Coconut oil is technically a saturated fat, but to liken it to animal fats or butter is misleading.
Coconut oil is a medium chain triglyceride meaning that it has a completely different chemical structure to other saturated fats.
As such, it is processed in a completely different way by the body. The liver can quickly convert coconut oil into energy rather than converting it into body fat.
Unrefined coconut oil is not only great for adding to smoothies and desserts, it is also a perfect oil to cook with as it doesn’t go rancid at high temperatures (like most other oils do).
Plus, coconut oil is loaded with lauric acid which is a powerful immune system booster due to its many anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.
Furthermore, coconut oil has been shown to improve essential hormone production.
Interestingly, farmers in the 1940s experimented with feeding their cows coconut oil as a means of fattening them up. But this idea was quickly deemed to be a failure when the cows became leaner and more active than ever.
So, rest easy and enjoy your coconut oil (in moderation) but be sure to only buy the unrefined organic variety.