Going Nuts With Coco

There is a real coco craze going on amongst conscious and healthy lifestylers. We are totally on that wave – and discovered endless options to use it. Above 25ºC the coconut oil has a liquid state; take it in any temperature below 25ºC and the structure will harden and become more like a solid butter.

Today we talk about the many benefits and uses for this healthy hero from heaven: coconut oil.
 

FAT IS GOOD FOR YOU!

Hold on – fat is good for us? Yes, it is. One of the most common mistakes we can make is it to see fat as our number one enemy. Coconut oil is won from the pulp of the cocos meat and is the most saturated vegetable oil on earth. Saturated fat is extremely important for a healthy diet as it is an essential nutrient for many hormones in the body. In fact it is the trans-fat that you should avoid.

Dr. Joseph Mercola explains why saturated fat has been unfairly vilinized over the last fifty years in the media. In the next video, Dr. Bruce Fife (author of The Coconut Oil Miracle) goes into the misconceptions about fats, explaining that there are different types of saturated fats; and how the fatty acids can basically be put into three different categories depending on their size or the length of their carbon chain. Coconut oil is different and it is unique in that it is predominantly composed of medium chain fatty acids. This is important because our bodies process and respond to the fats differently. He explains;

It is the medium-chain fatty acids that give coconut oil most of its health properties

THE BENEFITS OF COCONUT OIL

HORMONES
Restores your hormone balance.

THYROID
Improves your thyroid health & thyroid function.

METABOLISM
Fires up your metabolism giving you with more energy.

IMMUNE SYSTEM
Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, boosting your body’s immune system.

COGNITIVE FUNCTION & CONCENTRATION
Improves the cognitive function nourishing your brain – not only improving concentration, but stalling or even reversing, neurodegenerative diseases in their early stages such as Alzheimers.

WEIGHT LOSS
Helps with weight-loss: Due to the healthy ‘medium chain fatty acids’, coconut oil does not circulate in the bloodstream like other fats, but is sent straight to the lever and converted in energy. The body is not able to store coconut oil as fat, but extracts energy from it while decreasing the appetite.

NUTRIENT ABSORPTION
Improves vitamin, mineral and protein absorption.

LOWERING CHOLESTEROL & REDUCING HEART DISEASE
Loweres your cholesterol & reduces the chance of getting a heart disease. The lauric acid reduces total cholesterol and increases good HDL-cholesterol – protecting your heart and reducing heart disease.

ANTI-VIRAL & ANTI-BACTERIAL
Fights parasites, worms, bacteria and viruses. Kills herpes virus as well as foot and nail fungus. It can even be used for yeast infection relief.

REPAIRS, PROTECTS, HEALS SKIN AND SKIN DISEASES
Good for the skin – when applied externally it helps repair damaged tissue (such as bruises), soothes burns and protects infected body parts (cuts and scrapes) due to its protective antibacterial layer. It also reduces psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis. Another skin application is acne treatment.

USING COCONUT OIL IN THE KITCHEN

COOKING
“The smartest oil you can use in cooking”. The high smoke point makes it also very suitable for stir-fries in your wok pan.

ROAST ‘N BAKE
Use it for roasting vegetables (sweet potatoes do very well in it!) and mix with some herbs and lemon. We also bake our eggs, fish and meat in it. Endless possibilities.

SWAP FOR BUTTER
Use as substitute for butter, as a spread or even in baking.

DRESS YOUR SALAD
Try using it as a salad dressing once in a while, for a different taste.

UPGRADE YOUR DRINKS
Put a spoonful of coconut oil in your coffee, tea or smoothie, leaving out the sugar and honey. Enjoy more flavour and a healthy boost.

NUT BUTTER
Make your own nut butter with coconut oil and your favourite nuts in your food processor.

SCOOP A SPOON
Every now and then – your body will thank you!

GREASE COOKINGWARE
Grease pans and wooden cutting boards

USING COCONUT OIL IN THE BATHROOM

MOUTH
Oil Pulling. Lip Balm

FACE
Eye Makeup Remover. Eye Cream. Eye Lash Enhancer

BODY
Skin Moisturizer. Cuticle Oil. Body Butter. Bath Oil. Cellulite Cream. Stretch Mark Cream. Shaving Cream. Feet Softener. Handcream. Bug repellant. Bug Bite Relief. After-Sun Lotion

HAIR
Conditioning Hair Mask. Frizz Tamer. Dandruff Remedy. Split-end Hair Treatment

RELAX
Massage Oil, Aroma-Therapy

SOME FUN MAGIC COMBOS

Coconut Oil + Baking Soda = Exfoliator for a Healthy Glow. Toothpaste

Coconut Oil + Brown Sugar = Lip Scrub. Body Scrub

Coconut Oil + Antibacterial Soap = Makeup Brush Cleaner

Coconut Oil + Honey = Hydrating and Antibacterial Face Mask

Coconut Oil + Remaining Lip Color = Tinted Lip Balm

Coconut Oil + Epsom sals + Essential Oils = Soothening, Anti-Bloating, Moisturizing Bath Oil

SOURCES
Zwaan, J. (2013). De Supplementenwijzer.
Dr. Fife, B. (2004). The Coconut Oil Miracle.
Dr. Joseph Mercola
Coconut Oil Tips

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