- With Mayo Clinic nutritionist
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor for the nutrition and healthy eating guide, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.
A Marinette, Wis., native, Katherine is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.
She is active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in wellness nutrition at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and nutrition education related to weight management and practical applications of nutrition-related lifestyle changes.
Other areas of interest include food and nutrition for all life stages, active lifestyles and the culinary arts.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
Weight-loss basics (7)
- Metabolism: What's the best way to boost it?
- Weight-loss hypnosis: Does it work?
- Slow metabolism: Is it to blame for weight gain?
- see all in Weight-loss basics
Diet plans (8)
- The Special K diet: Helpful for weight loss?
- Coffee calories: Sabotaging your weight-loss goal?
- Cabbage soup diet: Can it help with weight loss?
- see all in Diet plans
Mayo Clinic diet (1)
- Weight loss: Better to cut calories or exercise more?
Diet and exercise (4)
- Weight loss: Better to cut calories or exercise more?
- Can I use yoga for weight loss?
- Negative calorie foods: Diet gimmick or weight-loss aid?
- see all in Diet and exercise
Diet pills, supplements and surgery (14)
- Apple cider vinegar for weight loss: Effective?
- Protein shakes: Good for weight loss?
- CortiSlim: Do cortisol blockers aid weight loss?
- see all in Diet pills, supplements and surgery
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Question
Coconut oil and weight loss: Does it work?
Can coconut oil help me lose weight?
Answer
from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
Proponents of coconut oil and weight loss say that the high fat content of coconut oil can paradoxically help you lose weight. However, the few research studies that have specifically examined coconut oil — or the type of fatty acids it contains — have shown mixed results for weight loss.
Coconut oil is a tropical vegetable oil that's made from the dried fruit (nut) of the coconut palm tree. Coconut oil consists largely of a certain type of saturated fatty acid. One tablespoon of coconut oil contains 117 calories and 13.6 grams of fat.
Supporters of coconut oil and weight loss say that despite its high calorie and fat content, coconut oil boosts your metabolism, gives you energy, makes you feel more full and improves your thyroid function. They say that the type of fatty acid in coconut oil is a healthy one, and that your body quickly burns it for energy.
A coconut oil diet or coconut diet typically suggests eating as much as 3 tablespoons of pure coconut oil a day or substituting it for other oils and fats normally used in cooking or baking. Some coconut oil diets also suggest that you eat a diet that's low in carbohydrates, while other coconut oil diets require you to work your way through several stages, including carbohydrate restriction and colon cleansing.
Although eating coconut oil in moderation for a short-term diet probably won't harm your health, it may not help you lose weight. And keep in mind that coconut oil actually has more saturated fat than do butter and lard. For successful, long-term weight loss, stick to the basics — an overall healthy-eating plan and exercise.
Next questionVitamin B-12 injections for weight loss: Do they work?
- Coconut oil. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed May 4, 2010.
- Duyff RL. American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide. 3rd ed. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons; 2006.
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 22. U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search. Accessed May 4, 2010.
- The Encyclopedia of Foods: A Guide to Healthy Nutrition. London, England: Academic Press; 2002.
- Bauer BA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 17, 2010.
- Nelson JK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 17, 2010.
Find Mayo Clinic on