Coconuts: Healthy or Not? | Dr. Neal Barnard on The Exam Room Podcast

Are coconuts healthy? Get the answer from nutrition expert Dr. Neal Barnard.

Coconuts are packed with healthy nutrients but also contain a surprising amount of fat. The hefty sum has many people opting to leave them off their plate.

Discover the truth about coconuts and coconut oil as Dr. Barnard sits down with "The Weight Loss Champion" Chuck Carroll on The Exam Room Live.
Also On This Episode
- Coconuts and heart health
- Coconuts and healthy skin
- Can coconuts cause gas and bloating?
- Antioxidants in coconuts
- And more!

Dr. Barnard is the author of The Power Foods Diet: The Breakthrough Plan That Traps, Tames, and Burns Calories for Easy and Permanent Weight Loss.

Plus, discover the calorie-trapping effect of fiber for weight loss during The Power Foods Focus.

This episode is sponsored by The Gregory J. Reiter Memorial Fund, which supports organizations like the Physicians Committee that carry on Greg’s passion and love for animals through rescue efforts, veganism, and wildlife conservation.
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Date: March 26, 2024
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Who: Dr. Neal Barnard, Chuck Carroll, Dustin Harder, Stefanie Ignoffo
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[@jasminealixandranorth]

About 10 years ago I went on the coconut oil trend. Switched to using coconut oil to cook. For the first time in my life, my cholesterol shot up through the roof. I had always had low to normal cholesterol levels. I knew immediately after the blood test that coconut oil must have been the cause. When I gave it up immediately my further blood test showed cholesterol went back to normal.

[@Atheria444]

I had that happen too.

[@chanakyabharat756]

Mine too

[@user-ik7pl6tt7f]

Young coconut water is different from matured brown coconuts

[@Arugula100]

Coconut water is more healthy than Gatorade which is ultra processed beverage with lots of sugar! Coconut water has natural electrolytes and rich in potassium. No artificial or added sugar.

[@monikatunstall70]

Hi I am waiting for caption or subtitles to turn on by setting. I hope you did not forget about it. Many thanks. I always enjoy watching and learning a lot from you. Thanks for sharing rich education in the world. 🤟

[@cilrofcmgmt5499]

Thank you for clarifying that! It makes sense that nature would put the coconut high in a tree. I could listen to Dr Barnard all day long!

[@estherlyncelestinocardenas3942]

since im young i drink coconut water almost everyday,,we cook food with coconut oil,,,im 61 now and im healthy using coconut oil,drinking coconut water,,,almost our recipe we use coconut,,,and our place we live long my gtand mother died 105 yrs old my mother died at 87 yrs old,,so i believe coconut is healthy food

[@jasminealixandranorth]

Famous last words :)

[@EatingWellwithDiabetes]

Coconut water is a great source of potassium and a great natural whole food for hydration. In the tropical islands, that’s what we use it for. We need to consider cultural and geographical differences when discussing these things.

[@EatingWellwithDiabetes]

I think opinions in the video are a bit slanted from a western viewpoint and there is lack of balance in terms of benefits as used in tropical countries

[@simonalexandercritchley439]

Palm oil or kernel is also high saturated fat. Read the ingredient list and nutritional guide on products as both coconut and palm is included in a lot of canned or packet foods from chocolate to ready meals etc. A little coconut now and then may be ok but not the oil which is concentrated,best used on your skin.

[@AzerPaul]

Good info, as usual with you two guys. Thank you.

[@jbidwell605]

Great interview. I ADORE Dr Barnard. Did you see that he was interviewed by "Diary of a CEO" - (btw, it was a brilliant interview) and it got banned on his podcast channel. I think people should protest this censorship of Dr Barnard at the Diary of a CEO channel.

[@alwayslearning8365]

Thanks. Great convesation and information. 👍👍

[@murraybrockway6540]

Just saw an OTR video saying Polynesians are able to survive on coconuts. Plus fresh coconut doesn't have sugar added like shredded coconut sold in the grocery store. At least it is not a trans fat. Really wanted to try a bunch of Asian recipes with coconut.

[@kathysharp7551]

Oh, another idea for an even thicker result would be tofu and coconut extract blended with a blender.

[@frompizzaaddicttovegan]

The graphics for your podcast Chuck are outstanding. Love the bright colors and seeing you two

[@Furiouspaul]

I can understand why coconut milk and oil is bad, but Barnard never specifically said that coconut meat is bad. Coconut meat has fiber which helps lower cholesterol, combine that with the high HDL you get from the meat and i would think things would balance out better. Plus there is studies showing nations who live on coconut meat never have heart issues. Where are the studies showing coconut meat is bad?

[@kathysharp7551]

Check out the video starting around minute 3 or 3:30. He talks about the saturated fat.

[@ima7333]

Young coconut flesh got significantly less fat. Young coconut water is better than gatorade. I personally use coconut oil in my hair before wash & for massage.

[@GloriaMommyofXYZ]

Polynesians, Caribbeans, Indians, and many others may find it surprising to hear advice against consuming coconuts. It's akin to suggesting Mexicans avoid avocados. While for some, coconuts may only mean coconut milk or oil, they hold significant dietary importance globally. Coconuts offer lauric acid, medium-chain triglycerides, and antioxidants. Discouraging their consumption can be seen as ethnocentric and warrants a reconsideration of such advice. Personally, I will continue enjoying coconuts in my curries and as a childhood favorite with lime juice and chili powder.

[@jasminealixandranorth]

Life span of Polynesians is barely past mid life - rarely do they make it past the mid 60s.

[@GloriaMommyofXYZ]

@bluejasmine1087 today. Because their diets have been Westernized. They're eating Spam and other garbage that was not part of their ancestral diet.

[@kathysharp7551]

That's a really interesting prospective that I had not thought of. Sounds kind of like telling a Cajun to stop eating Cajun food (full of cream, butter, oil, seafood, and meat). I grew up in Cajun land. I still prefer to have the facts. Then I can make informed decisions, whatever those decisions are based on my own priorities. I gave up the Cajun food. For me, quality of health trumps culture. But, lots of people (actually, probably most people) feel differently. I want my last 20 years of life to be as physically comfortable, mobile, and pain free as possible.

[@GloriaMommyofXYZ]

@@kathysharp7551 My previous response was removed, so I'll share it again. Traditional Polynesian diets were healthy before Western influences altered them. Similarly, Cajun cuisine has evolved from its original French roots, losing some of its traditional elements. The Mexican diet also transformed over time due to Spanish introductions, leading to health concerns like obesity and high soda consumption. Despite this, ancestral Mexican foods like coconuts, avocados, mamey, and papaya remain among the healthiest choices.

[@hraj4010]

Any natural product when processed heavily is bad including coconut milk or coconut oil -what’s missing or misleading in this video is the question-Is coconut pulp or coconut meat when eaten whole or slightly processed like coconut chutney (with full fiber content ) is bad or good ? I would appreciate if Dr Bernard (whos work I really respect ) can take up this question for clarification

[@kathysharp7551]

I think he said that the coconut flesh/meat is high in saturated fat. It's toward the begining of the video when he contrasted avocados.

[@kathysharp7551]

Found it. It's at about minute 3:30.

[@benda777nba]

I have been using coconut milk in my curries to provide body and flavor...at 1st just lite but decided to try full fat but have not seen a differemce in weight....so still going to use it😂

[@tarabooartarmy3654]

I hope you don’t regret that later. Trust me, no amount of flavor is worth clogged arteries, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart arrhythmia, high blood sugar, etc.

[@jasonc8910]

Thank you

[@StarchyVintageVegan]

The guy who asked about wind-inducing coconut - I wonder if he means tinned coconut cream/milk? In the UK, it's full of sulphur to preserve it, which has to be released, hence the upset tum and bloating 🤭 Good luck with the book release Dr B 🍀

[@jakobw135]

Why is coconut any more unhealthy than eating animal foods - including dairy?

[@kathysharp7551]

I don't think he said that. If your giving up animal food (in part bc it is high in saturated fat, which causes heart disease), then you may want to examine your coconut intake for the same reason. But, we all do just one step at a time. And, we are all at different steps/stages of your personal journey.

[@edithattreed4762]

I only believe what I can see through the experiences of Islanders that have eaten it for so many generations 😅

[@jasminealixandranorth]

The problem there is that their longevity rate is pretty low - rarely past mid 60's.

[@longevitycoach1573]

This doc was one of my motivations to go carnivore 6 years ago, thanks vegans I’m a carnivore today.

[@Cherish..2]

A lot of people are talking about " oil pulling " with coconut oil. ❓ if you spit out the oil will still enough of it be absorbed somehow into your system

[@kathysharp7551]

I thought oil pulling was a total scam??

[@ajunthamedicinewoman]

Oil pulling is not a new innovation , it’s a therapy from Ayurveda….

[@vernanarzekalski3484]

My ancestors🇵🇼ate coconut oil, they were healthy with washboard abs. Today they’re high in obesity, illnesses & short lifespan due to adopting western lifestyle😢 I do use cold pressed coconut for oil pulling and also for cuts & scapes, helps with fast healing. I’m not sure if it will work for everyone or it only works on some who were raised in tropical 🌴 climate. Tried on my European husband, but it didn’t work…

[@Rajesh-Ravilisetti]

This is the first unconvincing video from Dr.

[@abhijitborah3005]

What about raw coconut meat?

[@veganwinter2090]

PAN? In the coconut fat molecule, is there an advantage of no presence of sulfur and sulphuric acid , as found also in plant derived proteins and calcium. versus the exact makeup of that fat molecule protein or calcium from an animal source.

[@JorjaFox66]

I would argue we should not use coconut oil externally, either we like to think what we put in our skin stays on the outside, but it doesn’t it’s absorbed into our system into our bloodstream, and that saturated fat is not need to be in our body at all

[@philsmith5400]

Shouldn't it have been titled, "...Healthy or Nut?" 🙂

[@bonniepatterson878]

😂

[@vidyasagarkumar2650]

Q. Humble request to share some more Indian Asian raw Fruits for better Gut health issues and SIBO ISSUES WITH huge under weight issues and chronic cystitis issues and RBC issues please 🙏

[@Hyperion1040]

What about coconut yogurt? Good, bad or neutral?

[@jillipoo1]

I agree. This should have been specifically addressed

[@tarabooartarmy3654]

@@jillipoo1why? Saturated fat is saturated fat. Just look at the label of coconut yogurt. It’s got a lot of saturated fat in a tiny portion. I buy it once in a blue moon as a rare treat, but it’s not good for you.

[@LettuceCookPlants]

Don’t go coconuts 🥥

[@yoniash]

There are many lectures and videos of different researches and professors about the health benefits and healing properties of coconut oil, based on evidence, despite the saturated fats. So I'm not sure what to take out from this.

[@dianamarie1652]

Very interesting, I love coconut flakes, don’t use oil, but I have used coconut cream for my coffee. But only has saturated fat 1 gm. Just ordered Dr Neal’s book!

[@sofiamiliaressis5403]

I’m on high fat carnivore diet and eat fresh coconut meat. I too don’t use coconut oil. The meat is low carb, high fat, low oxalate, low glycation and it’s the perfect snack when l don’t have time for a sit down meat meal.

[@dianamarie1652]

@@sofiamiliaressis5403 meat does not agree with me. Only eat it once in a while. Too much cholesterol and very high in fat. Not for me.

[@jillipoo1]

This is the first PCRM video that I felt really fell short of adequate coverage of the topic at hand. We know Dr Barnard is not a fan of coconut so there was nothing new here. Key questions that SHOULD have been posed: 1. Dr Joel Fuhrman says that coconut cream is less of a fat bomb because it contains ground up coconut flesh, thereby providing some fiber. Coconut milk, on the other hand, is pure fat Where does Dr Barnard stand on this statement ? 2. What’s the lowdown on shredded coconut? Even Dr Will Bulsiewicz tosses some into his oatmeal! 3. Lots of people drink coconut water for electrolytes. Surely better than Gatorade? I would have liked answers to these questions

[@Ramtechnical09]

Coconut is best superfood in the world as researchers said

[@jaunellmiller2003]

What about the type of fat though? Isnt it Medium fatty chain fats from coconut?

[@laurenwarren9434]

With great respect Vaseline and coconuts are vastly different for topical application. Vaseline is a toxic petroleum product which I would never put on my body! For topical use … natural coconut all the way.

[@anettesinn280]

Yes. It is ALL marketing

[@Johnny-xs4tg]

1:54 - 1:57 "Healthful or non-healthful."

[@winnersofchampions]

I think the good doctor needs to research coconut water as it is loaded with various minerals and electrolytes like potassium, calcium, manganese, antioxidants, amino acids, and cytokinins. Coconut water is the best source of potassium and contains almost 470 mg of potassium. It is low in calories, carbohydrates, and sugar, unlike other juices.

[@MeatHeals]

The vegans have lost the plot again (unsurprisingly). I healed my body by eating a lot of saturated fat and getting rid of carbs. When I started the process I was still a vegetarian, so coconut oil played a big role. If you think cholesterol is a problem, you need to educate yourself. Study after study shows high cholesterol levels are associated with a long life.

[@sofiamiliaressis5403]

I’m a high fat carnivore and l eat coconut meat snacks (not the oil) in between my meat meals.

[@jdw0426]

Well that's a loss of a lot of free calories from my backyard. Can whole uncooked coconut meat be that bad for you?

[@lcmlcm2460]

I would imagine that coconut water is better than gatorade because of the artificial flavors and sweeteners

[@northerncoloradotransparen1454]

After months in Asia I hope I do not die from all the fresh coconut water I have daily.

[@sarahmoon2434]

What about coconut sugar?

[@adiohead]

It's the saturated fat that's the problem, not the sugar.

[@pamelajean1968]

It blows my mind that soy baby formula is healthy.

[@chongseitmooi2593]

ilov fresh coconut water n tender young coconut fruits

[@Rmirabil1]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@injectnerkleckner]

🙏🔥

[@Arugula100]

Dr Barnard's cookbook recipes specify coconut sugar. Is that really healthy? Isnt that as bad as cane sugar? If so, why are they in his cookbooks?

[@adiohead]

Avoid saturated fat, sugar isn't as bad.

[@timwhite4288]

Clickbait title bashing coconut. You are mischaracterizing coconut based on daisy chain of proxies. Coconuts are saturated fat, coconuts raise cholesterol, higher cholesterol is bad. Absolutely in every context? As Paracelsus wrote 500 years ago, Dose, host, timing and combinations make a poison or a cure.

[@sushantsourav1259]

Correction - in India we always maintained its good, and should be eaten in moderation...and we do not pay a damn to the new university or pharma industry studies of Europe or US because we know they are biased. Empirical evidence of thousands of years cannot be washed out because someone who studies chemistry for 4 years or lets say 6 years and lets add another 10 years of research decided to do a funded study...we believe the sum of parts is greater than the whole.

[@sramkissoon100]

Fully support your comment, I live in the Caribbean and for as long as I can remember our culture drinks young coconut water and it has many benefits

[@TheVafa95]

Dismissing scientific evidence just because for a million years we have been eating the same way so it is the proof of healthy living, is not reasonable. Just look at the number of overweight people around you.

[@TheVafa95]

@@sramkissoon100 as you mentioned in moderation, but we do not live in times of moderation. So when he talks about something being bad for health, he is not addressing the construction worker or farmer who drinks fresh coconut once a while. He is addressing those of us who use coconut oil in many dishes and are overweight. Or drink the concentrated pulp in packet frequently as a refreshing drink.

[@sifaatulwakiah9201]

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰـهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ Indonesia also have . .. just don't over cook your coconut ... never heppent whit your healt

[@valeriefromoregon]

Indian people use a lot of it in their hair actually took much in my opinion. I’m a hairstylist and see often very greasy hair with coconut oil.

[@romeovelasco4151]

Coconut is good for the health may it be oil, meat milk whatever. Yes it raises cholesterol level both HDL and LDL. LDL is not bad, what is bad is the high level of triglycerides in LDL coming from refined sugar fats and processed carbohydrates... You got it all wrong...

[@Jodie-masterson]

Exactly 👍

[@adiohead]

LDL is bad.

[@Jodie-masterson]

@@adiohead nope 👎

[@WarriorOfTruth]

LDL is absolutely bad. Just forcing a comment means nothing. It's a medical fact

[@Jodie-masterson]

@@WarriorOfTruth false

[@berthasherman5212]

From what I have read about soy and the amount of excess hormones that it has, it is not a good source of food for babies, children and women in their reproductive years as it adds additional hormones to the body causing all types of health problems. Try eating soy and taking birth control pills, it's too much for the body to handle. Hormone overload. What does too many hormones do to male testosterone levels? What brand of soy does the doctor recommend for a baby to consume? Maybe soy can be a good source of support for menopausal women? Maye be we have been pushed the wrong kind of soy to eat..😮❤❤❤

[@jackmag4056]

This dr must of had a bad experience with a coconut

[@charitygobodzo]

Good morning sirs, are you guys confused? Please stop confusing people like me who's trying to benefit from the goodness of mother nature. Please leave black people and their foods alone. Dear Dr. you sound like you're confused you don't even know what to say. Mr. Host thank you for your brilliant questions. Are you depriving us from best foods, what must I eat then? Thanks n b blsd.

[@valeriefromoregon]

Coconut isn’t healthy especially coconut oil .. that’s my experience and it’s a laxative … lol.

[@ghoshdd]

This is totally crap. I'm eating 3 brown coconuts on average per week. Also, I take coconut oil and MCT I l every day. I never had any medication in last 10 years and all my lab works including cholesterol, are normal.

[@pacoceja4659]

❤️🌱🌱🌱