The phrase “super food” gets used a lot in today’s headline driven articles, but is there a cost-effective “super food” readily available that you could benefit from on a daily basis? There sure is, say hello to coconut oil!
While not technically considered a “super food”, coconut oil has recently become the hot new must-use item recommended by health bloggers and scientists. Coconut oil is made up of mostly saturated fats, but that doesn’t mean it can’t benefit you. In an interview on BodyandSoul.com, Dr. Bruce Fife of the Coconut Research Center said, “Coconut oil is unique because it is composed predominately of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs),” he says. ‘The size of the fatty acid is extremely important because physiological effects of medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are distinctly different from the long-chain fatty acids more commonly found in our diet.'”
From helping you lose weight to providing you a boost of energy, coconut oil has plenty of health benefits. For a full list, check out this research article.
Another good thing about coconut oil is that you can buy it from your local grocery store at a very reasonable price. When buying, you can pick from refined or unrefined. Unrefined coconut oil has a stronger smell and coconut taste, but also has a lower smoking point of 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Refined coconut oil is better for cooking hotter dishes, but lacks the aroma and taste that you would expect from coconut oil. You can sauté with both, but be careful when using unrefined because of the lower smoking point.
Are you ready to incorporate coconut oil into your diet? As always, check with your physician before making any drastic changes to your diet or including a product high in saturated fats into your diet. Here are some easy ways to incorporate coconut oil into your diet:
- Add a tablespoon of refined coconut oil to your coffee and blend it up! This will keep you full throughout the morning and help you from avoiding unhealthy snacks to munch on before lunch.
- Use coconut oil to sauté vegetables as a base for your dishes. We highly recommend using it to sauté peppers as the coconut oil will add an element of sweetness to help flavors pop in your dishes!
- Use coconut oil instead of butter on toast! This delicious treat is great in the morning or as a snack during the day and will add a light tropical hint to your toast.
Do you have some recipes or tips you want to share? Post them below in the comments or on our Facebook page!
