Article: Is the Fat in Coconut a Calamity...or Merely Misunderstood?(Brief Article)

Q. Is it true that the fat in coconut raises blood cholesterol?

A. Unfortunately, yes. Whether that means flesh coconut can cause cholesterol to skyrocket is not quite so clear.

Some basics: Even though coconut is a plant food and therefore contains no cholesterol, it's very high in fat. And, unlike most nuts, which contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, the predominant fat in coconut is saturated (linked to elevated blood cholesterol and a higher risk of heart disease). As the chart (right) shows, just 1/2 cup of regular canned coconut milk contains 24 grams of total fat, 21 saturated.

Unlike some of the saturated fat in chocolate--namely ...

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