A palm tree?
A hula girl with a coconut bra?
A MOUNDS candy bar?
Malibu Rum?
German chocolate cake?
Me, too...until recently! Coconut oil is creeping into the mainstream and I've been excited to learn more about its incredible properties. First of all, here are some coconut quick facts:
- Coconut oil comes from coconuts that grow on the coconut palm
- The word "coconut" comes from the Spanish "cocos" or "grinning face" (for obvious reasons!)
- A coconut is a drupe, not a seed or a nut. What's the difference: A "nut" is a hard shell that contains both the fruit and the seed (hazelnut, chestnut, acorn). A "drupe" is a fruit with flesh that surrounds a pit or shell that has a seed inside (peaches, plums, mangos, olives). What makes the coconut a little different is that the flesh is really not "fleshy" but dry...we call it the husk...you may have never seen a coconut with the husk intact if you have never seen them in their native, tropical, habitats.
- A mature coconut palm can produce up to 100 coconuts a year!
- Virtually every part of the coconut has practical uses! Coir fiber from the husk is used in brushes, ropes, string, netting, floor mats, planters, and more; Coconut meat is a staple in the diets of many people around the world, and a favorite baking ingredient; Coconut milk is rich in potassium and minerals and is becoming a popular natural sports drink...and that brings us to coconut oil!
Coconut oil is extracted from the meat of mature coconuts. For thousands of years it has been the primary fat in the diets of millions of people. Compared to other oils, coconut oil has many unique health benefits. Some even claim it's the healthiest oil on earth. I'll try to make it as easy as possible to understand the basic difference between coconut and other oils, especially saturated fats....because yes, coconut oil is high in saturated fat (but don't assume based on this fact that it's not good for you!)
The fatty acids that make up coconut oil are primarily medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) also known as medium-chain triglycerides (MCT). That's important to know because nearly all of the fat we consume (animal and plant derived, saturated or unsaturated) are long-chain fatty acids (LCFA). Long-chain fatty acids are not easily metabolized and get stored in the body as fat. Medium-chain fatty acids go straight to the liver and are immediately converted into energy! They do not have a negative effect on cholesterol and can actually help to protect against heart disease. If you are want more info on the biochemistry check out this article.
According to research, the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil can aid in hair, dental, and skin care, stress relief, maintaining cholesterol, weight loss, immunity, digestion, bone strength, relief from kidney issues, heart disease, high blood pressure diabetes, cancer, and HIV. Read more at organicfacts.net Coconut oil also has natural antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties!
Some uses for coconut oil:
- To treat damaged hair
- To moisturize the skin
- To treat dermatitis
- To control blood pressure
- To reduce weight
- To aid in healthy digestion
- To aid in healing of cuts, rashes, bruises
- To aid in dental health
- To reduce viruses
A quick Google search on any of these topics or more will provide you with tons of great information.
Two things I've tried this week are Homemade Coconut Oil Deodorant CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE and Coconut Oil Pulling...hear me out on this one! Oil pulling is the practice of slowly swishing unrefined oil around in your mouth for 5-20 minutes (the longer the better). It is touted to remove stains, reduce inflammation of the gums, pull out bacteria, toxins, and heavy metals, and more. I didn't know if I would be able to do it for the "ick" factor, but it wasn't bad at all. I swished while I was checking my email last night...and the added bonus was my lips were silky soft afterward! I'll keep you posted on the long-term effects! MORE ABOUT OIL PULLING HERE
PLEASE SHARE YOUR USES FOR COCONUT OIL!
Here are some other great articles and resources to check out:
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