Best studies on coconut oil:

Effects of chemical refinement on the quality of coconut oil.
Liu R, Guo X, Cheng M, Zheng L, Gong M, Chang M, Jin Q, Wang X.
J Food Sci Technol. 2019 Jun;56(6):3109-3116. doi: 10.1007/s13197-019-03810-w.

Short-term supplement of virgin coconut oil improves endothelial-dependent dilation but not exercise-mediated hyperemia in young adults.
Robinson SA, O'Brien MW, Grandy SA, Heinze-Milne S, Kimmerly DS.
Nutr Res. 2019 Apr 1;67:17-26. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2019.03.016.

Development of Low-calorie Organogel fromsn-2 Position-modified Coconut Oil Rich in Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids.
Jiang Z, Gao W, Du X, Zhang F, Bai X.
J Oleo Sci. 2019;68(5):399-408. doi: 10.5650/jos.ess18210

Maternal coconut oil intake on lactation programs for endocannabinoid system dysfunction in adult offspring.
de Oliveira E, Quitete FT, Bernardino DN, Guarda DS, Caramez FAH, Soares PN, Peixoto TC, Rodrigues VST, Trevenzoli IH, Moura EG, Lisboa PC.
Food Chem Toxicol. 2019 Aug;130:12-21. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2019.05.002.

Routine Use of Topical Coconut Oil in Extremely Preterm Infants.
Strunk T, Doherty D, Patole S.
Neonatology. 2019;115(4):346-347. doi: 10.1159/000494826.

Antimicrobial activity of coconut oil-in-water emulsion on Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli EPEC associated to Candida kefyr.
de Oliveira SF, Lôbo IP, da Cruz RS, Andrioli JL, da Mata CPSM, Soares GA, Santos EDC, Aguiar-Oliveira E, Franco M, da Conceição AO.
Heliyon. 2018 Nov 13;4(11):e00924. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2018.e00924.

In vitro anti-inflammatory and skin protective properties of Virgin coconut oil.
Varma SR, Sivaprakasam TO, Arumugam I, Dilip N, Raghuraman M, Pavan KB, Rafiq M, Paramesh R.
J Tradit Complement Med. 2018 Jan 17;9(1):5-14. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2017.06.012.

Coconut oil is an extremely versatile oil and it is extracted by cold pressing and chemical treatment. It is widespread in the East and Far East.

There are different types on the market, depending on the chemical pressing process:

• virgin - has not undergone any kind of artificial refining process
• refined - undergoes bleaching and deodorization procedures
• cold pressed - at a temperature of about 40°
• biological - certified

It is used in

cosmetics

• hair care
• toothpastes
• frequently used in massage mixtures

Coconut oil is present in cosmetic products and in particular in cosmetic hair products as it is able to protect them from external agents and exerts a revitalizing action on dry hair. It also has a moisturizing action.

Nutrition

• frying
• bread-making

From the healthy point of view no contraindications have emerged, as regards virgin coconut oil, that is untreated, it would only be necessary to know if, on food labels, the indication of a generic coconut oil, refers to the virgin one rather than to the refined one, but I personally never found this writing before.

The studies carried out in the medical field, take as a parameter the coconut virgin oil, for which some interesting properties have been found, while for the other types that have undergone processing procedures (such as refining), they infer a reduced antioxidant potential (1 ).

A first and more widespread therapeutic indication, is the antioxidant and antistress capacity (2), therefore an ability to generate protective effects on the cardiovascular system (3).

Overall, the weight of the evidence from intervention studies to date suggests that replacing coconut oil with cis unsaturated fats would alter blood lipid profiles in a manner consistent with a reduction in risk factors for cardiovascular disease (4).

Coconut oil studies

References_______________________________________________________

(1) Antioxidant capacity and phenolic acids of virgin coconut oil.
Marina AM, Man YB, Nazimah SA, Amin I.
Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2009;60 Suppl 2:114-23. doi: 10.1080/09637480802549127. 

(2) Antistress and antioxidant effects of virgin coconut oil in vivo.
Yeap SK, Beh BK, Ali NM, Yusof HM, Ho WY, Koh SP, Alitheen NB, Long K.
Exp Ther Med. 2015 Jan;9(1):39-42. 

(3) Virgin coconut oil and its potential cardioprotective effects.
Babu AS, Veluswamy SK, Arena R, Guazzi M, Lavie CJ.
Postgrad Med. 2014 Nov;126(7):76-83. doi: 10.3810/pgm.2014.11.2835.

(4) Coconut oil consumption and cardiovascular risk factors in humans  Eyres L, Eyres MF, Chisholm A, Brown RC  Nutr Rev. 2016 Apr;74(4):267-80. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuw002.