Coconut oil

SvennsDream

I use coconut oil in many of the ways already mentioned in this thread and truly love it. One thing not mentioned is (sorry if TMI) it helps me stay regular with bowel movements. I eat about a tablespoon every night before bed and it really helps.

blktngldhrt

I use it to get my fat macros up sometimes either by eating off of the spoon or frothing into my tea or coffee and as a main ingredient in low carb chocolates. I like it in cookies and cupcakes better than vegetable oil. It's my preferred oil for cannabis infusion.

For other applications.. I use it in the lotions I make. I used it in place of lanolin while I was nursing because I didn't want my kid consuming sheep secretion. I used it for diaper rash..partly because I cloth diapered and partly because it, and breast milk, worked better than desitin. It was awesome as hand lotion when my kid was small and constantly put her fingers in her mouth. I throw a tbsp into my kids bath during the winter because her skin gets dry and put it on her lips and skin as needed. I also use it with salt and honey for a face scrub/mask once every couple weeks. I tried it in my hair and wasn't impressed with those results.

Virgin coconut oil..I love it. It's very useful.

mykaylis

tried it for everything since it was sooooo good. they said.

coffee: nothing like giving your cup of joe a coconut scented oil slick in the morning. fail.
on toast: no. just no.
frying: only good for things that naturally taste good with coconut. ie shrimp, white fish, certain vegetables.

for baby's bum: great texture, prevents diaper rash, and smells better than vaseline.
for windburned/winter cheeks, wonderful and non-irritating.

wesley58

I use it for everything, cooking, and even put it in my coffee for a sweetner along with butter

Rlavigne93

I like to use it in desserts, but that's about it for cooking. It's essentially just another oil nutritionally, though. It's GREAT for your skin topically, however. I use it every day after I shower.

segacs

As a person who works in advertising, I admire coconut oil a lot... for the great marketing.

As a person who likes to eat healthy, though, I'd just like to point out that most of the claims about it are hooey.

scepticalnutritionist.com.au/?p=844

(Go ahead and use it for skin care if you like, though. No harm there.)

savvyfantastic

The nutritional benefits of coconut oil are well overhyped (including the claim that it can be used to treat HIV, which is just offensive). However it's a good alternative to other oils for flavor (I like roast pumpkin and beetroot in coconut oil). Great on skin but due to high fat content should not be used in excess. Most of the literature and benefits are seen when it's used in populations who have a lower fat content in their diet day to day (eg vegans, some Asian cultures).



Myth #1 - Coconut Oil contains a lot of fat so it must be fattening.

Truth - Not all fat makes you fat. Certain fats do cause weight gain, but other good fats will actually burn unwanted fat off your body and accelerate your metabolism.

All fats, saturated, unsaturated (not trans obviously), have a role to play in the body. However, excess calories, coming from fats or elsewhere, do contribute to fat accumulation. Even 'good' fats can be had in excess, so it's important to just have a moderate balance across the spectrums.


Myth #2 - Coconut Oil contains almost all saturated fat so it must be bad for you.

Truth - Saturated Fat is not the cause of heart disease, weight gain and high cholesterol. Saturated Fat has been falsely accused and it is SUGAR that is Enemy Numero Uno

Respectfully, I disagree. It is true that fats have had a bad name in popular culture but in a lot of ways sugar is now getting this same broadly unfounded reputation. I won't go too much into it but in western culture what we have is a shitload of excess calories coming from a psychologically addictive substance. A little sugar is fine. A lot is bad. A little fat is fine. A lot is bad. The current state of health and chronic illness in society can not be put down to the increased intake in one food substance alone- the majority of people are eating nutrient poor diets with an excess of sugars, fats and sodium with sedentary activity. These create a 'perfect storm' environment for health issues.


Myth #3 - Coconut Oil should be avoided by those who are at risk for heart disease .

Truth - The fat in coconut oil is one of the healthiest oils you can consume (yes, even for those with heart disease). It is rich in lauric acid, which is known for its antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties and contains no trans fat. The saturated fat in coconut oil is different than many other oils in that it is of the medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) variety. The body digests MCFAs more easily and sends these fats directly to the liver where they are immediately converted into energy. A fat that is used to make energy instead of storing it on our bodies.

I am curious as to the source of this information. Populations where coconut oil are the predominant fat source are not good examples for heart health. Multiple studies have found that Lauric acid is one of the fats associated with increased cardiovascular risk.
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14576758). Additionally, the body's preference is to store fat, and use it after it's used up other energy sources (glucose, amino acids). To suggest that any fats will just magically bypass the body's natural processes and be used as a preferential energy source is just not correct.

Basically - If you like coconut oil, have it as part of a varied diet. Remember- the overall diet is always going to be more important than the individual components.

neanderthin

segacs wrote: »

As a person who works in advertising, I admire coconut oil a lot... for the great marketing.

As a person who likes to eat healthy, though, I'd just like to point out that most of the claims about it are hooey.

scepticalnutritionist.com.au/?p=844

(Go ahead and use it for skin care if you like, though. No harm there.)

What I find fascinating is the link they provided against lauric acid was this. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12716665 Basically meaningless, but for some reason held this in high enough regard to use it as evidence.....I agree though, it's just fat and consume it how ever it may fit into someones macros......no magical properties, just tasty for the right applications.

Alluminati

neanderthin wrote: »

JustinAnimal wrote: »

IMO this is a fad thing, just a trend.

Tell that to the indigenous people of the tropics that have been consuming coconut oil for thousands of years.

Being an indigenous person of the tropics, it seems like a trend in the Western world.

SnuggleSmacks

neanderthin wrote: »

redversustheblue wrote: »

I switched to frying my eggs in coconut oil instead of olive oil because it tastes better, so there's that.

Fail.....butter with eggs, everyone knows that. j/k

Nope, bacon grease. Far superior.

mykaylis

mmmmmmmmmmmm... bacon. i can make a mean bannock with bacon grease. serve it with homemade raspberry or strawberry jam.

JayRuby84

salembambi wrote: »

no it tastes horrible but it works well to gently remove eye make up

I bought some from Trader Joe's. was thinking of just using it to lotion up. I don't know how to cook with it.

Lourdesong

segacs wrote: »

As a person who works in advertising, I admire coconut oil a lot... for the great marketing.

As a person who likes to eat healthy, though, I'd just like to point out that most of the claims about it are hooey.

scepticalnutritionist.com.au/?p=844

(Go ahead and use it for skin care if you like, though. No harm there.)

Argan Oil, too. I follow a lot of beauty blogs and whatnot, and one has to be really careful not to fall prey to the hype and a seemingly highly contagious magical thinking... if one doesn't want to go broke on magic beans and snake oil, that is. "Natural" and "ancient" and "secret wrinkle-fighting remedy of the Timbuktu's native people" as selling points are pretty good red flags.

I've noticed this seems to hold well in the food world, as well.

I find it super bizarre that anyone would willfully put coconut oil in their coffee. I think I would have to believe that "coconut oil is magical" before I'd ever do that.

zipa78

tmpecus78 wrote: »

i consume about 100g of coconut oil a day.

Why, if I may ask?

GaleHawkins

Louredesong coconut oil is not magical but it can that way to some of us. After dealing with serious IBS and the doctors offering no real help other than labeling it for 40 years now it being gone within four weeks after getting on coconut oil makes it seem like magic to say nothing about the on going weight loss that it has helped me to finally embrace.

zipa78

I'm using coconut grease (during winter, it is not a liquid oil over here) as a lubricant for massage. Works great for that, doesn't smell, doesn't go rancid, doesn't irritate people.

kwjager

I use it as a butter substitute when I bake, as I have a dairy allergy and can't use butter. It's also good as a salve and an eye make up remover, as others have also observed above. Don't think it works that well as a skin moisturizer and it did horrifying things to my (fine) hair.

blktngldhrt

Lourdesong wrote: »

segacs wrote: »

As a person who works in advertising, I admire coconut oil a lot... for the great marketing.

As a person who likes to eat healthy, though, I'd just like to point out that most of the claims about it are hooey.

scepticalnutritionist.com.au/?p=844

(Go ahead and use it for skin care if you like, though. No harm there.)

Argan Oil, too. I follow a lot of beauty blogs and whatnot, and one has to be really careful not to fall prey to the hype and a seemingly highly contagious magical thinking... if one doesn't want to go broke on magic beans and snake oil, that is. "Natural" and "ancient" and "secret wrinkle-fighting remedy of the Timbuktu's native people" as selling points are pretty good red flags.

I've noticed this seems to hold well in the food world, as well.

I find it super bizarre that anyone would willfully put coconut oil in their coffee. I think I would have to believe that "coconut oil is magical" before I'd ever do that.

I thought it was weird, too. Then, I started keto and found it useful for getting my fat macro where it needs to be. I froth it up with some half and half and barely notice it's there.

There's nothing magical about coconut oil. It's just nice to have something moderately inexpensive that has a plethora of uses.

randomtai

I use it in my hair... I cook with it occasionally usually when frying coconut shrimp.

blktngldhrt

zipa78 wrote: »

I'm using coconut grease (during winter, it is not a liquid oil over here) as a lubricant for massage. Works great for that, doesn't smell, doesn't go rancid, doesn't irritate people.

It works great as a lubricant for other things, too. I forgot about that use!