Question:
Modern recipes increasingly call for coconut cream or coconut milk. These are high in saturated fats, so why are we continually led to believe they are acceptable additions to our diets?
Answer:
Coconut milk and cream bring creamy richness and subtle tropical notes to everything from curries and soups to vegan desserts. A Times of India report notes they are “packed with essential vitamins and minerals [including] significant amounts of manganese, copper and magnesium, which are crucial for various bodily functions”. Other sources tout benefits for gut health and heart health.
Sales of coconut oil surged in the early noughties on the back of such hype. But, yes, these products also bring saturated fat – and with that, confusion. Are they healthful whole foods or artery-clogging indulgences? It depends on the context.
Nutritionally, coconut milk and cream are made from grated coconut flesh but differ in fat content. The cream is thicker and contains more fat, typically 20-25g per 100ml, whereas coconut milk is diluted and normally contains 9-15g/100ml. Both are rich in saturated fats, long associated with elevated LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
The Heart Foundation recommends limiting coconut-based fats, because while coconut contains fibre, iron and zinc, the saturated fat content outweighs these benefits from a heart health perspective. And although coconut oil is marginally better from a heart-health perspective than butter, the foundation recommends prioritising unsaturated fats such as olive or avocado oils, which have well-established benefits for heart health, and other healthy fat sources including nuts, seeds, oily fish and avocado.
Some savvy marketers claim coconut fats are healthier because they contain lauric acid, a saturated fat sometimes classified as a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) and associated with lowering bad cholesterol and better heart health. But lauric acid behaves more like a long-chain triglyceride (LCT) in the body, so the benefits of MCT oils do not apply to coconut milk, cream or oil.
What about the oft-cited studies of Pacific Island populations with high coconut intake and low rates of heart disease? Yes, populations such as the Pukapukans in the Cook Islands and Kitavans in Papua New Guinea have a low incidence of cardiovascular disease despite coconut-rich diets.
But their dietary patterns overall differ markedly from modern Western eating. They consume more fibre-rich tubers and fruit, fresh fish (with omega-3s), and less processed food and sodium. They also have different lifestyles, activity levels, and health determinants. We cannot assume research findings from one population apply universally.
Indeed, although research published in 2020 highlighted a number of possible benefits of coconut products, such as potential antimicrobial and antioxidant effects, that evidence is almost exclusively drawn from non-Western populations following traditional dietary patterns. The total dietary context matters: a coconut-rich diet centred around fresh whole foods, seafood and physical activity is not the same as adding coconut cream to an already saturated-fat-rich Western menu.
And a 2001 study from Sri Lanka, where coconut consumption is the norm, found replacing coconut fat with unsaturated fats like soybean and sesame oils improved cholesterol profiles, suggesting saturated fats, even from “natural” sources like coconut, may still increase heart disease risk when used excessively.
From an intuitive-eating perspective, food is not just about nutrients, it’s also about satisfaction, culture and overall health, which includes emotional and relational wellbeing. Coconut cream in a Thai curry can be a joyful part of a shared meal. But using it daily, in everything from smoothies to coffee to baking, may tip the balance toward excessive saturated fat intake – especially if your diet lacks cardioprotective foods such as legumes, leafy greens, nuts, seeds and oily fish.
The bottom line is that coconut milk and cream are fine in moderation, particularly when used in traditional recipes or for their unique flavour and texture. But they’re not neutral fats; they’re high in saturated fat and best enjoyed occasionally rather than daily.
If you want the coconut taste but not the saturated fat, try light-coconut milk, which has around half the fat content.
