The following brief article should first be qualified by pointing out the important distinction between virgin coconut oil and the other, more refined, less healthy types of oil. When speaking of its health benefits, it should, therefore, be understood that this is primarily a reference to virgin coconut oil.
Previously lumped together with other saturated fats and labelled harmful, this all-natural and incredibly verstile ingredient is now being increasingly recognized as having a wide range of health benefits.
Is Coconut Oil Good for You?
As a tropical oil, coconut oil, along with other tropical oils such as palm oil, is high in saturated fat -about 90%. So how could a food product with a saturated fat content of 90% ever be considered part of a healthy diet?
Well, it turns out that many of our commonly held prejudices with regard to saturated fat are simply based on bad science, a myth perpetuated by the business interests behind the production of industrial seed oils.
Furthermore, not all saturated fats are created equal and an analysis of its composition reveals some interesting facts with regard to the potential health benefits of coconut oil. In particular, important differences exist in the fatty acid profiles among the many different sources of saturated fat; for example, animal versus vegetable sources. It should also be noted that being of vegetable origin, it contains no cholesterol.
Nutrition:
Because of its high saturated fat content, coconut oil is one of the most chemically stable of all oils and is highly resistant to oxidation. This also means it has a long shelf life (up to 2 years!) and is a good choice for use as a cooking oil especially when cooking over a high heat.
Made up primarily of 3 types of fatty acids, of which approximately 50 percent is Lauric acid-also found in breast milk-it is, in fact, one of the richest natural dietary sources of Lauric acid. This particular type of medium chain fatty acid is known to increase overall levels of HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol) and so reducing the risk of heart disease. Moreover, when metabolized, Lauric Acid is converted into Monolaurin, a potent antibacterial and anti-viral agent. It has also been identified as being a good source of antioxidants which protect our body's cells against the damage caused by free radicals. As well as antioxidants, it also contains a number of vitamins (vitamin E in particular) and minerals, thus further elevating its position among the ranks of health foods. One somewhat surprising aspect of this product's many health benefits is its potential as an aid to weight loss.
Coconut Oil vs. Olive Oil:
It is well known that olive oil has many health promoting properties due largely to its high levels of monounsaturated fat and so it is often used as a benchmark to measure the relative health benefits of various other oils. A comparison of these two oils shows olive oil to have a much lower level of saturated fat-about 14% - compared to 90% in coconut oil. The saturated fat in olive oil, moreover, is mostly composed of palmitic and stearic acid rather than the healthier lauric acid found in coconut oil. However, with up to 73% monounsaturated fat, olive oil is fully deserving of its healthy reputation. Such a comparison should only be of academic interest anyway as the different flavors and properties of each of these oils lend themselves to different uses.
For more in-depth information on coconut oil, or to view the original article in context, visit: coconut-oil-facts.com
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What are the benefits of coconut water and other products derived from coconut? Not that long ago, unless you lived in the tropics, you probably seldom thought about coconut. Perhaps you had a coconut flavored drink every so often (more likely than not, one containing alcohol!) - but you never considered coconut to be one of the healthiest foods on the planet. Now, however, it seems that every other product that's for sale in a natural foods store has coconut in it!
Yes, we're hearing about the benefits of coconut water, coconut milk and coconut oil all the time. Coconut oil is not only good for cooking, but it's used in all kinds of skin care products. Coconut water is now becoming popular as an alternative sports drink. Coconut milk, meanwhile, is starting to become a leading milk substitute, especially as soy based products are becoming suspect in many ways. So let's take a closer look at this coconut craze and see what benefits can be derived from this wonderful fruit from the tropics!
Coconut Water
Coconut water is the clear liquid you find when you open a young coconut. It's naturally sweet, yet low in calories and it's fat and cholesterol free. For this reason, it makes an excellent sports drink. It's the ideal compromise between people who find plain water too boring but who don't want to load up on sugar and empty calories that are found in commercial sports drinks.
Coconut Milk
Coconut milk is the thicker, creamier white liquid that's prepared from meat of the coconut. In other words, you can't crack open a coconut and get coconut milk - you only get coconut water this way. Coconut milk has to be made.
Coconut milk is sweeter and richer than coconut water, making it a good substitute for regular milk or soy milk. While coconut milk is considered by many to be very healthy, these claims are sometimes disputed because it's high in saturated fat (the same is true for coconut oil, as we'll shortly see). However, many nutritionists are rethinking the whole "saturated fats are bad" philosophy.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is enjoying a real renaissance in the health food community, probably even more so than coconut water or milk. Suddenly, we're hearing that this oil, though high in saturated fat, is ideal for cooking as well as for skin care.
It seems that previous research that supposedly proved that coconut oil caused a rise in cholesterol was based on using hydrogenated coconut oil. As many people are now aware, this is a process that produces the "bad fats" or trans fats that are the cause of so many health problems. Trans fats in anything raise the LDL or bad cholesterol to go up. Pure coconut oil, however, has no such effects - just the opposite.
One of the major benefits of coconut oil is that it contains lauric acid, which is a natural enemy of many harmful microorganisms and possibly even cancer cells. Lauric acid helps protect the body against bacteria, fungi and viruses, so it has many healthy qualities.
Coconut Products and Weight Loss
If you're trying to lose weight, which coconut products should you consume? The short answer is, "all of them!" This doesn't mean, however, that you have to go overboard and drink or eat coconut products from dawn till dusk. Even though coconut milk and oil both contain healthy fats, if you're trying to cut back on calories you obviously don't want to overdo it with any kind of fat.
You can use all of the products in moderation and gain the benefits. This is true for everyone, whether you want to lose weight, gain weight or maintain your current weight. You can drink coconut water as a sports drink, or just when you want a refreshing cold drink. Don't drink it in place of regular water, though. Pure H20 should still be your primary beverage of choice!
Coconut milk is probably the best milk substitute if you're vegan or lactose intolerant. Even if you do eat dairy, there's no reason not to add coconut milk to your diet. You can find many healthy recipes that use coconut milk, or you can just drink it as a refreshing beverage that's a bit more substantial than coconut water.
Coconut oil is ideal for cooking. This is one big edge it has over the other super healthy oil - olive oil. I'd never suggest giving up olive oil, as this is not only delicious but it's one of the healthiest "good fat" foods you can consume. However, olive oil is not good for cooking, as it loses its benefits and actually becomes toxic. So, if you want a simple formula, consume olive oil raw and coconut oil for cooking (though coconut oil is also fine uncooked).
Coconut oil also has many other benefits, and it can be used as a moisturizer and even in your hair. You can find many products on the market that contain coconut oil, but very often it's safer to just use it straight up. Many products, even those sold in health food stores and online from health and nutrition companies contain all kinds of suspect ingredients.
Do your research - the Dr. Mercola website has a lot of good information on the dangers of many supposedly healthy and natural skin care products, shampoos and so forth. With plain coconut oil, you don't have any such worries! You can't really use pure coconut oil as a shampoo, but you can use it in your hair as a conditioner and then wash it out with a gentle and preferably organic shampoo.
In conclusion, more benefits of coconut-derived products are being discovered all the time. Of course, the native peoples of regions where coconuts grow - many tropical regions from Africa to the South Pacific- have long known how healthy, as well as delicious this fruit is. Now, however, modern civilization is finally catching up. So, coconut water, coconut milk, coconut oil - and just plain coconuts of course- are all foods you can eat with pleasure and without guilt!
Not all "health" foods are good for you! Get your free report - 3 "Health" Foods to Avoid!
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Everyone knows that it is important to lead a healthy lifestyle, but very few are aware of the essential vitamins and nutrients to be included in the daily diet. Among the available nutrients, Omega 3 is an essential one and many people do not understand the benefit of having this nutrient. There are supplements being sold in the market which are doing well as the people knowing its importance are purchasing them. You can be assured that by using Omega 3 from Marine Phytoplankton you will get all the essential nutrients in order to stay fit.
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G Starre is the author of this article on Omega 3 from Marine Phytoplankton. Find more information, about Marine Phytoplankton Omega 3 benefits here
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