Here is an article I found on Dr. Joseph Mercola's excellent website.
Many people believe that coconuts are generally not healthy. However, raw coconut contains many naturally occurring, health-promoting qualities, and I would like to share my findings on how you can enjoy the wonders of this amazing food.
Lauric acid, the major fatty acid from coconut fat, has been recognized for its unique properties in food use, which include antiviral, antibacterial and antiprotozoal functions. Also, natural coconut fat in the diet may lead to a normalization of body lipids, thereby protecting against alcohol damage to the liver and improving the immune system's anti-inflammatory response.
Part of the confusion about coconut relates to the saturated fat issue. Fortunatley, Sally Fallon, author of the highly recommended Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats (with Mary G. Enig, PhD), as well as numerous articles on the subject of diet and health, has addressed the issue of saturated fat. Trans fat is actually the problem not saturated fat.
It is important to note that your Metabolic Type has a major influence on whether or not you will enjoy coconuts and whether they are good for your individual type. If you are a protein type you will likely thrive on coconuts, but if you are a carb type you will most likely not enjoy the coconut meat. The coconut milk (fluid inside the coconut) is fine for carb types, however.
As a protein type, I really don’t enjoy the low-fat coconut milk, but I devour the coconut meat and eat about one whole coconut every two days.
How to Open a Coconut
First you will need to drain the coconut. You can do this by piercing two or three of the "eyes" at the pointed tip with a Phillips screwdriver and a hammer. Drain all the fluid out, otherwise you will have a mess when you crack open the shell with the hammer.
When cracking the shell, you can aim the hammer at a ridge at the eye end. I recommend breaking the shell into small pieces as it will be easier to remove the meat. Also, placing the coconut on a concrete floor or sidewalk makes it much easier to break open. Initially, I would place the coconut on the ground and hit it with an axe, but then winter came and I found the hammer to be the easiest way.
After the coconut is broken, separate the meat from the shell by scraping or peeling the flesh from the shell with a strong knife. Be careful to point the knife away from your other hand.
Once you have removed the meat from the coconut please note its color and texture. The meat should be bright white, firm and taste good. If it is soft or tastes funny throw it away as it is likely moldy. Another clue is the backing or "skin" behind the white coconut. The skin should be a smooth, unbroken homogenous dark brown. If there are patches of white that show through, this is another clue that the coconut is too old to eat.
If you still believe that coconuts are not good for you please review the links below. If you are a protein type you will likely fall in love with coconuts like I did, and find them to be a perfect food to have with your vegetable juice as the fat really helps to balance out the meal. It is a nearly ideal snack for protein types, one that will satisfy your cravings and not make you gain weight.
And if you are looking for an oil to cook with or add to your vegetable juice or smoothies, coconut oil is truly the healthiest oil you can consume. It is rich in lauric acid, which is known for being antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal, contains no trans fat (even olive oil has some trans fat), and boosts the immune system. You can even use it on your skin to help prevent wrinkles.
By Joseph Mercola, D.O.
http://www.mercola.com/2003/jan/18/raw_coconuts.htm
Read more on this article...
New Coconut Oil Diet Secrets Site!
Mohave Publishing and Dianne Ronnow have just come out with a new improved Coconut Oil Diet Secrets website. The exciting thing about this new site is that our popular ebook, Coconut Oil Diet Secrets can be found on this site absolutely FREE! Just go to Coconut-Oil-Diet.com.
We are in the process of testing a new format that is supported by advertising instead of charging for our ebooks. We are not sure how long it will be available for no charge, so if you have been putting off buying the ebook, Coconut Oil Diet Secrets, now is your chance to check it out while it is available for free!
Our newest book, The Enzyme Health Diet Plan, will also be offered for free on our sister site, Enzyme Health. The Enzyme Health Diet Plan goes perfectly with Coconut Oil Diet Secrets, so check out that free ebook today also at Enzyme-Health.com. (Watch for new changes at Enzyme Health in the near future...) Read more on this article...
We are in the process of testing a new format that is supported by advertising instead of charging for our ebooks. We are not sure how long it will be available for no charge, so if you have been putting off buying the ebook, Coconut Oil Diet Secrets, now is your chance to check it out while it is available for free!
Our newest book, The Enzyme Health Diet Plan, will also be offered for free on our sister site, Enzyme Health. The Enzyme Health Diet Plan goes perfectly with Coconut Oil Diet Secrets, so check out that free ebook today also at Enzyme-Health.com. (Watch for new changes at Enzyme Health in the near future...) Read more on this article...
Coconut Oil Information
Coconut Oil - More Than The Average Saturated Fat
by: Sherri L Dodd
Origin: Southeast Asia, South America, New Zealand and India
Description: Known as Sanskrit “the tree which provides all the necessities of life”, the Coconut Palm yields 50-75 coconuts per year and not a part of it goes unused. Coconut water contains sugars, fiber, protein, anti-oxidants and a variety of vitamins and minerals. The sap from cutting the flowers from the tree is used to make a drink called “toddy”. The fibrous husk from the tree, the coir, is used in many things including ropes, mats, brushes and potting soil. If you no longer need a coconut tree, the apical bud of an adult tree can be eaten as “palm-cabbage”, and the “heart of the palm” is a delicacy in gourmet salads. The ‘no longer’ clause due to consuming these will kill the tree. And of course, there is the white meat of the nut that can be eaten directly or used to make coconut milk, coconut cream, and coconut oil of which we will focus today.
Benefits: Researchers have increasingly revisited the health benefits of coconut oil. The findings have associated it with many healthful benefits starting with weight loss due to the medium length of the fatty acid chains (aka MCT’s). Though it is considered a saturated fat, coconut oil is a different structure from the notorious saturated animal fats, and even offers benefits not available in the longer chained plant oils. The medium length of the coconut's fatty acid chain enables rapid breakdown in digestion as well as ease of use when burned for energy. These same MCT’s, along with monoglycerides, are found primarily in coconut oil and breast milk and contribute toward well-being, which includes a role in thyroid health. It has tested well in helping prevent hypothyroidism due to its evasion of rancidity. Studies show that rancidity is harmful to the thyroid as well as many cells throughout the body. (The plant oils used by mainstream food manufacturers have a high propensity toward rancidity and must be processed through hydrogenation into trans-fatty acids.)
Another benefit of using coconut oil is that it supports the suppression of Candida (aka, yeast) in the digestive system. While yeast commonly inhabits your digestive system, it is kept controlled due to the body’s presence of probiotics (aka “good” bacteria). In the event the person starts taking antibiotics, prescription medications, birth control pills or maintains a poor diet and experiences daily stress, Candida yeast begins to fiercely outnumber the good bacteria, causing evidence of infection. Also, digestive disorders such as Crohn's disease and IBS can have positive results from one consuming coconut oil. The MCTs will not only be easily digested, but will also assist in the absorption of the nutrients from other foods.
While time may be limited on the amount of pampering a mother can do for herself, there are steps that can be taken to look our best and coconut oil is here to help. Coconut oil is used for treating damaged hair, dry scalp and pimples, moisturizing dry and aging skin, and enabling anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral effects throughout the body. It has also shown great reduction of keratosis polaris, rosacea and psoriasis. You do not have to pay absorbent fees for beauty products. Instead, buy a large jar of the solid oil and use it directly on the appropriate area as well as ingesting it for overall well being…it tastes great and goes down smooth!
Coconut Oil (1 Tbsp)
Calories: 119
Fat: 14g (Sat. Fat 12g)
Information found at http://www.coconut-info.net and http://en.wikipedia.org Read more on this article...
by: Sherri L Dodd
Origin: Southeast Asia, South America, New Zealand and India
Description: Known as Sanskrit “the tree which provides all the necessities of life”, the Coconut Palm yields 50-75 coconuts per year and not a part of it goes unused. Coconut water contains sugars, fiber, protein, anti-oxidants and a variety of vitamins and minerals. The sap from cutting the flowers from the tree is used to make a drink called “toddy”. The fibrous husk from the tree, the coir, is used in many things including ropes, mats, brushes and potting soil. If you no longer need a coconut tree, the apical bud of an adult tree can be eaten as “palm-cabbage”, and the “heart of the palm” is a delicacy in gourmet salads. The ‘no longer’ clause due to consuming these will kill the tree. And of course, there is the white meat of the nut that can be eaten directly or used to make coconut milk, coconut cream, and coconut oil of which we will focus today.
Benefits: Researchers have increasingly revisited the health benefits of coconut oil. The findings have associated it with many healthful benefits starting with weight loss due to the medium length of the fatty acid chains (aka MCT’s). Though it is considered a saturated fat, coconut oil is a different structure from the notorious saturated animal fats, and even offers benefits not available in the longer chained plant oils. The medium length of the coconut's fatty acid chain enables rapid breakdown in digestion as well as ease of use when burned for energy. These same MCT’s, along with monoglycerides, are found primarily in coconut oil and breast milk and contribute toward well-being, which includes a role in thyroid health. It has tested well in helping prevent hypothyroidism due to its evasion of rancidity. Studies show that rancidity is harmful to the thyroid as well as many cells throughout the body. (The plant oils used by mainstream food manufacturers have a high propensity toward rancidity and must be processed through hydrogenation into trans-fatty acids.)
Another benefit of using coconut oil is that it supports the suppression of Candida (aka, yeast) in the digestive system. While yeast commonly inhabits your digestive system, it is kept controlled due to the body’s presence of probiotics (aka “good” bacteria). In the event the person starts taking antibiotics, prescription medications, birth control pills or maintains a poor diet and experiences daily stress, Candida yeast begins to fiercely outnumber the good bacteria, causing evidence of infection. Also, digestive disorders such as Crohn's disease and IBS can have positive results from one consuming coconut oil. The MCTs will not only be easily digested, but will also assist in the absorption of the nutrients from other foods.
While time may be limited on the amount of pampering a mother can do for herself, there are steps that can be taken to look our best and coconut oil is here to help. Coconut oil is used for treating damaged hair, dry scalp and pimples, moisturizing dry and aging skin, and enabling anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral effects throughout the body. It has also shown great reduction of keratosis polaris, rosacea and psoriasis. You do not have to pay absorbent fees for beauty products. Instead, buy a large jar of the solid oil and use it directly on the appropriate area as well as ingesting it for overall well being…it tastes great and goes down smooth!
Coconut Oil (1 Tbsp)
Calories: 119
Fat: 14g (Sat. Fat 12g)
Information found at http://www.coconut-info.net and http://en.wikipedia.org Read more on this article...
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