Almost Superfood Coconut Oil's Benefits
Coconut oil can be used for a lot of things. Of course you already know you can cook with it. It has a high heating pointing so it is perfect for cooking. But, not only does it taste delicious, the health benefits of coconut oil are astounding!
Some of the benefits that are attributed to coconut oil include (but are not limited to):
- Weight loss
- Heart disease
- Immunity
- Healing and infections
- Digestion
- Candida
- Kidney stones
- Liver disease
- Diabetes
- Stress
- Bone loss
- Tooth decay
- Alzheimer’s
- Hormone regulation
Coconut oil helps to regulate blood sugar. It is one fat that diabetics can eat without fear. I’d like to share a funny story about coconut oil and weight loss. In the 1940′s coconut oil was used by some farmers to help fatten up their cows, however, the opposite happened. The cows actually became leaner.
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Now, I always encourage my client to put healthy fats, into their diets. But my go to suggestion is always coconut oil because it is unlike any other oil. It is a medium-chain fatty acid that the body metabolizes and quickly turns to energy. It is actually your best friend if you are trying to lose weight. Bottom line: Coconut oil is a healthy fat you want to include in your diet.
Ditch the idea that eating fat will make you fat. Eating the right fats, like coconut oil will boost your metabolism, will help your body burn more fat, use fat efficiently, make you feel full and can help you reduce the number of carbs you eat. It is definitely important to measure out your fat. It shouldn’t be more than about 30-35 % of your daily diet, but usually people have trouble getting enough of the good fats and are eating the wrong ones Coconut oil is also useful for bone and dental health because it improves calcium and magnesium absorption. It is especially beneficial to women who are at the age to develop osteoporosis. It can also help you absorb other vitamins and micronutrients in foods. It also is beneficial for good gut health and we now know that a healthy gut improves your metabolism.
Coconut oil is great in raw food recipes:
- You can use 1 tsp of coconut oil daily in your morning smoothie. It gives it such a nice texture and it is so good for you.
- You can put it into your coffee or tea and add a pinch of raw cacao for a special treat
- You can use coconut oil in raw protein bars. It gives them a lovely texture, flavor and holds them together nicely.
- You can use coconut oil in treats, i.e. chocolate, mushroom, chia pudding (for immunity and strength) with a teaspoon of coconut oil in to add smooth creaminess too.
- You can even use coconut oil with cashews and stevia to make a delicious frosting.
Coconut oil is a great cleanser, as well as a moisturizer. You can also keep it on your nightstand as a moisturizer. There is a lot to be said for anything that is chemical free that we can use on our bodies. Coconut oil has lauric acid, caprylic acid, capric acid. These acids give it antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial and antioxidant abilities. I have my teens use it on their faces to keep acne at bay since it has these wonderful anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. It helps protect your skin from the bacteria that is trying to get into your pores. So it is perfect for helping troubled skin. Coconut oil is great to massage into your scalp, hair, skin and cuticles, too.
There are a lot of ways to use coconut oil and there are even more reasons why you should. What kind of coconut oil should you get? There are lots of options on the shelves and it is important to know what to look for. When you go to order or purchase your coconut oil these are the words to look for: Organic-Raw-Extra Virgin-Cold Pressed-Unrefined.
You can also find other coconut products and you may like to experiment with them in recipes. You can drink coconut water for extra hydration and electrolyte balance, add shredded coconut to your steel cut oats and melt coconut butter and drizzle a bit on some fruit.
Add coconut oil to your household, you will not be sorry!
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