If you're going to be reading my blog on a regular basis, thank you for doing so, we need to be clear about one thing. Fat does not make you fat. Fat does not cause heart disease and it does not clog our arteries like it has been told to us for the last 5 decades. Check out these links I've just mentioned, along with this one for more on this subject.
So, today I wanted to talk about one of my favorite fats - Coconut oil! For a long time coconut oil has been viewed as unhealthy because it's a saturated fat. With current science and studies we now understand that saturated fat is not a cause for heart disease [yay!] And actually, saturated fat like coconut oil can help to prevent heart disease [even bigger YAY!]
What are some other benefits of coconut oil (outside of making my belly happy)?
- It has anti-inflammatory properties - inflammation causes higher bad cholesterol levels, arthritis, even cancer
- It helps to balance blood sugar levels, which means better moods and diabetes prevention. Have distracted, moody kids? sneak in some coconut oil in their meals!
- It improves immune function, as we're here smack dab in the middle of winter with viruses running around.
- It helps with brain function, memory and focus - have a test coming up? eat some coconut oil so your brain gets the fuel it needs!
- It helps with joint pain, good way to lubricate those joints, any arthritis sufferers?
- It's a great moisturizer! I have a jar of coconut oil in my kitchen and one in my bathroom for lotion - let's avoid that cross contamination, please..
- Want soft hair? I've used coconut oil in my hair as kind of a conditioning treatment (washing it out thoroughly is recommended, folks)
- And of course, coconut oil is great for flavoring up those veggies
So let's use this stuff!
Tips on how to use it.
You've maybe seen the jar of coconut oil around, looks something like this:
Now what?
Well, open it up, let's dig in.
When I'm using this oil in my cooking I will use it like any other oil. If I need to heat oil in a skillet for sauteing some veggies or scrambling some eggs, just scoop out a tablespoon or so and plop it in the pan. This is a great fat to use, too, because it doesn't break down with high temperatures like olive oil. Nice and sturdy!
If you like to coat your veggies with oil and roast them in the oven for a bit, coconut oil can be used. It's solid at room temp, so you'll just need to put a couple tablespoons in the microwave or heat it up quick so that it turns to liquid.
...pretty simple right?
In my opinion, coconut oil, once it's cooked, doesn't really have a big coconut flavor. But I understand that coconut is one of those 'you either love it or hate it' type of foods. If you could guess, I'm one of those who loves it.
Again, let's not be wary about fat. Our body needs it. Our brain needs it. It's so funny to me how we feed infants and toddlers breast milk, whole milk, lots of fat because we know their brains are developing, but then at some point we end that routine and switch to skim milk and sugary cereals and such. My brain continues to function, just like yours, and it needs good healthy fats to keep it running for many more years to come.
One step at a time. I firmly believe that lifelong changes take one small step at a time.
I hope you can take one step and swap out the vegetable oil or canola oil you've been using and try coconut oil. Your body will thank you.
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