Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted or pressed from mature coconut meat.
Coconut oil is solid at room temperature and melts when heated up, generally around 76 degrees. When possible, always choose organic, cold pressed oil and stay away from any coconut oils that are hydrogenated. Not only is coconut oil great for cooking and eating, but you can also use it in your beauty routine in your hair or on your skin!
Health Benefits of Coconut Oil:
Coconut oil may aid weight management and increase metabolic rate due to the presence of medium chain triglycerides. Additionally, unlike long-chain fatty acids (which make up the majority of fats in our diet) MCTs are able to be used very easily by our bodies. This is because medium-chain triglycerides are passively diffused from our gastrointestinal tract to the portal system. For this reason, our bodies find it super easy to break down the fat before absorbing it and using it for energy in the body. It’s also a great antimicrobial agent and it also supports skin health!
Nutrient Breakdown of Coconut Oil:
Fat | saturated fat (65% MCT, medium chain triglycerides)
Fatty acids in coconut | 49% lauric acid, 18% mysteric acid, 9% palmitic acid, capric and caprylic acid at 7-8% respectively, 5-6% oleic acid, 3% stearic acid, and 2% linoleic acid.
How To Use:
Coconut oil is great when used as a cooking oil with medium heats. It can also be stirred into warm quinoa, pasta and roasted vegetables. Coconut oil is also great to use in desserts and smoothies to add a boost of healthy fat.
If you’re looking for an easy way to sneak in extra calories, coconut oil is great for that purpose as well. It’s great to use for those who have sluggish digestion or suffer from malabsorption, too.
Recipes:
Assorted Raw Chocolates, Six Ways
Gluten Free German Chocolate Cake
NS Recommends:
Since coconut oil is a saturated fat, it’s composition is solid at room temperature. If you need to use coconut oil for a recipe and it’s in a solid state, simply run the jar under warm water until the coconut oil starts to melt!
For a more in-depth review of coconut oil, check out our Spotlight On Coconut post.