After the American Heart Association advised people to avoid coconut oil, a Harvard professor recommended to avoid it in a lecture she posted on YouTube.

In the talk, titled "Coconut Oil and other Nutritional Errors," professor Karen Michels described coconut oil as "pure poison" and "one of the worst foods you can eat."

A research scientist at Harvard, Vasanti Malik said: "Coconut oil is neither a superfood nor a poison."

She explained in a post that it's best consumed in small amounts, as a periodic alternative to other vegetable oils like olive or canola."

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Coconut oil is still an incredibly popular ingredient in all kinds of cooking.

It features in an abundance of recipes designed for those with alternative dietary needs from vegan, paleo, and keto to recipes for those trying to be a little more careful when it comes to sustainability.

By the early-to-mid 2010s, it had fast become one of the United States' favorite superfoods, according to The Washington Post.

Director of the Institute for Prevention and Tumor Epidemiology at the University of Freiburg and professor at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Karin Michels, isn't sure it merits the popularity it's garnered over the years, however.

During a lecture, titled "Coconut Oil and other Nutritional Errors," Michels made herself very clear with regard to dietary recommendations and underlined that coconut oil is not healthy.

Its superfood status has been under scrutiny for some time since the American Heart Association (AHA) updated its guidelines and recommended that people avoid the saturated fatty acids found in coconut oil.

Is coconut oil really 'pure poison'?

Michels went a step further than to recommend avoiding the foodstuff, saying "coconut oil is pure poison" and "is one of the worst foods you can eat."

Michels said there was no study showing significant health benefits to coconut-oil consumption and described coconut oil as being more dangerous than lard because it almost exclusively contains saturated fatty acids, ones that can clog the coronary arteries.

You can identify fats that contain large quantities of saturated fatty acids by checking to see whether they remain solid at room temperature, as is the case with butter or lard.

Based on the fact that they contain a lot of unsaturated fatty acids, experts recommend olive or rapeseed oil as an alternative, and while it can't be used for cooking, flaxseed oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and is just as good for the body.

While Michels doesn't describe other "superfoods" like acai, chia seeds, or matcha as harmful, at most she considers them ineffective because, in most cases, the nutrients they're touted for are available just as readily in other foods that are more easily accessible such as carrots, cherries, and apricots.

"We are well and sufficiently supplied," she said.

The AHA updated its guidelines, to recommend people avoid the saturated fatty acids found in coconut oil. Shutterstock

Are saturated fats actually that unhealthy?

Most researchers agree that olive oil or linseed oil can form an important part of a healthy diet. While the scientific world is still debating whether saturated fatty acids really are the work of the devil, others say with certainty that that's the case.

However, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicated that people who routinely consume cheese, whole milk, and other high-fat dairy products — in essence, products high in saturated fatty acids — are at no higher risk of dying from a heart attack, stroke, or other illness than those who avoid such products.

Another study using data from 135,000 people in 18 countries and published in The Lancet, found that high fat and low carbohydrate consumption were associated with a 23% lower risk of death.

Coconut oil features a lot in recipes for those with alternative dietary needs. Melia Robinson/Business Insider

The positive effect still stands, regardless of whether saturated or unsaturated fatty acids are being consumed.

So what's the actual verdict on coconut oil? Most international dietary guidelines recommend enjoying saturated fats in moderation.

As research scientist at the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Vasanti Malik explains, "coconut oil is neither a superfood nor a poison."

"Its role in the diet falls somewhere in between," she says. "Coconut oil has a unique flavor and is best consumed in small amounts, as a periodic alternative to other vegetable oils like olive or canola."

As the saying goes, the dose makes the poison so if you do have a soft spot for coconut oil, just take care not to overindulge.