Coconut oil vs sugar: which is healthier?

They are about equally nutrient-dense: coconut oil scores 2/100 and sugar 1/100, so pick by your goal. Both can be part of a healthy diet; the table below shows where each one is stronger. Source: USDA FoodData Central.

Coconut oil

2/100Low nutrient density

892 kcal per 100 g. 1 tbsp: 14 g

Sugar

1/100Low nutrient density

387 kcal per 100 g. 1 tsp: 4.2 g

Which to pick for your goal

Fewer caloriesSugar892 vs 387 kcal per 100 g
More proteinAbout even0 vs 0 g per 100 g
More fiberAbout even0 vs 0 g per 100 g
Less sugarCoconut oil0 vs 100 g per 100 g
More potassiumSugar0 vs 2 mg per 100 g
Less saturated fatSugar82 vs 0 g per 100 g

Nutrition side by side

Per 100 g and per typical portion. Bold marks the better value for each row.
Nutrient	Coconut oil, 100 g	Sugar, 100 g	Coconut oil, 14 g	Sugar, 4.2 g
Calories	892 kcal	387 kcal	121 kcal	16 kcal
Protein	0 g	0 g	0 g	0 g
Carbohydrates	0 g	100 g	0 g	4.2 g
Sugars	0 g	100 g	0 g	4.2 g
Fiber	0 g	0 g	0 g	0 g
Fat	99 g	0 g	13 g	0 g
Saturated fat	82 g	0 g	11 g	0 g
Vitamin C	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg
Vitamin A	0 µg	0 µg	0 µg	0 µg
Potassium	0 mg	2 mg	0 mg	<0.1 mg
Iron	<0.1 mg	<0.1 mg	<0.1 mg	<0.1 mg
Calcium	1 mg	1 mg	0.1 mg	<0.1 mg
Magnesium	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg
Sodium	0 mg	1 mg	0 mg	<0.1 mg

Last updated October 8, 2026. Scores use the HowHealthyIs Score method.

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