The Magical Benefits Of Coconut Oil!

Of all the cures I have written about, nothing is as dramatically important for me as the coconut oil cure.

 

Mother’s’ milk is considered a super food, the most perfect food on the planet for human consumption, due to its ideal nutritional content and immune boosting-compounds. The closest match in nature to mothers’ milk is found within the coconut. This tropical staple is loaded with many powerful fatty acids that give it a unique taste and an abundance of health- enhancing benefits.

Coconut oil is rich in healthful saturated fats, known as medium chain triglycerides or MCTs. Vegetable and seed oils usually consist of long chain fatty acids (LCFAs), also known as long-chain triglycerides or LCTs. The LCTs put more strain on the pancreas, liver, and GI tract. The body must package these LCTs with carrier proteins that require special enzymes to effectively metabolize.

MCTs are smaller, though, and permeate cell membranes easily without the need for carrier proteins and special enzymes. MCTs are sent directly to the liver, where they are immediately converted into usable energy rather than being stored as fat. In fact, MCTs do not depend on bile or pancreatic enzymes to be effectively metabolized. This makes coconut oil fully digestible for those who have had the gallbladder removed.

 

 

Coconut oil is the most stable of all commonly used fatty acid sources, due to its high composition of saturated fats. This stability is very important, because it reduces the free radical load on our bodies. Physiologist and biochemist Ray Peat, Ph.D. has deemed coconut oil an antioxidant, due to its resistance to oxidation and free radical formation.

Coconut oil helps to balance hormones, stabilize blood sugar levels and boost the cellular healing process. It is also known to stimulate the thyroid and reduce stress on the liver and pancreas. This increases metabolism and helps us burn fat more effectively. Additionally, coconut oil increases our energy levels, due to its easy digestive process.

Both mothers’ milk and coconut oil are rich in immune-boosting lauric acid, which is converted in the body to monolaurin. Monolaurin contains extraordinarily powerful antibiotic, antiviral, and antifungal properties. Unlike man-made antibiotics and antiviral, these fatty acids pose no danger within our bodies. They are completely harmless to us, yet powerful in destroying harmful microbes by damaging the cell membrane of these competing organisms. This makes coconut oil one of the best foods to eat during cold/flu season.

MCTs are also known for their ability to speed the healing process of cuts and bruises by destroying dangerous microbes and enhancing cellular metabolism and tissue repair. Coconut oil is also soothing and stress-reducing when applied to face, temples, and scalp.

 

 

 

Coconut oil keeps the skin and connective tissue strong and supple. It helps protect skin from the aging effects of free radicals, and naturally reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles. It moisturizes hair and scalp, and enhances texture and highlights in hair while eliminating dandruff.

Over the past few years, my diet has changed, and by a lot! Out went the foods that no longer served my body and health, and in came new, nutritious additions to my diet.

Two of these incredible foods, which I barely knew about or heard of a couple of years ago, let alone ate, were hemp seeds and coconut oil.

These two nutritional powerhouses have today become, almost a daily part of my diet. They taste incredible, have numerous uses and above all are nutritionally dense, packed with numerous vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and other health beneficial compounds.

This month with a focus on super foods, and a special feature on a great, natural company who specializes in these 2 super foods specifically, I will share with you more about each one. In this article we start with coconut oil.

For those of you who are already enjoying the benefits of coconut oil, continue on, as its great benefits are many. And for those of you who have not yet heard of, considered, or tried incorporating coconut oil into your daily diet, allow me to tell you more about this nutritious and delicious super food, you do not want to be missing out on.

 

 

 

Coconut Oil Basics

When most people think of cooking or healthy fats, the last oil they normally think of is coconut oil, when it should be one of the first.

From a practical perspective, coconut oil, being mostly saturated fat, has a high heat tolerance and stability. This is very important when cooking, as the last thing we want to do is denature the oil, making it unhealthy for our consumption. Many oils under high heat, can produce trans fats, or even carcinogenic compounds. (The application of heat is a chemical reaction that changes the molecules of substances. Many of these changes offer undesirable effects for us, hence one of the main reasons, why so many people today are choosing to go more raw with their food. In the case of coconut oil, it is beneficial raw, but can also maintain its properties well one can say, under the pressure of heat.)

Now, as soon as people hear that coconut oil is mostly saturated fat – over 90% that is, they cringe and question as to how can that be healthy? The thing to understand however about saturated or any fats for that matter, is that their value is based on the types and numbers of fatty acids. The combination, length and type of fatty acids making up plant saturated foods, especially that of coconut oil, has been found to be beneficial to our health in many ways, unlike saturated animal fats. So not all saturated fat is created equal.

 

 

 

Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

From a health perspective, coconut oil’s health benefits are attributed to its unique mix of fatty acids – namely lauric, capric and caprylic acids. Unlike other oils, the majority of coconut oil’s fatty acid composition is that of medium chain fatty acids. These get burned up quickly for energy and are not prone to being stored as fat, or clogging artery walls, and adding a risk for heart disease, as is the case with most other fat sources.

Coconut oil also has antimicrobial, antifungal and antibacterial properties.

A quick list of its health benefits include:

· Topical use on skin; moisturizes, nourishes and alleviates various skin conditions

· External use on hair; nourishes, aids proper scalp health and hair growth

· Helps prevent heart disease based on the unique blend of fatty acids

· Helps regulate cholesterol

· Enhances proper thyroid function

· Protect against the incidence of Alzheimer’s, and may actually reverse it

· Enhances proper digestion, helps alleviate IBS and Cohn's symptoms

· Helps with weight loss based on how it is metabolized and used

· Helps with the absorption of other vitamins and minerals during digestion

· Enhances and maintains a healthy immune system

· Helps fight pathogenic bacteria, fungi and viruses

· Speeds up healing of bruises and infections

· Used as a form of aromatherapy for stress relief

· Contains antioxidant properties to fight free radicals, help against premature aging, etc.

· Easily converted into usable energy for the body, not stored as fat

· Helps in preventing kidney and gall bladder diseases, helps in dissolving kidney stones

· Helps in controlling blood sugar and improves the secretion of insulin

· Helps prevent and treat diabetes

· Helps in absorption of calcium

· Helps prevent tooth decay

· Helps boost metabolism

· Alkaline forming

· Helps in boosting energy and endurance

· Excellent source of healthy fats

· Healthy choice for all diets, including vegan and vegetarian

 

 

Uses of Coconut Oil

There are so many varied uses for coconut oil. The most common one is to use a tablespoon (plus or minus) for cooking, like stir-frying. But really, whether one is making scrambled eggs, or sauteing mushrooms, coconut oil works in all these cases. Wherever one uses an oil for cooking, coconut oil can take its place and offer a much healthier meal.

Coconut oil is used in numerous raw desserts, smoothies, shakes, and sauces. It truly has a multitude of uses, and that is mostly thanks to its delicious taste – that is of course assuming you like the taste of coconuts.

However, to get the true coconut flavor, aroma and benefits, one must pick an unrefined, virgin coconut oil. Refined coconut oils are devoid of almost any flavor or aroma, and not as nutritionally dense as the unrefined ones. Naturally, if one really does not like the taste of coconuts, but still wants the benefits of cooking with this high heat stable oil, getting the refined oil may have to be an option.

It is also important to note, that as more and more people begin to learn about this incredible oil, there is no doubt that companies will try to market products made using coconut oil. Be very conscious of reading all labels, as processed or industrial grade coconut oil defeats the health purpose, just like any other processed food. Just because a food is made with coconut oil, does not automatically make it healthy. The real benefits lie in using this oil in its unrefined version. I wrote the following article, I invite you to read for help on picking the best coconut oil.

Coconut oil can also be applied directly to the skin or scalp for healing or nourishing properties, or used for massage and aromatherapy purposes.

Coconut oil makes an easy and healthy alternative to butter, as it is solid at room temperature (as long as it is not over about 24 degrees Celsius.)

Coconut oil today is available widely across North America, whether in health food stores, or online stores, including Amazon.com. As for price, yes coconut oil can be pricey, but when it comes to health, it is well worth it. If anything, perhaps it can motivate us to stop cooking/frying our food as much and enjoy more foods in their most natural, nutritiously dense state.

 

 

Conclusion

When I open my jar of coconut oil, it is like I have a little piece of the tropics always home with me. I love cooking with it and eating it raw. I have tried various recipes with it, and it complemented the food item that much more.

I have also tried various coconut oils from different companies, and will be sharing some reviews on coconut oil this month from our featured company this month is CO UK.  Its Simply amazing!  Pure! This Coconut Oil is made from certified organic coconuts grown in the Philippines. The oil is produced when the Coconut flesh is low-temperature dried, then cold-pressed. The oil is released in the press and then bottled, and delivered to you. The freshness of this Coconut Oil gives it the perfect balance of delicious flavor without any excessive aromas or taste overtones.

 

So when it comes to this super food, it is no gimmick or latest bandwagon on which to get on, only to get off when the mainstream media has changed its mind about what is “in“. This is a tried and tested food by many people in the Eastern and Tropical regions, who have been enjoying its health benefits for generations – and now, no matter almost where we live, we can too.

Blessings,

Charlie Farricielli

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