of coconut oil is promoted for a wide variety of health conditions; however, clinical trials are lacking to substantiate many of these benefits, and excessive consumption may contribute to dyslipidemia. Topical application is recognized as safe and may be effective in managing eczema.
Dosing
Clinical studies to inform therapeutic dosing are lacking.
Contraindications
Contraindications have not yet been identified.
Pregnancy/Lactation
Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.
Interactions
None well documented.
Adverse Reactions
GI effects (cramping, diarrhea) have been reported.
Toxicology
Coconut oil is generally recognized as safe (GRAS).
Scientific Family
- Arecaceae (palm)
Botany
The coconut palm grows in Florida, Hawaii, and North Carolina in the United States, and throughout tropical Asia, the Indo-Pacific region, Africa, and South America. There are 2 main varieties, distinguishable according to height. The tall variety (up to 27 m [90 ft] tall) is slow-growing, producing fruit after 6 to 10 years, while the dwarf tree (9 to 18 m [30 to 60 ft] tall) bears in 4 to 5 years. The coconut drupe weighs around 1.4 kg (3 lb), and like other fruits has 3 layers (the green exocarp, the mesocarp or coir fibers, and endocarp). The fruit endosperm is the white, fleshy "meat" (or "copra") from which the oil is expressed, and the cavity at the center of the drupe is filled with coconut water and air.Duke 2003, USDA 2012
History
The coconut palm provides a source of food throughout the world, especially in Indonesia, the Philippines, and India, and has been widely used in Asian cooking for many centuries. Many therapeutic claims exist, and in the traditional Ayurvedic medical system, the oil is used in hair loss, burns, and heart problems. The tree has been called the "tree of life" and "the fruit of aspiration" and was traditionally offered to the gods at the start of new ventures in India. Coconut water was used as an intravenous fluid in World War II because the pH is consistent with plasma. Today, coconut oil is widely used in cosmetics, as well as in cooking.Burnett 2011, DebMandal 2011, Duke 2003
Chemistry
The white flesh/meat of the coconut consists of approximately 70% coconut oil that is mechanically pressed from the fruit. It can then be further refined, bleached, and deodorized. Other techniques produce hydrogenated coconut oil, coconut acid, hydrogenated coconut acid, and esterification products. Virgin coconut oil is prepared with no heating during the extraction process and the resultant oil does not have the same odor as ordinary coconut oil. By-products of oil production include coconut skim milk and insoluble protein.
Coconut oil is composed mainly of saturated fats (90%), primarily lauric acid and other monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The primary triglycerides include trimyristin, trilaurin, tripalmitin, and tristearin. Medium chain triglycerides of caprylic, capric, and phenolic acids, (eg, caffeic, coumaric, ferulic acids) are also present. Minerals such as iron, phosphorus, and zinc, and vitamins E and K are found in minor amounts. The oil is heat stable and slow to oxidize or turn rancid. Standards have been published for coconut oil.Burnett 2011,
