Coconut Oil.....whats all the fuss about?

Why is everyone going coco for coconut oil?  

And would it be a good idea to get involved?

Those that know me know i'm a major advocate for this little puppy and you only need to spend a little bit of time with me to know i'm verging on obsessed with the gear!

In short:

• It provides plant based saturated fat (the good stuff - we need it)
• Supports good heart health.  In some cases can reduce cholesterol - do some Google searching for the specifics here.
• It helps to regulate cravings and can reduce appetites (its worked this way for me, a great distraction from sugar!).
• It boosts the immune system.  Its high in Lauric Acid (infection, virus and fungus killing agent), regular consumption may keep illnesses at bay.  
• You'll see the following written about it 'Antiviral, antibacterial, anticancer and immune-boosting effects'.
• Helps to sustain energy expenditure. Coconut oil provides the saturated fat your body needs to feel full.  When we eat nasty high energy foods such as cakes, biscuits, choccies, fizzy drinks etc we experience a 'high', then literally crash and burn.  If its a healthy dose of energy you're after and you're eating a good diet whack some coconut oil in with your food and you'll find you won't be reaching for the 'nasty' foods as often.  Its as simple as this, if your body feels full and satisfied the brain is less likely to think of reaching for the nasty foods.  
• Awesome moisturizer and cleaner (I use it in place of soap these days), its good enough to eat so of course its safe to use on the body.
• Its safe at high temperatures.  It has a high heating point and doesn't go rancid when heated (when oil turns rancid it becomes toxic and harmful to you.  Be very careful, most other oils become rancid when heated). NB: Refined coconut oil is the better to cook with.

You may be like most of us and wonder what the difference is between raw, cold pressed, virgin, refined, crude, unrefined and deodorized coconut oil....arrghh, why so many names to get your head around?  Basically there are two main types, 'Refined' and 'Unrefined', but once it hits the shelves you'll find there are multiple names for the same processing method.  If you're intrigued, bear with me while I run you though a basic explanation.  If the explaining I've done isn't enough for your curious/skeptical/researching mind then I invite you to research for yourself (again, Google is very supportive here!).

In simple terms, there are two ways you can get coconut oil; Refined & Unrefined:

Unrefined

Including label descriptions such as:

Raw/Pure/Virgin/Organic/Cold Pressed/Unrefined/Crude Coconut Oil

And a bit about the 'Unrefined' stuff:

• The least processed oil extracted in the most natural way, oil is basically extracted out of the flesh http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Virgin-Coconut-Oil.  
• Unrefined, unfiltered and without any additives.
• Its not bleached, heated, refined or deodorized.
• Involves minimal processing meaning it retains most of its natural goodness. 
• Retains the distinct flavour and odour of coconut.
• Due to its basic processing nature it may not be free of 
• Contains the same amount of fatty acids as the refined variety, (which is the immune boosting stuff).
• Unrefined coconut oil has a smoking point of 175 degrees (so better to cook with the refined stuff).

Refined

Including label descriptions such as: 

Bleached/deodorized/Refined Coconut Oil

And a bit about the 'Refined' stuff:

• Extracted from dried coconut meat.
• Oil is bleached because contaminants arise during the drying process. 
• High heat is then used to deodorize the coconut oil to remove its distinctive odor and flavor. 
• Sodium hydroxide is often added to prolong its shelf life. 
• Contains the same amount of fatty acids as the unrefined variety, (which is the immune boosting stuff).
• Better for cooking at higher temperatures. Refined coconut oil has a smoking point of 230 degrees.

If you're interested, here's a typical week for me and the role coconut oil plays.

• Daily oil pulling; which I do for oral hygiene and sinus relief purposes.  If you want to read more here's a good write up http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7857/why-you-should-start-oil-pulling-today.html.
• Adding to smoothies, porridge, soups (1D-T each time). 
• Cooking with; I use in place of olive oil for cooking these days.
• On toast as an alternative to butter.
• Moisturising (I make my own body butter which is safe enough to eat)
• Mixing with baking soda and using it as a toothpaste.
• Keeping my appetite under control.

And the not so regular uses....but worth mentioning

• Making chocolate and good quality sweet treats (Google recipes if you're keen, I recommend Rocky Road).
• Applying if I get burnt in the sun.
• Applying topically if I get a cut or graze.

If you're keen to hear a bit more about this, here's a ripper you tube clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaNGQubRo9w.  Country Calendar even had an episode on Coconut Oil a week ago, about a Kiwi dude and his samoan wife living in Samoa and the business they have made out of coconuts, if you haven't seen it already you can find it here: http://tvnz.co.nz/country-calendar/episode-29-good-oil-5589331

Thanks for hanging in there and reading my musings on one of the major loves of my life, 'Coconut oil'!  :)

Go forth and go coco-nuts!

x Bron


Disclaimer : I'm not a 'qualified' health professional, I just choose to live consciously, be informed and to share my knowledge with people like you.