Every Indian household has been using coconut oil for ages, right from cooking to cosmetic purposes. The oil has multiple uses and has been touted to have many health benefits. In the recent years, coconut oil have been lauded for its nutritional profile. But a recent revelation by Karin Michels from Harvard T.H Chan Public School of health has made us wonder if the superfood is really ‘Pure Poison’ as she claims. If yes, then how does Kerala, a state where coconut oil is the staple, have one of the best life expectancies in the country?

To clear our doubts, we spoke to Shalini Arvind, Chief Dietician, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, and she can help you achieve a clearer picture. She said "I do not agree with the statement given. In today's era, every day there is a statement made which contradicts the statement given the previous day. One day, a newly introduced food is showcased as a SUPERFOOD and an age-old food is termed harmful. Again, the verdict is changed based on research done by keeping only a few selected parameters in mind.'

She further suggested a solution and said, 'In such an era, one has to use his logic and common sense in believing which statement is true and suits best for his well being. If coconut oil is considered high in saturated fat, one has to ponder what portion is actually giving you those fats. If the oil is used for cooking for the whole family, the portion per person is very less. Ideally, it should be well within 20 to 25 ml. This applies to all the oil. Whereas, if you are consuming red meat or non-veg, one can consume approximately 500 gms per day or more which easily exceeds the number of saturated fats you get from coconut oil for the whole day!! Apart from saturated fats, there are several other factors, with which coconut oil should be evaluated. It has several health benefits and can be consumed in moderation like any other food.'

Moderation, indeed, is the key to a healthy diet and lifestyle. Coconut oil may have churned out a lot of controversies around it, here are a few science-backed health and skincare benefits of coconut oil that you should know of.

  • Good fats We know that not all fats are bad for weight loss. Rich in healthy saturated fats, Coconut oil is one such example. Most of the fats are long-chain triglycerides unlike the fats in coconut oil that are known as medium chain triglycerides(MCTs), these fatty acids are shorter than most other fats and do not harm you as much as other fats that lead to fatty liver diseases.

  • Weight loss and heart health The fats that coconut oil contains can help you burn fat. Seems unbelievable right? Coconut oil can help improve good HDL cholesterol in your bloodstream and help provide quick energy to the brain. The HDL cholesterol also helps protect your heart health.

  • Great for skin Apart from other health benefits, coconut oil also has amazing effects on the skin. It not only moisturises the skin well it also helps keep various skin condition at bay. Coconut oil has anti-ageing, antibacterial and wound healing properties that can help you treat skin problems like eczema & psoriasis, helps protect from UV radiation, relieves symptoms of Dermatitis and is rich in other antimicrobial activities.

  • Helps Improve Immunity Rich in antimicrobial lipids, lauric acid, capric acid, and caprylic acid, coconut oil helps strengthens the immune system. It helps to fight harmful protozoa such as Giardia lamblia and bacteria like Helicobacter pylori and Listeria monocytogenes which in turn protects you from various diseases.

  • Prevents IBS and aids Digestion Coconut oil is known to protect from various fungi, parasites and bacteria that cause indigestion. It helps get rid of stomach problems such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) because of the saturated fats present in it have many antimicrobial properties.

  • Dental Health Did you know coconut oil helps absorption of Calcium in the body? Calcium is very important for your dental health and helps develop strong teeth and helps stop decay in the tooth. Coconut oil is also used in oil pulling technique that has been proven fantastic for plaque-induced gingivitis and overall dental health.

While there have been a  lot of controversies revolving around this amazing superfood that coconut oil may do more bad than good, it is a little difficult to believe as Indians, especially South Indians have been using coconut oil since time and are doing absolutely fine. However, if you have never used this oil you must consult an expert before starting to use coconut oil.

(References: coconut oil health benefits - PubMed - NCBI / Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils )

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 28, 2018 03:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).