Coconut Benefits & Information
Cocos nucifera
Coconut oil
Thailand
Coconut oil is extracted from the fruit of the coconut, and is solid at room temperature, with a definite sweet, coconut odour
Coconut Oil has many uses, culinary, medicinal and in beauty care.
Organic Raw Virgin Coconut Oil 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 Oil has been used for centuries to enhance the flavour of natural foods and is also helpful for digestive disorders such as Crohn's disease, IBS and Colitis. It is a powerful agent in killing intestinal parasites. Thyroid sufferers are finding that Organic Raw Virgin Coconut Oil boosts the metabolism and raises body temperatures. It 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 Oil act to kill Candida Albicans.
Coconut Oil is a fat known as a medium chain fatty acid (medium chain triglyceride). The 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 second only to human breast milk in its Lauric Acid content. 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 is known as the energy fat and is favoured by athletes.
Coconut Oil is used in cooking and it's 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 Oil is an integral ingredient in making raw chocolate,
It has been used by indigenous populations for centuries as a natural lotion to heal and protect the skin. Coconut Oil is a carrier substance for natural skin care preparations and is often included in the making of body butters, it can also be used as a massage balm. It has been traditionally used to treat head lice for centuries, this was done by rubbing the scalp and the hair with Coconut Oil and leaving overnight before combing through and washing the next morning.
Coconut oil can be used as part of a health drink to purify the liver:
Warm 3 tablespoons of Raw Virgin Coconut Oil
Quarter glass apple juice
Half a lemon
Clove of garlic
Small finger of fresh ginger
Coconut Palm Sugar is often compared it so the taste of brown sugar. The sugar is made by harvesting the blossoms of the coconut tree, farmers make a cut on the spadix and let the sap flow into containers and then gently heat the sap until all the water evaporates. Coconut sugar is often praised for its low levels of fructose, low glycemic index and is a great sugar alternative in cooking.
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.
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 got a bad name because of it's saturated fat content, however this is likely due to the fact that hydrogenated coconut oil was tested. At that time the importance of a pure untoxic source of saturated fats was not appreciated nutritionally.
Coconut Palm Sugar has a long history of use as a natural sweetener in the South and South-East Asian regions.
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.