You have probably heard that coconut oil and weight loss have a linear relationship, i.e., if you need to lose weight, start cooking with coconut oil.

According to the claims, overweight people can expect to drop two jean sizes in a month simply by incorporating coconut oil in their diets.

Some diet gurus, however, shy away from such claims. They claim that coconut oil has only been proven to help women lose up to 40 pounds in a year.

The theory goes that coconut oil contains a special type of fat (comprised of medium-chain fatty acids) which increases your metabolic rate, thus you burn more calories than you normally would. That is not all, though.

Some “experts” claim that you can lose weight even faster if you opt for a non-copra oil (virgin coconut oil which is made from fresh coconut meat). Apparently, the refining process depletes “fat-burning” medium-chain fatty acids.

Unfortunately, the weight-loss claims of coconut oil are bordering on lunacy are not supported by credible scientific evidence.

True, virgin coconut oil is better than refined – and since it is high in lauric acid, some scientists speculate that it may help strengthen immune system – but claims that it promotes weight loss are anecdotal at best.