Natural News
Tuesday, January 27, 2009 by: Matt Monarch, citizen journalist
If you can manage to buy truly raw, unheated, unprocessed coconut oil, you will love it as if it were your own child. Granted, yes, that may be a slight exaggeration, but for a raw foodist, or somebody that likes to eat and live as naturally and healthily as possible, coconut oil is a must-have. Here are four ways in which you can successfully use coconut oil.
On your skin: Coconut oil is easily absorbed into the skin and is 100% natural. Even if you wash your face solely with water, the natural oils can still be lost from the skin, due to the various pollutants that are in the air and to extreme weather conditions. Coconut oil puts the protective oil back into the skin, and although it's not your own oil which your skin produces, the coconut oil has its own protective qualities. Our skin needs oil to remain elastic, and normal clinical moisturizers have mainly water and only a small amount of highly refined oil, which will not have any natural protective qualities. Also, coconut oil has antiseptic qualities, warding off bacterial and fungal infections.
In your raw desserts: coconut oil is the perfect addition to many raw desserts. Because raw foodists don't cook anything in order to bind them, they must find other ways to bind the ingredients in a raw dessert. Coconut oil is liquid at room temperature and solid below 76 degrees F (24.5 degrees C), so you can let it sit out for a few hours before making your dessert and then mix it up with whatever the other ingredients are (e.g. hazelnut meal, cacao powder and dates). Then, just pop the mixture in the fridge. The end result will be a fudgey type consistency with a faint taste of fresh coconut.
For weight-loss: most people who are aware and up to date with their nutritional facts do know that there are fats which the body needs in order to function correctly, and also that fat consumed does not necessarily lead to an increase in body fat. Saying that, fat does have more calories than protein and carbohydrates, so you have to go a little bit easy. However, it is thought that the fat in coconut oil actually behaves differently to most other plant fats and can actually lead to weight-loss. Coconut oil contains medium chain fatty acids, as opposed to long chain fatty acids, which is said to be burned up by the body for energy, instead of being stored as fat. Furthermore, study conclusions are also telling us that the fat in coconut oil may lead to an increase in metabolism.
One jar of coconut oil can have multiple uses, but make sure that it's raw and extra-virgin coconut oil, so that it retains all of its health giving properties.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconu...
http://www.therawfoodworld.com/prod...
Thursday 29 January 2009
Down streaming of coconut encouraged in Solomons
SOLOMON STAR - National News
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
SOLOMON Islanders have been encouraged to engage in the coconut down stream processing as the country prepares to cease copra export next year.
The Commodities Export Marketing Authority’s (CEMA) Development and Extension Officer Alfred Ramo uttered the encouragement at the handing over of a manual coconut pressing machine to the Ontong Java Farmers Association, in Honiara, last week.
A local distributor, Set Marketing & Advertising Agency, provided the equipment to the association at the cost of $20,000. The equipment will allow farmers to extract pure virgin oil.
Mr Ramo told the association members that there would be no more copra exports as of next year.
He encouraged local farmers to venture into downstream processing of coconut product.
"One of the products is pure coconut virgin oil," he said.
Mr Ramo commended the association for its initiative to produce pure coconut oil over the years. It is a step in the right direction in preparation for the changes.
"This is a right move and a step into achieving what CEMA wants to see in the country as of next year," he said.
Throughout the world, he said, many countries have ventured into producing their own pure coconut oil.
If more rural farmers produce pure coconut oil, he said, the country would not import coconut oil overseas. In return, the farmers would earn money from the export and sales of their products.
The export of copra was halted because coconut mills in Europe, which usually buy copra from Solomon Islands, have closed down and concentrated on importing coconut oil.
Solomon Islands has no option but to be part of this world-wide undertaking. Solomon Islands will be processing copra to produce oil to attract higher prices.
The coconut oil production, he said, will also benefit exporters in terms of volume, freight and monetary returns. This process attracted higher returns compared to copra production.
Mr Ramo said the move is in line with CEMA's plans. CEMA had previously established six copra crashing mills throughout the country.
The mills were established in Tenaru on Guadalcanal, Gojoruru on Isabel, Kaonasughu on Makira, Malu'u on Malaita, Lata in Temotu Province, Tarakukure on Choiseul and Noro in the Western Province.
By MOFFAT MAMU
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
SOLOMON Islanders have been encouraged to engage in the coconut down stream processing as the country prepares to cease copra export next year.
The Commodities Export Marketing Authority’s (CEMA) Development and Extension Officer Alfred Ramo uttered the encouragement at the handing over of a manual coconut pressing machine to the Ontong Java Farmers Association, in Honiara, last week.
A local distributor, Set Marketing & Advertising Agency, provided the equipment to the association at the cost of $20,000. The equipment will allow farmers to extract pure virgin oil.
Mr Ramo told the association members that there would be no more copra exports as of next year.
He encouraged local farmers to venture into downstream processing of coconut product.
"One of the products is pure coconut virgin oil," he said.
Mr Ramo commended the association for its initiative to produce pure coconut oil over the years. It is a step in the right direction in preparation for the changes.
"This is a right move and a step into achieving what CEMA wants to see in the country as of next year," he said.
Throughout the world, he said, many countries have ventured into producing their own pure coconut oil.
If more rural farmers produce pure coconut oil, he said, the country would not import coconut oil overseas. In return, the farmers would earn money from the export and sales of their products.
The export of copra was halted because coconut mills in Europe, which usually buy copra from Solomon Islands, have closed down and concentrated on importing coconut oil.
Solomon Islands has no option but to be part of this world-wide undertaking. Solomon Islands will be processing copra to produce oil to attract higher prices.
The coconut oil production, he said, will also benefit exporters in terms of volume, freight and monetary returns. This process attracted higher returns compared to copra production.
Mr Ramo said the move is in line with CEMA's plans. CEMA had previously established six copra crashing mills throughout the country.
The mills were established in Tenaru on Guadalcanal, Gojoruru on Isabel, Kaonasughu on Makira, Malu'u on Malaita, Lata in Temotu Province, Tarakukure on Choiseul and Noro in the Western Province.
By MOFFAT MAMU
Friday 23 January 2009
Why is Coconut oil unique and unlike any other fat?
NATURAL NEWS - Natural Foods, Natural Living
Friday, November 30, 2007 by: Teya Skae, citizen journalist
Coconut oil is made up of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA’s). Two-thirds of the saturated fat in coconut oil is a medium-chain saturated fat. This important fact deserves clarification as MCFA’s actually helps us to lose weight, lower cholesterol, improve diabetic conditions and reduce the risk of heart disease.
One of the most outstanding benefits of consuming MCFA’s is that they do not require the liver and gallbladder to digest and emulsify them. This means instant energy and increased thermogenesis (increased metabolic rate in the body) which leads to more heat production as well as improved circulation. For anyone with impaired fat digestion or a removed gallbladder, coconut oil is the only oil to consume as it is very easily digested.
MCFA’s are also known for having antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties, so they are beneficial to our immune system. In addition, coconut oil assists people with under-active thyroids by increasing the metabolic rate of the body and creating more energy.
Ray Peat Ph.D., a physiologist who has worked with progesterone and related hormones since 1968, says that the sudden surge of polyunsaturated oils in the food chain post World War II has caused many changes in hormones. He writes:
Their [polyunsaturated oils] best understood effect is their interference with the function of the thyroid gland. Polyunsaturated oils block thyroid hormone secretion, its movement in the circulatory system, and the response of tissues to the hormone. When the thyroid hormone is deficient, the body is generally exposed to increased levels of oestrogen. The thyroid hormone is essential for making the ‘protective hormones’ progesterone and pregnenolone, so these hormones are lowered when anything interferes with the function of the thyroid. The thyroid hormone is required for using and eliminating cholesterol, so cholesterol is likely to be raised by anything that blocks the thyroid function (http://www.efn.org/~raypeat/efatox.rtf)
It is very interesting to note that high cholesterol is not a sign of eating too much saturated fat. High cholesterol in a lot of the cases is due to an under-active thyroid which affects the liver as well as the many loops and feedback systems within the endocrine system. Stress and the over consumption of carbohydrates/sugars also form high levels of cholesterol.
What are saturated fats and why do we need them?
Saturated fats are semi solid at room temperature and are found in animal products such as meat, poultry, lard, poultry skin, whole milk, cheese, eggs, butter and tropical oils such as coconut and palm oil.
Our body actually needs saturated fats to stay healthy. Why?
1) Saturated fats constitute at least 50% of our cell’s membranes - the phospholipid component of every cell. Saturated fatty acids are what gives our cells structural integrity, so the cell walls are not weak and can protect the inside of the cells.
2) Saturated fatty acids play a vital role in the health of our bones. For calcium to be effectively utilized by the bones, at least 50% of the dietary fats should be saturated.
3) Saturated fatty acids actually lower Lipoprotein (a), a substance in the blood that leads to heart disease, whereas excess consumption of vegetable oils increases it.
4) Saturated fatty acids protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins, including Tylenol, a pain reliever.
5) Saturated fatty acids are needed for the proper utilization of omega-3 essential fatty acids because omega-3’s are better retained in the tissues when the diet is rich in saturated fats (particularly organic virgin coconut oil)
6) Saturated stearic acid found in beef and cocoa, and palmitic acid found in coconut oil are the preferred foods for the heart; which is why the fat around the heart muscle is highly saturated. The heart draws on this reserve of fat in times of stress.
7) Saturated fatty acids such as caprylic acid found abundantly in coconut oil, is anti fungal and helps combat candida (yeast overgrowth that is common in our society).
8) While saturated fats raise both the bad and the good cholesterol, TFA’s as well as excess consumption of omega-6 fatty acids raise the bad Low Density Lipo-protein (LDL) and suppress the good High Density Lipo-protein (HDL) cholesterol, making it even worse.
In conclusion, avoiding TFA’s is a must. There are no tolerance levels. They are serious culprits of degenerative conditions disguised in some of the most tempting foods to date. Avoiding over consumption of polyunsaturated oils (omega-6 fatty acids) such as flax oil and completely avoiding corn, soy, safflower and canola is a great start, as polyunsaturated oils have been shown to contribute to heart disease, inflammation, under-active thyroid and weight gain.
Use virgin organic coconut oil. I stress the importance of using only virgin organic coconut oil because the refined version of coconut oil no longer has the same structure and same health benefits as the virgin organic coconut oil. In fact, consuming plain coconut oil can even give someone a headache or nausea.
The food manufacturers will not willingly return to using naturally saturated fats such as coconut oil, palm oil, butter and lard because they are more expensive. Only a concerted demand by educated consumers will bring traditional healthy fats back into our commercial food supply and restaurant cooking.
Using organic coconut oil in all cooking and baking is the best choice for a healthy alternative. Because virgin coconut oil is completely saturated and no TFA’s can be made from it, it is therefore harmless. In addition, it does not oxidize, even at 170degrees Celsius.
Virgin Coconut oil is the fat of fats as it also helps us burn body fat for energy because of its unique molecular structure of medium chain fatty acids. So do enjoy eating more organic virgin coconut oil, drinking organic coconut milk/crème in your teas as well as pouring it over your porridge and munching on macaroons made from organic cocoa and desiccated organic coconut for health and longevity.
References
Keys, A., "Diet and Development of Coronary Heart Disease", J. Chron. Dis. 4(4):364-380, October 1956
Rekha Balu, “Trans Fat: Taste Buds Cry ‘Yes!’ but Arteries Demur,” The Wall Street Journal, June 8, 1998
Lynn Roblin, “Not all fats are created equal,” The Toronto Star Health Talk, June 24, 1998
Fred Tasker, “A Churning Controversy,” The Washington Post Health, June 2, 1997
Mary G. Enig PhD. Know Your Fats: The Complete Primer for Understanding the Nutrition of Fats, Oils and Cholesterol(Bethesda Press 2000)
Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats (NewTrends Publishing 2000, www.newtrendspublishing.com
www.mercola.com/2006/dec/26/the-health-harming-confusion-about-saturated-fats.htm
The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil, by Bruce Fife (Piccadilly Books, 2001).
Eat Fat Look Thin by Bruce Fife (Piccadilly Books, 2002).
Friday, November 30, 2007 by: Teya Skae, citizen journalist
Coconut oil is made up of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA’s). Two-thirds of the saturated fat in coconut oil is a medium-chain saturated fat. This important fact deserves clarification as MCFA’s actually helps us to lose weight, lower cholesterol, improve diabetic conditions and reduce the risk of heart disease.
One of the most outstanding benefits of consuming MCFA’s is that they do not require the liver and gallbladder to digest and emulsify them. This means instant energy and increased thermogenesis (increased metabolic rate in the body) which leads to more heat production as well as improved circulation. For anyone with impaired fat digestion or a removed gallbladder, coconut oil is the only oil to consume as it is very easily digested.
MCFA’s are also known for having antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties, so they are beneficial to our immune system. In addition, coconut oil assists people with under-active thyroids by increasing the metabolic rate of the body and creating more energy.
Ray Peat Ph.D., a physiologist who has worked with progesterone and related hormones since 1968, says that the sudden surge of polyunsaturated oils in the food chain post World War II has caused many changes in hormones. He writes:
Their [polyunsaturated oils] best understood effect is their interference with the function of the thyroid gland. Polyunsaturated oils block thyroid hormone secretion, its movement in the circulatory system, and the response of tissues to the hormone. When the thyroid hormone is deficient, the body is generally exposed to increased levels of oestrogen. The thyroid hormone is essential for making the ‘protective hormones’ progesterone and pregnenolone, so these hormones are lowered when anything interferes with the function of the thyroid. The thyroid hormone is required for using and eliminating cholesterol, so cholesterol is likely to be raised by anything that blocks the thyroid function (http://www.efn.org/~raypeat/efatox.rtf)
It is very interesting to note that high cholesterol is not a sign of eating too much saturated fat. High cholesterol in a lot of the cases is due to an under-active thyroid which affects the liver as well as the many loops and feedback systems within the endocrine system. Stress and the over consumption of carbohydrates/sugars also form high levels of cholesterol.
What are saturated fats and why do we need them?
Saturated fats are semi solid at room temperature and are found in animal products such as meat, poultry, lard, poultry skin, whole milk, cheese, eggs, butter and tropical oils such as coconut and palm oil.
Our body actually needs saturated fats to stay healthy. Why?
1) Saturated fats constitute at least 50% of our cell’s membranes - the phospholipid component of every cell. Saturated fatty acids are what gives our cells structural integrity, so the cell walls are not weak and can protect the inside of the cells.
2) Saturated fatty acids play a vital role in the health of our bones. For calcium to be effectively utilized by the bones, at least 50% of the dietary fats should be saturated.
3) Saturated fatty acids actually lower Lipoprotein (a), a substance in the blood that leads to heart disease, whereas excess consumption of vegetable oils increases it.
4) Saturated fatty acids protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins, including Tylenol, a pain reliever.
5) Saturated fatty acids are needed for the proper utilization of omega-3 essential fatty acids because omega-3’s are better retained in the tissues when the diet is rich in saturated fats (particularly organic virgin coconut oil)
6) Saturated stearic acid found in beef and cocoa, and palmitic acid found in coconut oil are the preferred foods for the heart; which is why the fat around the heart muscle is highly saturated. The heart draws on this reserve of fat in times of stress.
7) Saturated fatty acids such as caprylic acid found abundantly in coconut oil, is anti fungal and helps combat candida (yeast overgrowth that is common in our society).
8) While saturated fats raise both the bad and the good cholesterol, TFA’s as well as excess consumption of omega-6 fatty acids raise the bad Low Density Lipo-protein (LDL) and suppress the good High Density Lipo-protein (HDL) cholesterol, making it even worse.
In conclusion, avoiding TFA’s is a must. There are no tolerance levels. They are serious culprits of degenerative conditions disguised in some of the most tempting foods to date. Avoiding over consumption of polyunsaturated oils (omega-6 fatty acids) such as flax oil and completely avoiding corn, soy, safflower and canola is a great start, as polyunsaturated oils have been shown to contribute to heart disease, inflammation, under-active thyroid and weight gain.
Use virgin organic coconut oil. I stress the importance of using only virgin organic coconut oil because the refined version of coconut oil no longer has the same structure and same health benefits as the virgin organic coconut oil. In fact, consuming plain coconut oil can even give someone a headache or nausea.
The food manufacturers will not willingly return to using naturally saturated fats such as coconut oil, palm oil, butter and lard because they are more expensive. Only a concerted demand by educated consumers will bring traditional healthy fats back into our commercial food supply and restaurant cooking.
Using organic coconut oil in all cooking and baking is the best choice for a healthy alternative. Because virgin coconut oil is completely saturated and no TFA’s can be made from it, it is therefore harmless. In addition, it does not oxidize, even at 170degrees Celsius.
Virgin Coconut oil is the fat of fats as it also helps us burn body fat for energy because of its unique molecular structure of medium chain fatty acids. So do enjoy eating more organic virgin coconut oil, drinking organic coconut milk/crème in your teas as well as pouring it over your porridge and munching on macaroons made from organic cocoa and desiccated organic coconut for health and longevity.
References
Keys, A., "Diet and Development of Coronary Heart Disease", J. Chron. Dis. 4(4):364-380, October 1956
Rekha Balu, “Trans Fat: Taste Buds Cry ‘Yes!’ but Arteries Demur,” The Wall Street Journal, June 8, 1998
Lynn Roblin, “Not all fats are created equal,” The Toronto Star Health Talk, June 24, 1998
Fred Tasker, “A Churning Controversy,” The Washington Post Health, June 2, 1997
Mary G. Enig PhD. Know Your Fats: The Complete Primer for Understanding the Nutrition of Fats, Oils and Cholesterol(Bethesda Press 2000)
Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats (NewTrends Publishing 2000, www.newtrendspublishing.com
www.mercola.com/2006/dec/26/the-health-harming-confusion-about-saturated-fats.htm
The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil, by Bruce Fife (Piccadilly Books, 2001).
Eat Fat Look Thin by Bruce Fife (Piccadilly Books, 2002).
Switching to Coconut Oil can Prevent Diabetes
Natural News - Natural Health, Natural Living
Coconut oil is an ancient super food that has been an essential component to many of the earth's healthiest cultures. Cultures that have consumed high amounts of coconut oil generally have not suffered with diabetes, as well as many other diseases. Unfortunately, as many of these people abandon their traditional ways of eating, they begin to suffer with diabetes, since coconut oil has been shown to protect people from this illness.
For example, the people who live on the island of Nauru in the South Pacific have enjoyed a diet of mostly bananas, yams and coconuts. Diabetes was a completely unknown illness. As the island became healthier and their lifestyle and diet began to include refined flour, sugar and vegetable oils, diabetes appeared. According to the World Health Organisation, up to one half of the urbanised Nauru population age 30 - 64 are diabetic today.
Although few people make the association between refined vegetable oils and diabetes, the link has been well researched. In the 1920s Dr. S. Sweeney studied the effects of vegetable oil on his student. His research showed that a diet high in vegetable oil could cause reversible diabetes within 48 hours in subjects who had not been previously diabetic. A 1998 study published in Metabolism showed that diabetes could be reversed by cutting out polyunsaturated fat. The same results have also been shown in humans.
What is the Difference Between Coconut Oil and Vegetable oils?
There is a molecular difference between coconut oil and all other common vegetable oils such as olive, sunflower and safflower oil. The molecules that make up these polyunsaturated oils are made up of a long chain of fatty acids. On the other hand, virgin coconut oil is made up of smaller molecules or medium chain fatty acids.
Long chain fats are either deposited in blood vessels as cholesterol or stored around the waist, thighs and buttocks as energy stores of fat for emergencies. Medium chain fatty acids are used immediately as a source of energy.
Why Regular Oils Can Potentially Cause Diabetes
Most people with diabetes are on strict low fat, high carbohydrate diets in which the limited fats allowed are restricted to polyunsaturated vegetable oils such as olive, safflower, or sunflower oils. However, studies have shown that if the fats consumed are polyunsaturated, long chain fats, this decreases cell's ability to bind with insulin, and reduces their ability to absorb glucose...especially when these oils are heated during cooking. In other words, polyunsaturated long chain fats, commonly thought to be "healthy", actually make diabetes WORSE!
Furthermore, polyunsaturated vegetable oils can cause free radical damage to the cells, and adversely affect their ability to function. The bottom line is that cooking with polyunsaturated vegetable oils, such as sunflower oil and olive oil, should be avoided by people with diabetes.
Why is Coconut Oil so Beneficial for Diabetes?
The smaller and more easily absorbed medium chain molecules found in coconut oil supply the cells with essential fatty acids without inhibiting insulin and without glucose, so they combat insulin resistance. Virgin coconut oil is a totally unique super food that serves as an energy boost to the body, without causing a spike in blood sugar levels.
Researchers have discovered that while heavy foods (including polyunsaturated oils) slow down the metabolism, organic coconut oil actually stimulates the metabolism to assist the fat burning process, even when they are heated. In simple terms, simply substituting your normal cooking oils with coconut oil can be a tremendous remedy for diabetes, and, along with avoiding sugar and getting plenty of exercise, can help prevent people who don't suffer from this dangerous disease from suffering later in life.
Coconut oil is an ancient super food that has been an essential component to many of the earth's healthiest cultures. Cultures that have consumed high amounts of coconut oil generally have not suffered with diabetes, as well as many other diseases. Unfortunately, as many of these people abandon their traditional ways of eating, they begin to suffer with diabetes, since coconut oil has been shown to protect people from this illness.
For example, the people who live on the island of Nauru in the South Pacific have enjoyed a diet of mostly bananas, yams and coconuts. Diabetes was a completely unknown illness. As the island became healthier and their lifestyle and diet began to include refined flour, sugar and vegetable oils, diabetes appeared. According to the World Health Organisation, up to one half of the urbanised Nauru population age 30 - 64 are diabetic today.
Although few people make the association between refined vegetable oils and diabetes, the link has been well researched. In the 1920s Dr. S. Sweeney studied the effects of vegetable oil on his student. His research showed that a diet high in vegetable oil could cause reversible diabetes within 48 hours in subjects who had not been previously diabetic. A 1998 study published in Metabolism showed that diabetes could be reversed by cutting out polyunsaturated fat. The same results have also been shown in humans.
What is the Difference Between Coconut Oil and Vegetable oils?
There is a molecular difference between coconut oil and all other common vegetable oils such as olive, sunflower and safflower oil. The molecules that make up these polyunsaturated oils are made up of a long chain of fatty acids. On the other hand, virgin coconut oil is made up of smaller molecules or medium chain fatty acids.
Long chain fats are either deposited in blood vessels as cholesterol or stored around the waist, thighs and buttocks as energy stores of fat for emergencies. Medium chain fatty acids are used immediately as a source of energy.
Why Regular Oils Can Potentially Cause Diabetes
Most people with diabetes are on strict low fat, high carbohydrate diets in which the limited fats allowed are restricted to polyunsaturated vegetable oils such as olive, safflower, or sunflower oils. However, studies have shown that if the fats consumed are polyunsaturated, long chain fats, this decreases cell's ability to bind with insulin, and reduces their ability to absorb glucose...especially when these oils are heated during cooking. In other words, polyunsaturated long chain fats, commonly thought to be "healthy", actually make diabetes WORSE!
Furthermore, polyunsaturated vegetable oils can cause free radical damage to the cells, and adversely affect their ability to function. The bottom line is that cooking with polyunsaturated vegetable oils, such as sunflower oil and olive oil, should be avoided by people with diabetes.
Why is Coconut Oil so Beneficial for Diabetes?
The smaller and more easily absorbed medium chain molecules found in coconut oil supply the cells with essential fatty acids without inhibiting insulin and without glucose, so they combat insulin resistance. Virgin coconut oil is a totally unique super food that serves as an energy boost to the body, without causing a spike in blood sugar levels.
Researchers have discovered that while heavy foods (including polyunsaturated oils) slow down the metabolism, organic coconut oil actually stimulates the metabolism to assist the fat burning process, even when they are heated. In simple terms, simply substituting your normal cooking oils with coconut oil can be a tremendous remedy for diabetes, and, along with avoiding sugar and getting plenty of exercise, can help prevent people who don't suffer from this dangerous disease from suffering later in life.
Wednesday 7 January 2009
How to Add Coconut to your Diet:
GREEN LIVING - The Environmental Magazine
1. Coconut milk is a great base for smoothies. Blend one banana, one cup coconut milk and one cup orange juice. Substitute the banana for 1⁄2 cup fresh pineapple for a different taste, or simply blend one can coconut milk with a half can of water and 2 tbsp. honey for a refreshing afternoon drink.
2. Whenever you stir-fry, use coconut oil for a tropical, healthy flavor.
3. As a substitute for butter, have multigrain toast in the morning with coconut oil which melts nicely on the warm bread) and organic jam.
4. In salad dressing, you may want to try using equal parts coconut oil and olive oil. A simple, nutritious combo includes: 1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar, 1⁄2 cup coconut oil, 1⁄2 cup olive oil, sea salt and fresh herbs to taste. (These may include garlic, thyme, herbs de province, oregano, etc.)
5. Add coconut milk to tea and coffee as a substitute for milk or cream. You can also try adding a teaspoon or two to warm cider or hot chocolate. 6. For a creative dipping oil, mix 31⁄2 tbsp. coconut oil, 2 tbsp. diced onion, 1 tbsp. diced garlic, 1⁄2 tsp. basil, 1⁄2 tsp. oregano, 1⁄4 tsp. paprika, 1⁄4 tsp. salt and 1⁄8 tsp. cayenne pepper. Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and heat until the mixture begins to simmer. Turn off the heat and let cool.
AIMEE HUGHES is a freelance writer and flamenco dancer currently residing in Walla Walla, Washington.
Subscribe to E/The Environmental Magazine!
1. Coconut milk is a great base for smoothies. Blend one banana, one cup coconut milk and one cup orange juice. Substitute the banana for 1⁄2 cup fresh pineapple for a different taste, or simply blend one can coconut milk with a half can of water and 2 tbsp. honey for a refreshing afternoon drink.
2. Whenever you stir-fry, use coconut oil for a tropical, healthy flavor.
3. As a substitute for butter, have multigrain toast in the morning with coconut oil which melts nicely on the warm bread) and organic jam.
4. In salad dressing, you may want to try using equal parts coconut oil and olive oil. A simple, nutritious combo includes: 1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar, 1⁄2 cup coconut oil, 1⁄2 cup olive oil, sea salt and fresh herbs to taste. (These may include garlic, thyme, herbs de province, oregano, etc.)
5. Add coconut milk to tea and coffee as a substitute for milk or cream. You can also try adding a teaspoon or two to warm cider or hot chocolate. 6. For a creative dipping oil, mix 31⁄2 tbsp. coconut oil, 2 tbsp. diced onion, 1 tbsp. diced garlic, 1⁄2 tsp. basil, 1⁄2 tsp. oregano, 1⁄4 tsp. paprika, 1⁄4 tsp. salt and 1⁄8 tsp. cayenne pepper. Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and heat until the mixture begins to simmer. Turn off the heat and let cool.
AIMEE HUGHES is a freelance writer and flamenco dancer currently residing in Walla Walla, Washington.
Subscribe to E/The Environmental Magazine!
Cooking with Coconut Oil
GREEN LIVING: EATING RIGHT
The Environmental Magazine
The Saturated Fat That’s Good for You (Really!)
By Aimee Hughes
While coconut trees might not grow in your neighborhood, they do so in abundance in And coconut oil, packed full of good saturated fats, has been tropical regions. used for thousands of years as an external beauty product and an internal medicine.
Saturated fats are essential to living a long, healthy life. According to Teya Skae, author and founder of Empowered Living health and life coaching, “Saturated fatty acids give our cells structural integrity [and they] are needed for the proper utilization of omega-3 essential fatty acids, because omega-3s are better retained in the tissues when the diet is rich in In the modern American diet, however, saturated fats most saturated fats.” commonly come from animal sources—cream, eggs, meat, cheese, butter and Unfortunately, the ecological implications of a diet heavily reliant poultry. upon animals is not only bleak for our individual health, but also incredibly draining on the planet. Kerrie K. Saunders, author of The Vegan Diet as Chronic Disease Prevention: Evidence Supporting the Four New Food Groups (Lantern Books), writes, “Raising animals for food is by far the greatest consumer and polluter of fresh water on the planet, draining off 60% of our Now more than ever our dietary choices continent’s entire fresh water supply.” have huge sociological and ecological implications, and as the toxins in our external environment increase, we must protect our bodies with the foods we eat.
The Functional Food
Dr. Ryan Shelton of Whole Body Health medical clinic in Overland Park, Kansas, is a proponent of coconut oil for the following reasons: “It is a functional food,” he says. “That is, it is a food that can have powerful medicinal properties if used appropriately. The complex mixture of They can serve lipids (fats) found in coconut oil have proven health benefits. to increase metabolism and thus assist with energy and weight loss. They can which is important for cardiovascular disease. They decrease Lipoprotein(a), help protect the liver against damage from alcohol, drugs and other can environmental toxins.”
Using even the healthiest organic vegetable oils (including olive oil) in baking and frying creates cell-damaging free radicals because all vegetable oils oxidize, or combine with oxygen, especially when Organic virgin coconut oil resists oxidation, even at high temperatures. heated. Says Dr. Shelton: “The mixture of saturated fats in coconut milk with is difficult to oxidize under normal circumstances, making it an ideal fat which to cook.”
In addition, nearly 50% of the fatty acid in natural coconut oil is lauric acid, which converts to the fatty acid monolaurin in the body. Lauric acid has adverse effects on a variety of microorganisms including bacteria, yeast, fungi and certain highly-resistant viruses. It destroys the lipid membrane of en-veloped viruses like HIV, measles, herpes simplex virus and Coconut oil also contains caprylic acid and capric acid, both natural influenza. antifungals known to fight yeast overgrowth.
When purchasing coconut oil, be sure to buy only virgin Avoid refined oil, as it is sometimes hydrogenated, meaning that organic oil. high heat has been used in the refining process, destroying many essential nutrients.
Subscribe to E/The Environmental Magazine!
The Environmental Magazine
The Saturated Fat That’s Good for You (Really!)
By Aimee Hughes
While coconut trees might not grow in your neighborhood, they do so in abundance in And coconut oil, packed full of good saturated fats, has been tropical regions. used for thousands of years as an external beauty product and an internal medicine.
Saturated fats are essential to living a long, healthy life. According to Teya Skae, author and founder of Empowered Living health and life coaching, “Saturated fatty acids give our cells structural integrity [and they] are needed for the proper utilization of omega-3 essential fatty acids, because omega-3s are better retained in the tissues when the diet is rich in In the modern American diet, however, saturated fats most saturated fats.” commonly come from animal sources—cream, eggs, meat, cheese, butter and Unfortunately, the ecological implications of a diet heavily reliant poultry. upon animals is not only bleak for our individual health, but also incredibly draining on the planet. Kerrie K. Saunders, author of The Vegan Diet as Chronic Disease Prevention: Evidence Supporting the Four New Food Groups (Lantern Books), writes, “Raising animals for food is by far the greatest consumer and polluter of fresh water on the planet, draining off 60% of our Now more than ever our dietary choices continent’s entire fresh water supply.” have huge sociological and ecological implications, and as the toxins in our external environment increase, we must protect our bodies with the foods we eat.
The Functional Food
Dr. Ryan Shelton of Whole Body Health medical clinic in Overland Park, Kansas, is a proponent of coconut oil for the following reasons: “It is a functional food,” he says. “That is, it is a food that can have powerful medicinal properties if used appropriately. The complex mixture of They can serve lipids (fats) found in coconut oil have proven health benefits. to increase metabolism and thus assist with energy and weight loss. They can which is important for cardiovascular disease. They decrease Lipoprotein(a), help protect the liver against damage from alcohol, drugs and other can environmental toxins.”
Using even the healthiest organic vegetable oils (including olive oil) in baking and frying creates cell-damaging free radicals because all vegetable oils oxidize, or combine with oxygen, especially when Organic virgin coconut oil resists oxidation, even at high temperatures. heated. Says Dr. Shelton: “The mixture of saturated fats in coconut milk with is difficult to oxidize under normal circumstances, making it an ideal fat which to cook.”
In addition, nearly 50% of the fatty acid in natural coconut oil is lauric acid, which converts to the fatty acid monolaurin in the body. Lauric acid has adverse effects on a variety of microorganisms including bacteria, yeast, fungi and certain highly-resistant viruses. It destroys the lipid membrane of en-veloped viruses like HIV, measles, herpes simplex virus and Coconut oil also contains caprylic acid and capric acid, both natural influenza. antifungals known to fight yeast overgrowth.
When purchasing coconut oil, be sure to buy only virgin Avoid refined oil, as it is sometimes hydrogenated, meaning that organic oil. high heat has been used in the refining process, destroying many essential nutrients.
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