Coconut oil, beloved by health bloggers and professional chefs alike, poses a lot of questions for the average student cook. It’s hard to know what it’s best used for, and whether or not to believe the hype surrounding its supposed health benefits. Made from coconut meat, the saturated fat is solid at room temperature and liquid when heated. It has a distinct, nutty flavor that lends itself to a variety of recipes, from stir fry to banana bread. Having only recently come in to popularity in Ireland, it has quickly achieved “superfood” status, among claims that it cures various ailments and encourages weight loss.

While most of these assertions go unsupported by legitimate studies, there is some well-researched support of coconut oil’s status as a ‘good’ fat. The Cornell University Medical School, an Ivy League research university located in Ithaca, New York,  conducted a study that provided evidence for the positive impact of the oil’s medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) on weight loss in comparison to an unsaturated fat like olive oil, which is generally considered to be one of the healthiest available cooking oils. However, recent reports from the American Heart Association propose that coconut oil is not at all beneficial, but rather, as a saturated fat, has a similar nutritional profile to beef dripping, with a high lauric acid content, which increases both ‘good’ (HDL) and ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL) and can lead to heart disease.

Given all the conflicting evidence, splurging on a jar may not be worth it. Try it for its unusual flavor, but if you’re on the hunt for the healthiest oil, it’s better to stick with olive or rapeseed.