Coconut Herbal Information

NAME
Coconut butter or Coconut oil.


LATIN NAME
Cocos nucifera

ALSO KNOWN AS
Coconut oil.

ORIGIN
Thailand.

PARTS USED
Coconut oil is extracted from the fruit of the coconut, and is solid at room temperature, with a definite sweet, coconut odour.


TRADITIONAL HERBAL USES AND MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Coconut butter has many uses, culinary, medicinal and in beauty care.
Virgin organic Coconut butter is known to support weight loss, by speeding up the metabolism. It can replace fats in the diet, and whilst being an important nutritional element to the reproduction of cells, it is turned directly into energy and is not stored.
Coconut Butter or Oil has been used for centuries to enhance the flavor of natural foods and is also helpful for digestive disorders such as Crohn's desease, IBS and Colitus. It is a powerful agent in killing intestinal parasites. Thyroid sufferers are finding that Virgin Organic Coconut Butter or Oil boosts the metabolism and raises body temperatures. Coconut butter or oil has also been seen to improve the immune system's anti-inflammatory response , so could be helpful for rheumatoid arthritis. There is also research showing that the medium chain triglycerides in coconut butter-oil act to kill Candida Albicans.
Coconut oil or butter is a fat known as a medium chain fatty acid.(A medium chain triglyceride) Medium chain fatty acids found in coconut oil are more easily digested than fats found in other oils. They are processed directly in the liver and immediately converted into energy. This means there is less strain on the liver, pancreas and digestive system as a whole, and an improved absorption of other nutrients. In fact coconut oil is the closest to human breast milk in its composition. The inclusion of the right types of fats and oils in our diet is crucial if we are to assist our body in healing and repairing itself from the cellular level upwards.
These medium chain triglycerides are also responsible for revving up metabolism and giving energy, which could be helpful for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferers, as well as others who need to boost their energy. Coconut oil or butter is known as the energy fat and is favoured by athlethes.
Coconut butter or oil is used in cooking and its fat composition is very stable, it is highly resistant to free radicals being generated when it is heated, even at high temperatures and is an especially safe oil to cook with. Coconut butter is an integral ingredient in making raw chocolate,
Coconut oil has been used by indigenous populations for centuries as a natural lotion to heal and protect the skin. Coconut butter is a carrier substance for natural skin care preparations and is often included in the making of body butters, it can be used as a massage balm. It is known to have a positive effect on treating head lice, by rubbing the scalp and hair with coconut oil over night and backing this up with thorough combing. It has been used traditionally to treat the hair, head and scalp for centuaries.
Coconut oil can be used as part of a health drink to purify the liver:
Warm 3 tablespoons of virgin coconut oil
Quarter glass apple juice
Half a lemon
Clove of garlic
Similar piece of fresh ginger


FOLKLORE AND HISTORY
Coconut has a 4000 year history of use in tropical countries. All parts of the coconut were used for health, nutrition, beauty and medicine.

However in 1950's coconut oil or butter got a bad name because of its saturated fat content, it is likely also that hydrogenated coconut oil was tested. At that time the importance of a pure untoxic source of saturated fats was not appreciated nutritionally.


CONSTITUENTS
The constituents of Coconut oil include: The oil contains trimyristin and trilaurin, and in smaller proportions tripalmitin, tristearin, and triolein, besides the glycerides of the volatile caproic, caprylic, and capric acids. The free fatty acids vary from 5 to 17 per cent, or even more, according to the source of the oil.


TYPICAL PREPARATIONS AND DOSAGE
Coconut butter can be used in food preparation as a direct substitute for other fats.
Coconut oil is a strong detoxifier so we recommend starting with a teaspoon, 2-3 times a day and see how your body reacts and build up as your body gets used to it. There are many ways to use coconut oil including mixing into yoghurts, smoothies, making raw chocolate & even adding it to coffee.

PRECAUTIONS
None known.