Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

When I started to write a short article about the health benefits of coconut oil, I realized there were so many benefits, I would have to write a little at a time. Then I decided a better place to start is to explain a little bit about coconut oil's makeup, then you will begin to see for yourself how wonderful it is for our body.


For many years, coconut oil did not have a very good reputation because coconuts contain 90% saturated fats. Studies came out that showed eating foods with saturated fats increased cholesterol levels in the blood. This is due to long chain fatty acids (LCFA's) that are present in most saturated fats. But don't worry, it sounds a lot worse than it really is, so please keep reading. The saturated fats in coconut oil are actually smaller molecules of fat called medium chain triglycerides (MCFA's). MCFA's are more soluble, so they help boost a person's metabolism. Many people say they actually lose weight when they switch to using coconut oil for their oil of choice in eating and cooking.


The saturated fats in coconut prevent spoilage and rancidity making coconut oil last much longer than other oils. People in tropical areas did not experience heart problems and certain cancers when all they had were organic foods including coconuts, which were a staple in their lands.


But one thing that really changed health practitioners' opinions about the fat in coconut oil was when farmers tried to fatten their cows up with coconut and found they actually lost weight! That made a lot of people sit up and take notice of the much maligned coconut.


It is helpful to know a little about the two basic types of coconut oil. Virgin coconut oil is unrefined or raw coconut oil. It comes from premium grade coconut oil where it is extracted from fresh coconut meat. Virgin coconut oil smells and tastes great and can be an ingredient in fruit shakes and smoothies to add a wonderful flavor to these delightful drinks. It is my personal preference, and the most popular of the two types of oil because it is raw and natural and does not have to go through any processes or heat treatments. You get the most benefits from it because they have not been removed by refinement.


Refined coconut oil is extracted from copra (sun or kiln-dried meat of coconut). The oil goes through a sanitizing process, or refinement, so the coconut oil becomes tasteless, odorless, and colorless. Refined coconut oil has a higher smoking point that virgin coconut oil.


One of my favorite uses of virgin coconut oil is to drizzle a tablespoon or two of coconut oil on air popped popcorn instead of butter for a very healthy snack. I also love to use it in baked goods, to add a delightful coconut flavor to foods.



That is a good introduction to coconut oil. We will discuss more healthful uses of coconut oil next time.

Janis
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