Studies do not support the argument that coconut oil will dramatically reduce hunger and increase the degree of fulfillment.
For example, one study of 15 women with excess weight showed that consuming breakfast with 25 ml of coconut oil was less successful than eating the same amount of olive oil in reducing appetite 4 hours after a meal.
Another research of 15 obese children found that a meal consuming 20 grams of coconut oil did not cause greater feelings of fullness than the intake of the same quantity of maize oil.
In comparison, a survey of 42 adults showed that coconut oil was marginally lower in filling than MCT oil, consisting of high levels of caprylic acid and capric acid, but marginally higher in filling than vegetable oil.
Researchers have argued that coconut oil can not be added to the findings of MCT experiments and that there is no reason to suggest using it to encourage feelings of fullness.
Research has shown that it can increase stomach volume by adding fat-rich foods such as coconut oil to meals, creating greater perceptions of fullness than low fat meals.
Some research has also shown that consuming saturated fat-rich foods can induce greater fullness than eating monounsaturated fat-rich foods. Other studies have concluded, however, that sensations of fullness are not impaired by saturation levels of fatty acids.
Finally, MCT oil tests are routinely used by food producers and the media to endorse arguments about the fullness-promoting characteristics of coconut oil. Yet these two products are not the same, as mentioned above.
Coconut oil can encourage feelings of fullness, and it contains fats that are linked to health benefits, known as MCTs. However, since these oils are distinct and do not have the same advantages, coconut oil should not be confused with MCT oil.