The benefits of virgin coconut oil
"in a nut shell"
1. First of all, coconut oil is not the same as any other
oil Americans use. All the see oils currently in the American diet are
predominately made of long chain fatty triglycerides. These long chain
triglycerides once ingest need to be emulsified by bile salts, which are
produced by the liver and stored in the gall bladder until needed. Once
fats are eaten the bile salts leave the gall bladder and are introduced
into the small intestine. Here they mix with the fats and draw them into
the aqueous solutions where lipase one of the digestive enzymes can work
on them. They all become broken down into triglycerides made of 14
carbon chain fatty acids. Any carbohydrates eaten in excess of energy
requirements by the body are also converted into these 14 carbon chain
triglycerides. All these triglycerides are stored in fat stores by the
body until their energy is needed. They are bound to HDL and LDL in the
body and transported to their place of rest.
Coconut oil, on the other hand is already than the 14 carbon units the
other fats are broken down to. So coconut oil is handled totally
different by the body. Since coconut oil contains mostly 8,10,and 12
carbon chain triglycerides instead of being digested and traveling in
the blood stream it is directly absorbed into the portal vein and goes
into the liver. There is support the immune system, helps to clean out
pathogens, toxins, etc and continues on through the lymphatic system to
the cells of the body.
If you stop to think about this you will realize that there is no way
that coconut oil can be responsible for heart disease if it is not even
present in the blood stream. You will also realize that people without
gall bladders or people who can not digest food well, especially people
who can not digest fats like those with cystic fibrosis can and will
thrive on coconut oil. Doctors doing research have known for a long time
that the elderly and the very young thrive on formulas given them that
contain coconut oil. Products like baby formula and Ensure use to be
made with coconut oil. Sadly, even these items have fallen victim to the
propaganda we have received over the last 50 years, too.
2. Secondly, as the medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil travel
throughout the body they are actually anti microbial compounds. For
example, Lauric acid, which makes up about 50% of the coconut oil
becomes 2 mono-lauren. 2-mono-lauren dissolved the lipid envelope that
protects most pathogenic bacteria and viruses. It also attacks
pathogenic yeast and parasites. Lauric acid is the major fat contained
in a human mother's breast milk and the major reason nursing infants
have a high resistance to getting sick. Lauric acid in the diet will
have the same effect, regardless of age. Coconut oil has been used in
research with AIDS, Candida, Crohn's disease, SARS, and lots of other
diseases. Its anti microbial properties will probably make it famous one
day.
3. Thirdly, coconut oil, because it is smaller than the standard storage
unit, is burned for energy rather than stored. One thing this tends to
do is increase metabolism. People with under-active thyroid glands all
of a sudden discover their basal temperature has become normal. People
with low energy notice they have energy again and a sense of well being
they did not realize they had lost. And, unlike other energy the cell
receives, the medium chain fatty acids do not require insulin. Most
people in the US have some degree of insulin resistance. This is
probably because of the types of fats we have all used thinking they
were healthy and all the toxins in our environment coupled with a lack
of vitamins and minerals in our food supply. So most people as they age,
even though they are eating, do not feel they are getting energy from
their food. Part of the reason is insulin resistance. The good news is
that if a person has coconut oil or coconut products in their diet the
fats will be used as energy and that energy is not dependent on the
insulin system working. Therefore, diabetics can get good energy into
their cells without insulin requirements, and people who need naps or
think they need naps in the middle of the afternoon, have energy again.
4. Lastly, on the skin the medium chain fatty acids in the coconut oil
are identical to the fats found in sebum. Normal flora that lives on our
skin and keeps it healthy will actually live on the glycerol unit of the
triglycerides, creating free fatty acids identical to those found in
sebum. This allows the skin to have a slightly acidic pH ideal for
keeping pathogens away and keeping the skin healthy. For people with
dandruff or red spots on their scalp, you just douse the scalp with
coconut oil and leave it for about 20 minutes. Then shampoo. You will
need to shampoo at least twice. This works better than tea tree oil
shampoo from the health food store or anything else you have probably
tried. If you have red spots on your skin try it there as well. If you
need a little more "umph" add a drop of lemon or lavender essential oil
to the coconut oil. Many people get out of the shower and reach for
their little pot of coconut oil. They just dap it on and spread it all
over, very lightly. A number of customers have discovered that if they
do this they eventually do not have to even where deodorant.
What Is So Special About Coconut Flour?
Coconut flour is uniquely different from all other wheat alternatives.
It is naturally low in digestible carbohydrates and contains no gluten.
It has less carbohydrate than soy or nut flours while providing a good
source of protein and fiber. Coconut flour is 4 times higher in fiber
than oat bran, 2 times higher in fiber than wheat bran, and 3 times
higher in fiber than ground flaxseed. Unlike other fibers, coconut
flour/fiber can be used as a flour to make delicious bakery products and
main dishes that are much tastier than wheat alternatives. Coconut flour
also contains more protein than white or rye flour and cornmeal. It has
about as much protein as you find in buckwheat and whole wheat flours.
Breads made with coconut flour are light and soft and have a wonderful
taste and texture. A lovely book with lots of information on coconut
flour and many, many recipes is: Cooking with Coconut Flour – A
delicious low-Carb, Gluten-Free Alternative to Wheat by Dr. Bruce Fife,
N. D. All recipes in the book are wheat-free, gluten-free, soy-free,
trans-fat free, artificial sweetener-free, and yeast-free. Most of the
recipes are or can be low sugar and low carbohydrate. They give an
option of using coconut oil and butter, and sugar or stevia (or another
sweetener). Most of the recipes are dairy-free, relying on the coconut
milk in place of cow’s milk or cream. Whole natural ingredients are
recommended over artificial or highly processed ones. And the result is
foods that are both healthy and delicious.
Some of the health benefits of dietary fiber include:
* Promotes heart health
* Promotes colon health
* Supports the immune system
* Facilitates healthy digestion and absorption
* Allows for maximum absorption of vitamins and minerals
* Assists in the body’s natural removal of toxins
* Helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels
How to Use Coconut Flour in Your Kitchen:
Adding Coconut Flour to Your Favorite Recipe:
Because Coconut flour does not contain any gluten, it will fall apart if
you substitute it 100% for another flour in a wheat based recipe. You
can, however, substitute up to 25% (15-20% is best) of that flour with
coconut flour. In addition, whatever amount of coconut flour you use,
you need to increase the liquid in your recipe by that same measure. So,
for example, if your recipe calls for 2 cups of wheat flour, you could
use 1 ˝ cups of wheat flour, ˝ cup of coconut flour, and ˝ cup of
additional liquid such as milk, water, or juice. This will greatly
increase the fiber content of that food and lower its glycemic index.
Using 100% Coconut Flour:
If you want to make foods that are 100% coconut flour with no other
flours, we suggest you pick up the book “Cooking with Coconut Flour” by
Dr. Bruce Fife (Link to order page) for initial guidance. These recipes
came about by trial and error and were the foundational recipes and
guidance for all the other recipes you will find on the internet. Prior
to this book, recipes for using 100% coconut flour did not exist, not
even in the Philippines or any part of Asia. As a rule, you need to add
approximately 6 eggs for every ˝ cup of coconut flour you use in your
recipe and will need to increase liquids because the fiber greatly
absorbs liquid. These eggs will take the place of the gluten found in
wheat, and help all that fiber to stick together.
Other people who want to increase their fiber intake but do not want to
bake or make anything, add coconut flour to smoothies. Coconut flour is
more palatable in smoothies than any other fiber, even though it
supplies significantly more roughage than any other source.
Coconut Flour Recipe
Coconut Balls
Ingredients:
Sweetener: approximately 3/4 cup (may use any sweetener of your choice
Eggs: 2
Coconut Flour: approximately 2 cups
Orange peel from 1 orange
Whisk the eggs until they are stiff together with the sugar. Add the
grated orange peel. When the mixture is frothy, add the coconut flour.
Add enough coconut flour until it is crumbly but still soft and moist.
Let it rest for 5 minutes.
Grease an oven pan and form small balls with your hands from the
mixture. The mixture should be just perfect for making into balls.
Arrange them on the pan. Put them into the oven when it is hot and bake
for 15 minutes at a medium temperature.
Dehydrated
Coconut Flakes
We have been working for months at developing a natural, dried coconut
that would rival our previous freeze-dried coconut in taste, texture,
and health benefits. We are excited to now offer a low temperature
dehydrated coconut that tastes absolutely wonderful.
We start with organic coconuts grown in the beautiful, tropical
Philippine Islands. The coconut is removed from the shells, and washed
in pure, filtered water (no chlorine is present). The coconut is then
shredded and slowly dehydrated at 98.6° F (37° C). Because we dehydrate
the coconut at such a low temperature, the enzymes, vitamins, minerals,
and life force are all preserved. The result is shredded, raw coconut
that tastes great, has a wonderful texture, and contains the health
benefits of our raw coconut oil.
Most shredded, dried coconut is actually desiccated coconut, which has
much less flavor, and has been dried at 170°-180° F (76°-82° C).
If you are looking for a substitute for freeze-dried coconut flakes, our
dehydrated coconut flakes that have been mildly sweetened with
evaporated cane juice are a wonderful substitute.
Our raw coconut flakes are great in trail mixes, numerous raw deserts,
cookies, Sandy’s Almond Joy Bars, or they are great to snack on by
themselves.
Sandy’s Almond Joy Bars
Ingredients
• 1 cup liquid coconut oil - can be melted by placing container in hot
water
• 1 cup chopped almonds – used soaked and dried almonds for added
nutritional benefit (see instructions below)
• 3/4 to 1 cup dehydrated coconut
Directions
1. Stir together the coconut oil, almonds, dehydrated coconut (save
about one third of it to sprinkle over the top) in a bowl.
2. Pour into an 8 X 8 pan and sprinkle the top with dehydrated coconut.
3. Place in the refrigerator to chill for approximately 45 minutes to 1
hour.
4. Remove and cut into bite-size squares to serve. If it becomes too
hardened and cracks when you attempt to cut it, just set it out at room
temperature until it cuts easily. Store it in the refrigerator.
Variations
1. Use Frontier Liquid Seasonings without alcohol to give the Almond
Joys a different twist.
2. Try a teaspoon or two of Vanilla, Maple, Lemon, Lime, cinnamon, or
Mint etc. Add when you are mixing all of the ingredients together.
3. Use some freshly squeezed lemon, lime or grapefruit juice to create a
citrus flavor. WONDERFUL!!!
4. Try adding some coconut milk powder or native whey protein to give
the bar a creamier texture, or use Wilderness Family Naturals' Coconut
Spread. Using a nut butter will also have a similar effect. It gives the
bar a bit more substance and makes it more like a nougat.
5.Grind some raw cacao nibs into a powder using a coffee grinder or use
our raw cacao powder to make they chocolaty. Then sweeten it with some
raw honey, muscovado, or stevia.
6. Add liquid (water, coconut milk, coconut cream, or warmed coconut
oil) to a natural sweetener and raw cacao to make a chocolate sauce that
you can use to top the almond joy bars.
6. Combine some certified organic, raw cacao powder with some agave
nectar to create a wonderfully thick, naturally sweet healthy chocolate
topping.
People are amazed at the results when they make this recipe. There are
now hundreds of variations of Sandy's Almond Joy bars being made across
America and most people are delighted that they can enjoy something so
tastey that is healthy.
Almond Preparation
1. Soak almond overnight for 8 to 12 hours. I like to add Real Salt to
the soaking water, using about one teaspoon per cup of nuts.
2. Chop in food processor.
3. Place on Teflex sheet (or parchment paper) and place in dehydrator to
dry (about 4-6 hours).
4. I also dehydrate these soaked almonds whole for snacks. I place them
in a bowl, stir in some Bragg's Liquid Aminos and a little Real Salt,
then dry on the regular dehydrator sheets until crispy.
These little gems are melt-in-your-mouth-delicious! Perfect as a healthy
Alkalarian snack, rich with vitamin E, calcium, magnesium and lauric
acid. It's also a very versatile recipe that can be changed by adding a
different
flavoring each time you make it (see variations).
Modified from the recipe donated by Sandy Kuntz
Recipe acquired and adapted from Dr. Robert O. Young Ph.D.’s website: pH
Miracle Living.
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