Coconut oil amazingly healthy. It increases metabolism, reduces hunger, increases good cholesterol, supports thyroid health and can even prevent tooth decay.
Sure, coconuts grow on palm trees, but coconut oil is not palm oil.
I wrote articles about the benefits of coconuts on this blog. One reader wrote to me and said that she bought this oil, but does not know how to use it now.
This is the information I will share with you. I've been using it for a long time, 3 or 4 years already.
Why is the choice not always made in favor of coconut?
The first is our traditionalism: food should be familiar. For us, there is food that we have been eating since childhood, and coconut edible oil is that new food that we are wary of.
Secondly, traditionalism is not so bad, since nations and peoples have lived on the same territory for centuries, and their bodies, in the process of evolution, produce enzymes for one or another food characteristic of a given region. Eating coconut oil is the prerogative of Indians and Asians; it is a food familiar to their stomach. We need to get used to it gradually, because our food is prepared mainly with sunflower vegetable oil.
And third is the price. Refined coconut oil is almost four times more expensive than sunflower oil, and unrefined cold-pressed oil is twenty times more expensive. Although natural and healthy, the food is too expensive.
But it’s worth the risk, if only so that later you can say: I tried coconut oil for food.
Origin story
Although coconut is one of the oldest plants, its beneficial properties were discovered only in the fifteenth century in India. It has been observed that Indian women have excellent skin and hair condition. The study revealed that they use coconut oil for personal care and cooking. After this, in the sixteenth century they began to export it to China, from where it spread throughout the world, enjoying enormous popularity , which continues unabated in our time.
Why it's useful
The benefits or harms of coconut oil as a food are determined by its composition. Fatty acids make up 99% of this product. The vitamin component is not so impressive: a little tocopherol, better known as vitamin E, and trace elements in the form of phosphorus, zinc and calcium. When using coconut oil in cooking, it is useful to know that its calorie content is 900 kcal/100 g. With such an energy value, the food becomes compact: to be satiated, it will be enough to eat one oatmeal cookie prepared with this extract, or a small amount of other food.
Nutritionists point out that in the ratio of proteins-fats-carbohydrates (BJU), the uniqueness of this product for cooking lies in the fact that it lacks both proteins and carbohydrates. Culinary experts attribute a high smoke point to its beneficial qualities: this extract can be heated to high temperatures and not be afraid of the carcinogenicity of the resulting dish. The ability to coat mucous membranes has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract, especially if the food is spicy and hot (this is why India leads in the consumption of this product - food is not prepared there without spices).
Some medicinal properties are also based on this: for peptic ulcers, when any food can cause pain, it is recommended to take coconut oil orally in small quantities to speed up scarring, since it is also an antiseptic.
If you constantly use coconut oil little by little in your food, the hepatobiliary tract (liver, gallbladder, bile ducts) is cleansed, the walls of blood vessels are strengthened and blood pressure is reduced. Coconut oil taken orally can help relieve constipation. How to take the product correctly: on an empty stomach before meals. If you experience nausea or diarrhea, reduce the dose or stop taking it. So this is not your food.
Coconut oil is especially useful for the weaker sex. Women who want to lose weight without feeling hungry replace regular cooking fats with coconut extract: food prepared with it is perfectly satiating, while the magnesium, calcium and other microelements necessary for health are absorbed in full. Therefore, coconut oil is used for dressing salads, frying fish and meat, and added to sauces.
And women's health during menopause, when calcium is washed out of the bones, is supported by coconut fatty acids involved in osteosynthesis, so you need food seasoned or fried with coconut oil.
Vitamin E, even in the small amount in which it is present in the coconut product, stabilizes hormonal levels; food with coconut extract slows down the cellular aging of the female body, saves from wrinkles and dry skin. Therefore, in order for the skin to be elastic and wrinkle-free, hair thick, and nails strong and shiny, once a week you will need light and healthy food: prepare a salad with coconut oil or bake cookies without eggs (they have a minimum cholesterol level).
But coconut oil cookies pale in comparison to the innovation of coconut oil coffee. To do this, add a teaspoon of coconut extract to the coffee drink and whisk. You should not add more oil, this will lead to an increase in the fat layer in unnecessary places. A small amount is enough to taste and smell coconut. This coffee invigorates, saturates and is recommended for the morning meal of those losing weight: they will definitely not need other food until lunch. Another option is chocolates with this extract.
Question to the expert
Can edible coconut oil be used for cosmetic purposes?
Yes, this is possible, but observing the dosage and only in cases where there are no contraindications.
How can you replace coconut oil in cooking?
Any usual vegetable or cow, if you need aroma, add a little shavings of pulp.
Contraindications
Excess weight, problems with the pancreas and gall bladder are contraindications for the culinary use of this product. If you were previously allergic to coconut, then oil and food cooked with it will cause the same reaction.
Using counterfeit, expired extract or cooking foods using excessive amounts of oil will cause nausea and diarrhea, and may cause intestinal and stomach pain. Therefore, let’s try not to be greedy and eat as much as is healthy:
- Adults – up to 2 tbsp. spoons
- Elderly – up to 1 tbsp. spoons.
- Children – no more than a teaspoon per day.
Drinking coconut oil without the advice of your doctor is not recommended; such consumption can cause dyspepsia, increased flatulence, bloating and other digestive tract problems. If you drink, then no more than a tablespoon per day.
Indications for use
Coconut oil has a balanced composition that helps you lose weight. Triglycerides speed up the metabolism in the body, resulting in faster burning of fat deposits. If you follow a diet using this product, you can achieve significant results in losing weight. In order to lose weight, it is enough to eat one spoon of the product in the morning and evening.
Despite accelerating metabolism, squeezing coconut regulates appetite, reducing it. If you suffer from overeating, you should add it to your diet. Even a small amount of the product (half a teaspoon) in the morning dulls hunger, and a person eats less food than usual.
During seasonal exacerbations of influenza, you can eat the product every day. It will help the body resist viruses and microbes, and also strengthen the immune system.
What kind of oil can be eaten?
There are three methods for preparing coconut oil:
- Cold pressed.
- Hot spin.
- Roasting.
The healthiest food with a cold-pressed product is made from crushed pulp, which is squeezed out in a centrifuge and is not heat-treated. Identified by the Virgin and Extra Virgin labeling. A wide variety of food is prepared with it - salads, shortbread cookies, vegetables, fish and meat are fried on it. If you cook French fries with such fat, the dish will be much healthier and tastier, the food will acquire a subtle taste instead of the rough aftertaste of overcooked vegetable oil.
Hot pressing provides raw materials for cosmetology - creams, masks, etc. Taste is below average, coconut aroma and beneficial components are missing.
The fried product is not recommended for cosmetology, since this extraction method kills everything useful and creates carcinogens. Cheap fried coconut oil comes from Thailand, costs much less than other types, but has no benefits, and food is not cooked with it.
Based on purification, coconut extract is divided into refined and unrefined. When cleansing, the difference in the content of nutrients is noticeable, so it is better to take unrefined oil.
The highly refined product is characterized by the absence of lauric acid, it is universal: it can be used in cooking and in cosmetology.
Fractional squeeze is an extract exclusively for industrial use; the fatty acids it contains are used in perfumery and in the manufacture of soap.
Compound
Coconut oil is based on fatty acids. They regulate cholesterol levels, strengthen the walls of blood vessels, and help prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Most of the composition of the product is lauric acid. In the process of metabolism in the body, it turns into substances that fight infections and fungi. Therefore, daily use of the spin helps prevent colds and other infections.
The product contains antioxidants that remove free radicals from the body. As a result, the aging process slows down and the condition of the skin and hair improves. When used simultaneously internally and externally, wrinkles are smoothed out and the oval of the face is tightened.
Coconut oil contains vitamins A and E. They are needed for the construction of new cells. They provide the greatest benefit to the skin and hair. As a result of regular use of the press, the skin becomes smooth, silky, wrinkles are reduced, and the complexion improves. Hair becomes soft, strong, elastic.
How to select and store
The first choice occurs when determining the place and method of acquisition. The best place is specialized stores, where you can look at the product, touch and smell it, look at the packaging to see if there is an expiration date, etc. If you have experience with this product, you can buy it from the local market in the country where coconuts are grown.
The highest risk of buying cosmetic oil instead of edible oil is when purchasing online. There you cannot evaluate the product until it is delivered. Eating food with this ingredient may pose a health risk.
A good oil should have a glass packaging, a transparent, slightly yellowish color, and a subtle coconut smell. A pungent odor, bright and dark color is a sign of a low-quality product; food with such an extract is hazardous to health.
Ideal storage is a temperature not higher than 20°C, humidity not lower than 60%, no sunlight and sealed packaging. Shelf life – 12 months. Homemade extract only lasts for a week.
Is it possible to cook it yourself?
To make coconut oil with your own hands, take a nut and drill a hole in the bottom to let the milk flow out. This liquid is also a healthy and tasty food, so leave it. Then we split the shell and scrape out the pulp.
The crushed substrate is poured with hot water and, after cooling, placed in the refrigerator. A crust of fat should appear on top of the water. It is removed, melted, filtered and stored in the refrigerator. It is stored for no more than a week, food prepared with it - even less.
Cooking recipes
You can make amazing dishes with coconut oil. I offer you several delicious and healthy recipes.
Dessert “Baked Pear”
You will need:
- pear (2 pcs.);
- cranberries (160 g);
- nutmeg (chips);
- coconut oil (1 tbsp);
- sorghum syrup (200 ml);
- mint (20 g);
- ginger (10 g);
- maple syrup (50 ml);
- lemon juice (1 tbsp);
- vanilla extract (0.5 tsp);
- cinnamon (wood chips);
- coconut milk (1 tbsp).
Preparation:
- Wash the pears, cut them into halves, and remove the core. Place on a baking sheet, flesh side up. Place in the oven, preheated to 180 degrees, for a quarter of an hour.
- Place and grind the following ingredients in a blender: cranberries, maple syrup, lemon juice, nutmeg, cinnamon and 100 ml of sorghum syrup. Place in the refrigerator to cool.
- Now mix the remaining ingredients in a blender: coconut oil and milk, grated ginger, vanilla extract and 100 ml sorghum syrup.
- Remove the pears from the oven until they have cooled, pour them first with coconut sauce, and then with cranberry sauce. Decorate the dish with mint. Enjoy!
Ayurvedic drink
You will need:
- honey (1 tsp);
- coconut oil (1 tsp);
- milk (1 cup);
- turmeric (1 tsp);
- water (50 ml.).
Preparation:
- Place a small container filled with the specified amount of water on the stove. After it boils, add the spice and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
- After this, pour in low-fat milk, coconut oil and heat this mixture over medium heat to 60 degrees.
- Remove from heat and add honey to golden milk. It is best to drink this drink in the morning on an empty stomach or before bed.
