Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a rich source of medium-chain triglycerides. Due to their shorter chain length, medium-chain triglycerides are more rapidly broken down and absorbed into the body. This makes them a fast energy source and less likely to be stored as fat.

• MCTs raise the good HDL cholesterol in your blood, which is linked to reduced heart disease risk.
• Several populations around the world have thrived for multiple generations eating massive amounts of coconut. Research shows low heart disease among these populations.
• The medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) in coconut oil can increase how many calories you burn compared to the same amount of calories from longer chain fats.
• The fatty acids in coconut oil can kill harmful pathogens, including bacteria, viruses and fungi. This could potentially help to prevent infections.
• The fatty acids in coconut oil can significantly reduce appetite, which may lead to reduced body weight over the long term.
• The MCTs in coconut oil can increase blood concentration of ketone bodies, which can help reduce seizures in epileptic children.
• A few studies have shown that coconut oil can raise blood levels of HDL cholesterol, which is linked to improved metabolic health and a lower risk of heart disease.
• Coconut oil can also be applied topically, with studies showing it to be effective as a skin moisturizer and protecting against hair damage.
• Studies suggest that medium-chain triglycerides can increase blood levels of ketones, supplying energy for the brain cells of Alzheimer’s patients and relieving symptoms.

Use coconut oil in homemade beauty products. Warm coconut oil between your palms and run the oil through your hair. Rinse it out for shiny, healthy-looking hair. You can also use coconut oil instead of lotion to moisturize dry skin.

• If you use coconut oil every day for beauty products, you may want to transfer some oil into a small container. You can store the smaller container in the bathroom if you know you’ll be using the oil quickly (within a week).
• Consider mixing coconut oil in with essential oils to create lip balms or salves.

How to Buy

There are no GMO varieties of coconuts, and there are very few pesticides used on coconut trees, although some do exist. Coconuts grow very high up in the air, however, so they are never sprayed.

There are two categories of coconut oils. Those that are mass produced at an industrial level and need to be refined, and those that start with fresh coconut and have much less refining. The process of extracting the oil from coconuts makes it “refined”. Look for “virgin coconut oil” – it is the least refined coconut oil.

The types of refined coconut oils one currently finds on the market include:

Expeller-pressed Coconut Oils: These are typically RBD (refined, bleached, deodorized) coconut oils produced in tropical countries through mechanical “physical refining” from copra, the unprocessed meat of the coconut. Physical refining is considered “cleaner” than chemical refining that uses solvent extracts like “hexane”.The “bleaching” is generally not a chemical process, but rather a filter process to remove impurities. A “bleaching clay” is used for this filtering. Steam is used to deodorize the oil, since the starting point was copra. So the resulting product has a very bland taste, with little or no odor.

Coconut Oil: If no description is given and just the plain term “coconut oil” is used, it is probably an RBD coconut.

Hydrogenated Coconut Oil: This is the one refined coconut oil you want to stay away from as an edible oil. The small portion of unsaturated fatty acids are hydrogenated, creating some trans fats. It also keeps coconut oil solid at higher temperatures.

How to Store

Store the coconut oil in a dark container. If you purchased coconut oil that came in a clear jar or bottle, you can transfer it to a dark container to protect it from light or keep it in a dark cabinet. Avoid storing the coconut oil in reactive metal containers since these may add an undesirable flavor to the coconut oil.

Store the coconut oil in a cool, dry place. Place the coconut oil in a dry, cool space in your kitchen. Try to find a storage space that’s below 75 °F (24 °C) to prevent the oil from melting. It’s common for coconut oil to melt since it has such a low melting point. Don’t worry; this won’t damage the oil.

• Avoid storing the oil in the bathroom even if you’ll be using the coconut oil for beauty products. Bathroom temperature can fluctuate and introduce moisture into the oil. Use smaller containers, refill often so it doesn’t spoil.

Refrigerate the oil to firm it up. If your coconut oil melts and you want to return it to a solid state, place the container in the refrigerator for several hours. Chill the coconut oil until it’s the texture you want.

• You can store the coconut oil in the refrigerator all the time to keep it completely solid.

Check the coconut oil every few months. Since coconut oil can be stored for several years, it’s important to look it over for mold or signs that it’s become rancid. Look at the coconut oil every month or two and discard the coconut oil if you see or smell:

• An unpleasant odor.
• Yellowish color.
• Brown or green flecks of mold.
• Chunky or curdled consistency.

How to Cook

Cook and sauté with coconut oil. Use a few spoonfuls of coconut oil in place of cooking or vegetable oil. Melt a little of the coconut oil in a skillet and sauté your favorite vegetables or meats. You can also stir melted coconut oil into mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes. The smoke point of coconut oil is 350. This is medium-high and good for sautéing and most baking. (The smoke point of an oil or fat is the temperature at which enough volatile compounds emerge when a bluish smoke becomes clearly visible from the oil.Something to avoid!) 

Bake with coconut oil. Replace butter or cooking oil with coconut oil in your favorite baking recipes. For example, substitute coconut oil in recipes for biscuits, cakes, cookies, or muffins. When it comes to baking, coconut oil makes a wonderful substitute for butter and other oils, like olive oil. Regardless of the type of fat used in a recipe, you can swap in an equal amount of coconut oil.

• You may be able to buy coconut oil in stick form which makes it easy to cut and measure. Look for this in the refrigerator section of the grocery store. Set the sticks out at room temperature to soften a little before you bake with them.
• When mixed with cold ingredients, liquid coconut has a tendency to seize up and coagulate. The best way to prevent this from happening is to bring other ingredients, like milk and eggs, to room temperature before mixing ingredients together.
• Because coconut oil has a relatively high smoke point, it can also be used to grease cake pans, muffin tins, and baking dishes. Use a pastry brush or paper towel to spread a thin coating over the surface of bakeware.