A Spoonful a Day Will Do You Good: Coconut Oil
Coconut oil got a really bad rap in the mid 90s when the news came out that movie theater popcorn had too much saturated fat. The problem was the movie theater had actually been using partially hydrogenated oil which takes out the nutritional benefits of this heart-healthy oil.
Coconuts are considered very healthy in both Ayurvedic medicine and modern medical research. Virgin coconut oil is extremely good for you, both when eaten and used externally. It’s a solid at room temperature and has a similar smoke point (350 degrees) as butter (350 degrees) and olive oil (375 degrees).
When used as a cooking oil, it can help with digestion. The saturated fats in virgin coconut oil have anti-microbial properties that help your body fight bacteria, fungi or parasites that can cause indigestion. It is often used by for baking as a replacement for animal fats, such as butter. It has a subtle, nutty and sweet flavor.
Virgin coconut oil is high in fatty acids, which can aid in weight loss, and help prevent heart disease. It also removes stress from the pancreas, which increases metabolism.
Coconut oil can also be used externally. Many people warm coconut oil slightly, then rub into their hair and scalp to prevent dry, brittle hair and dandruff.
It can also be used on your skin as moisturizer, or to eliminate dry skin patches or acne.
Coconut oil can also be used to treat infections, both internally and externally. Rub coconut oil on a bruise to speed up the healing process, or ingest the oil to kill bacteria that causes throat infections, urinary tract infections, or pneumonia. It is also effective on fungi and yeast that causes athlete’s foot, diaper rash and other infections.
Have you tried it yet? Have any good recipes to share using virgin coconut oil?
A Spoonful a Day Will Do You Good: Coconut Oil,