HOME HERBALIST SERIES #2: Why Coconut Oil is Better...

There is something about Coconut Oil that just makes it so lovable, that the list of at-home applications and uses steadily grows over time after the first encounter. The aroma, the creamy yet fluid consistency, and- hold on a second- since when did OIL actually taste nice by itself?? As much as Olive Oil is a kitchen essential, I have yet to see people using that as delicious mouthwash or home-made toothpaste ingredient...

Here are a few key characteristics of coconut oil that may cause you to make a place for it in your life.

1. Coconuts are 'super-foods'!
Coconuts alone are extremely healthy, namely due to healthy fats called medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). These include Caprylic acid, Lauric acid, and Capric Acid. MCFAs require only a 3-step process from the body to be converted into fuel, making them easily digestible; whereas other fats can require up to 26-step processes to achieve the same goal. Unlike long-chain fatty acids found in plant-based oils, MCFAs , which are also antimicrobial and anti-fungal, are not stored in the body as fat. Instead, they are immediately processed by the liver and converted into energy.

2. Coconut Oil has many uses other than food.

Coconut Oil seems to be universally applicable. It can be used as an ingredient in home-made toothpastes, as a nourishing oil for hair, as a moisturizing creme for the face and skin, etc. There have even been reports of using it as a mouthwash due to claims of it combating tooth decay.

3. Coconut Oil cooks better and healthier.
Coconut oil is a stable oil that doesn’t break down easily at high temperatures like other oils do. It has amazing nutritional properties and doesn't stale easily. It can be used as the base for any type of cooking or frying, and does not cause the typical unpleasant "oily" stickiness of day-old (or more) food when compared with other oils, that seem to cause food to get rancid after re-heating.

To summarize, Coconut Oil is a healthy substitute of most popular kitchen oils. It is Eco-friendly and much more 'fair-trade' than, for example, palm oil- which is the most common and cheap oil used in most supermarket foods.

Finally, it is important to acquire the PURE and UNREFINED Coconut Oil if you want to maximize its health benefits.
Happy Coconut Day!