Food and health fads come and go, not so long ago it was sun dried tomatoes appearing in virtually every recipe, while just recently coconut oil health benefits combined with its versatile culinary abilities has become all the vogue.
Never the less in India and the Pacific Isles coconut oil has been a basic and important cooking and everyday health essential for hundreds of years.
Coconut Nutritional Facts
The nutritional benefits of coconut oil are negligible, it contains no vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates or protein.
However, one tablespoon of coconut oil contains 12 grams of saturated fat which is around an average of 50% of the recommended adult intake together with a calorie content of 116.
All the calorie content is derived from fats. It also contains mono-unsaturated fat, poly-unsaturated fat and omega 6 fatty acids.
This fat content compares favourably with other culinary and health oils as, unlike others, it does not get stored in the body as do other fats but converts into usable energy.
It has become known as the low-fat cooking fat. Three and a half to four tablespoons of coconut oil is around the recommended daily intake although it is fair to say that no detrimental effects have surfaced as proven should this amount be exceeded.
It should be noted that coconut oil contains saturated fat that not so long ago was associated with raising cholesterol levels detrimental to heart health, although not only have subsequent studies implied that coconut oil has little or no contribution to heart disease but may, in fact, help in reducing cholesterol levels. As yet this remains unproven.
Only very rarely have there been any reported allergic reactions to coconut oil but to be safe, gradually increase the usage, in very isolated cases skin eruptions and runny nose have occurred.
Coconut Oil Health Benefits
The proven and reported coconut oil health benefits are many and numerous. The following list will give a summary of many of the more important coconut oil benefits:
- Helps boost energy and and endurance, enhancing personal athletic and keep fit programmes.
- Is beneficial to digestion and the absorption of of nutrients.
- Can kill or deplete tapeworms and other parasites in the digestive tract.
- Controls or eliminates bacteria causing gonorrhoea, gum disease, pneumonia, throat infections and other internal diseases.
- Relieves symptoms of diabetes.
- Improves digestion and bowel function.
- Assists in slowing the onset of osteoporosis.
- Reduces cholesterol levels.
- May be a virus killer of flu, herpes,measles, hepatitis and even AIDS.
- Used externally can kill fungi and yeasts that cause athletes foot, ringworm, thrush and other skin infections, including psoraisis.
- Protects the skin from the aging effect of free radicals and can also reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by keeping the connective tissue strong and supple.
- Arguably an aid to slimming as it helps to stimulate the metabolism.
- Evidence exists the coconut oil taken orally every day can slow or even reverse Altimeters disease.
- Using coconut oil in “pulling” that is a method to keep the teeth and gums in peak order has become the fashion and is undoubtedly very effective.
The list of proven and probable health benefits of coconut oil is extensive and it is reasonable to assume that as a dietary alternative to any other oils used in cooking and for topical applications it has undoubted benefits.
Perhaps its ability to enhance the cooking experience will appeal to our gourmet readers and we hope that those experiencing skin and other health problems will gain an equal satisfaction.
Coconut oil is the only oil which does not oxidise when used for cooking. Other oils are susceptible to heat damage and consequently the antioxidants are destroyed. Look for containers labelled virgin coconut oil, organic is also available. Use coconut oil for frying, grilling, baking, in fact in any recipe using cooking oils of any type.
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