Coconut Oil: From Stepchild to Golden Child
It seems like everyone is becoming nuts for coconuts lately, especially coconut oil.
This is a relatively recent development. Although coconuts and their consumption has been around since almost the beginning of time, their oil became the “stepchild” of the food industry.
After a study was done a few decades ago where coconut oil was studied in its partially hydrogenated form and found to show detrimental health effects, coconut oil consumption came to an “all but abrupt” halt. However, the study did not use organic virgin coconut oil, which has a completely different effect on the body.
As most know by now, hydrogenated oils wreak all kinds of havoc on the body, especially the arteries and the heart. Saturated oils have also mostly been clumped into one category of “dangerous”. However, coconut oil in its raw virgin form, although saturated, is a medium chained fatty acid, which has been showing surprising promise to actually boost the good cholesterol (HDL) and decrease the bad (LDL). Preliminary studies are also finding the health promoting benefits of coconut oil very exciting. Although more research is needed to tout it as a “health food”, exchanging the hydrogenated oils for coconut oil is a much healthier and delicious alternative.
There are many interesting properties of coconut oil that can make any health guru giddy.
First of all it has:
- Lauric Acid: Coconut oil has 50% of lauric acid. Breast milk also has an abundance of this substance which gives babies immunity boosting along with antiviral and anti fungal properties.
- Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT’s): Because MCT’s are so easily digested, and used for immediate fuel, there are tremendous benefits to the body:
- Metabolism Boost: The body uses the fat for energy and increases leanness in the body
- Energy boosting
- Accelerated healing times
- Immune system improvement
- Thyroid boosting
- Nutrient Absorption:
Consuming coconut oil with nutrient dense juices increases the body’s ability to absorb and more adequately utilize vital nutrients.
SKIN HEALTH
- Coconut oil penetrates the skin to hydrate and nourish.
- Natural SPF 15
- Natural lubricant with anti vital, fungal and bacterial properties
HIGH TEMP SMOKE POINT: This property makes coconut oil desirable for frying, sautéing, broiling and baking foods. Decreased food conversion to carcinogens at high cook temperatures
There are so many health claims of this now “step child turned golden child”, that one could even consider it the modern day “snake oil”.
Although the research to support the claims still needs to be done, those who use coconut oil in its most pure raw virgin form have found a wide array of its uses and benefits.
- Substituting for cooking
- Using for baking
- Adding to smoothies and juices for nutrient absorption **
- Daily moisturizer and lubricant
- Dry, chapped and broken skin healer
- Low SPF daily sun protection
The possibilities and uses for coconut oil are bountiful and promising to replace the harmful oils; causing health promotion instead of health demise.
Using moderation for saturated oils is always the best idea and approaching life with fun and hope is always a much healthier choice overall.
So, go ahead, have your oil and eat it, too! You may just find yourself going a little “nuts” and also jumping on the bandwagon.
Dotty Hagmier, BSN, RN, CHC
Founder and CEO of Moms In Charge
Dedicated to Raising Healthy Vibrant Kids
