Coconut oil

Coconut oil is the one plant fat the 50 Man Foods keep, and for the same reason the others are excluded: it is more than 80% saturated, it does not oxidise in the pan or in the body, and it carries medium-chain fats the liver burns directly for energy.

It is not a health food in the way it was sold a decade ago. It is a stable cooking fat that tastes of coconut, and that is enough.

  • Daily, cooking or coffee
  • 1 recipe
  • Plant fat
  • Updated Sep 2026

What it supplies

Nutrient · per 100 g (about 7 tablespoons) Amount % DV Relative amount
Fat 100 g 128%
Saturated fat 83 g 415%
Lauric acid ~42 g 0%
Caprylic + capric acid ~13 g 0%
Polyunsaturated fat 2 g 0%

Source: USDA FoodData Central.Percent Daily Values are based on adult reference intakes. The bars stop at 100%; the numbers do not.

Why it works

Medium-chain fats do not need bile or carnitine to be burned; they go to the liver and are turned into energy or ketones within the hour, which is why a spoon of coconut oil in coffee produces a noticeable lift. They also mildly raise metabolic rate and support thyroid function, in contrast to polyunsaturated fats, which suppress it.

Lauric acid has antimicrobial activity in the gut, which is one reason coconut oil is well tolerated by people with digestive trouble.

How much, how often

  • 1–2 tbsp

    Daily, cooking or coffee

    A stable fat with a direct energy effect from its medium-chain fraction.

  • Below 175°C

    Medium heat

    Use tallow for searing; coconut oil for eggs, curries and rice.

How to buy and prepare it

Virgin (unrefined) for flavour and polyphenols; refined for a neutral taste at higher heat. Both should be solid below 24°C and list one ingredient. Avoid 'liquid coconut oil', which has had the lauric acid removed, and hydrogenated coconut oil, which is a different product.

MCT oil is the caprylic and capric fraction alone; it is stronger for energy and easier to overdo.

Medium-heat cooking, eggs, curries and fried rice; a teaspoon melted into coffee; a spoon straight for a quick energy lift. Its smoke point, around 175°C for virgin, is below tallow's, so use tallow for searing.

Room temperature, sealed; it keeps two years and does not need refrigeration. It will melt and re-solidify with the weather without harm.

Recipes that use it

In these guides

Questions

Is coconut oil bad for cholesterol?
It raises LDL somewhat and HDL more. Whether that matters is disputed; what is not disputed is that it does not oxidise like seed oil. Use it as one of several fats rather than the only one.
Coconut oil or MCT oil?
Coconut oil for cooking; MCT oil for a stronger energy effect in coffee. Start with a teaspoon of either — more can upset the stomach.
Does coconut oil help you lose weight?
Medium-chain fats raise energy expenditure slightly and are satiating, but the effect is small. It is a better cooking fat, not a weight-loss tool.