During the weekend, the American Heart Association released a breaking report advising against the use of coconut oil. The new study states that coconut oil is unhealthy and also dangerous. All Americans should read this immediately.

Coconut oil is rapidly growing in popularity — and it’s no surprise since it can be applied to almost anything. It’s amazing for hair and skin. And for just under $8, one little tub can do everything from remove makeup to whiten teeth.

You’ve probably seen at least one article in your social media newsfeed promoting the “many wondrous uses of coconut oil.” And as a faithful user of coconut oil myself, I was astonished at what the American Heart Association’s latest research has found.

Known for its alleged health benefits, coconut oil (also known as “copra oil”) is an edible oil extracted from the kernel of mature coconuts harvested from the coconut palm.

Because of its high saturated fat content, and unlike butter, coconut oil is slow to spoil and will last last up to six months at at room temperature.

Coconut oil is often marketed as the healthier alternative to other oils. But coconut oil isn’t as healthy as we’ve been led to believe; in fact, many experts would argue that coconut oil isn’t healthy at all. 

The American Heart Association explained: “A recent survey reported that 72% of the American public rated coconut oil as a “healthy food” compared with 37% of nutritionists. This disconnect between lay and expert opinion can be attributed to the marketing of coconut oil in the popular press.”

The American people have been lied to; according to recent reports, coconut oil is just as unhealthy as beef drippings and lard.

The shocking study goes on to prove that coconut oil is made up of approximately 82% saturated fat– far greater than most other oils. And although not all saturated fats are bad for you, they ultimately cause plaque build-up in the arteries, which can lead to heart disease.

USA Today reports that researchers didn’t see a difference between coconut oil and other oils high in saturated fat, such as butter, beef fat and palm oil. In fact, 82% of the fat in coconut oil is saturated, according to the data — far beyond butter (63%), beef fat (50%) and pork lard (39%).

The American Heart Association released the following statement advising Americans to refrain from consuming coconut oil: “Because coconut oil increases LDL cholesterol, a cause of cardiovascular disease, and has no known offsetting favorable effects, we advise against the use of coconut oil.” 

Furthermore, Frank Sacks, lead author of the 24-page report, said that he has no idea why people think coconut oil is healthy– it’s almost 100% fat. Researchers cite that misleading “weight-loss” studies may be to blame.

Although research finds no harmful effects from the external use of coconut oil, experts are warning Americans to stop the consumption of coconut oil immediately. “You can put it on your body, but don’t put it in your body,” says Frank Sacks.

For consumption purposes, the AHA recommends replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fats such as soybean oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil and corn oil.

The next time you consider coconut oil for consumption purposes, please keep these life-threatening risks in mind and opt to use vegetable oil or olive oil instead. Please share this important warning with every coconut-oil user you know! 

Featured Image Credit: PaulReis123/Wikimedia Commons / Embedded Image Credits: PaulReis123/Wikimedia Commons, werner22brigitte/Pixabay, greekfood-tamystika/Pixabay, McGeddon/Wikimedia Commons, Meal Makeover Moms/Flickr