Coconut oil and Blood Sugar

Lately, I’ve been seeing this new trend all over Instagram and Tiktok:

Now, if you are like me, I take something like this and do a deep dive to see if this is science-backed or just another trend. After a lot of research and previous knowledge, here is what I found.

The truth is…

First, white rice is a simple carbohydrate. It’s easily broken down by our body and used as quick energy. The body breaks down food into glucose (or sugar). This glucose is the body’s primary source of energy. When consumed alone, simple carbohydrates are the quickest conversion from food into glucose, creating a higher and faster glucose spike. So, when white rice is eaten and digested, it creates a quick and high blood sugar spike.

Coconut oil is considered a fat. When you introduce a fat with a carbohydrate, it slows down the digestion process, meaning it takes the body a longer time to break down the food and create glucose. This slows the rise of blood sugar and reduces the height of the spike.

Adding coconut oil to white rice may decrease your blood sugar curve, but the reduction is variable and can change from person to person. Studies show mixed reviews on how much this addition affects blood sugar spikes in the long term. There is no way to measure how much adding this fat will reduce your blood sugar spike unless you use a continuous glucose monitor.

However, studies have confirmed that coconut oil does have a positive effect on increasing our HDLs [healthy cholesterol] and keeps us fuller for longer.

So, is there a better way to reduce my blood sugar spike?

Yes!

If you still want to enjoy your white rice, you may want to consider eating it once it’s cooled for 24 hours at 40F [the temperature inside a normal refrigerator]. When you cool a carbohydrate, it goes through a process called retrogradation. Studies have shown that once a carbohydrate has completed its retrogradation and is reheated and consumed, the blood sugar spike is significantly lower than when it is eaten after it is freshly made.

So, the moral of the story:

Adding coconut oil to your white rice may help you decrease your blood sugar spike, BUT when you cool white rice for 24 hours and then eat it you will definitely be enjoying your white rice with a significantly lower blood sugar spike. So, it is the best way to enjoy these types of carbohydrates.

Or, better yet, you can opt for cooled complex carbohydrates like wild rice or quinoa.

References:

1. Vysakh, A., & Paul, V. (2015). A randomized study on the effect of coconut oil and sunflower oil on lipid profile. International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 3(12), 3484-3488. doi: 10.1016/j.ihj.2015.10.384

2. Rupa Health. (2024). Coconut Oil 101: Benefits, Use. Rupa Health. Retrieved from Rupa Health

3. Boateng L, Ansong R, Owusu WB, Steiner-Asiedu M. Coconut oil and palm oil's role in nutrition, health and national development: A review. Ghana Med J. 2016 Sep;50(3):189-196. PMID: 27752194; PMCID: PMC5044790.