Coconut Oil Anyone?

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mariabrii
mariabrii Posts: 7
in Food and Nutrition
Does anyone use coconut oil as an alternative? My mom uses it because she is diabetic and it has wonderful effects for people with that disease however I was wondering if anyone without diabetes uses it and what their effects have been with it. My mom has some extra stuff that has "too much of a coconut flavor" and she likes a very bland coconut oil; I offered to take it from her but is it worth the 117 calories and 13.6 grams of saturated fats per tablespoon for the health benefits? What has been your experience with it? Let me know!
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Replies

  • BeachDreamin83
    BeachDreamin83 Posts: 22
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    I am also looking for some info from people who are taking it. I just started this week with 2 tbsp a day. My problem is that it is throwing my food records out of whack because of the fat content. I'm not sure if I should ignore the fact that I'm over my recommended fat intake per day.

    Feeling great on the c-oil though. No weight loss yet, but like I said, just started on Monday.
  • sdreed25
    sdreed25 Posts: 208 Member
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    I use if for cooking as part of a Paleo diet and I like it, can't say specific health benefits have been noticed as I changed my entire die at the time.
  • n25philly
    n25philly Posts: 75 Member
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    Coconut oil is one of the healthiest foods on the planet. I have at least a tablespoon a day. It's definitely worth the fat content because it's all healthy fats.
  • MrsGriffin67
    MrsGriffin67 Posts: 485 Member
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    Bump
  • TheChocolatePrincess
    TheChocolatePrincess Posts: 137 Member
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    I like coconut oil. I use in in cooking, baking, and on skin and hair. Its a universal oil.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,473 Member
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    i hear it is great.
  • Alisha_countrymama
    Alisha_countrymama Posts: 821 Member
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    Coconut oil is my oil of choice... everything else is an alternative. :)
  • Goldie_13
    Goldie_13 Posts: 71
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    I use it for my hair....that's about it for me but I've heard great things.
  • offthedeependay
    offthedeependay Posts: 435 Member
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    Ihave started taking 20 g in the morning and use it for cooking,there are so many bennifits that I dont mind going over on my fat,,its good fat,I have been taking it for 2 weeks and have already noticed a difference in many ways.also use it as hair conditioner,works great..read up on the benifits of this product ,so worth the fat..
  • sometimes_blondie
    sometimes_blondie Posts: 241
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    I love it! I started using it instead of vegetable oil after I heard it was good for people with thyroid issues.
  • wjrapp
    wjrapp Posts: 56 Member
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    Coconut oil is one of the healthiest foods on the planet. I have at least a tablespoon a day. It's definitely worth the fat content because it's all healthy fats.

    Absolutely! I cook with it, alternate between olive, grapeseed and coconut...it's high in potassium, great for hair and skin...I actually make my own skin products with it too! Makes the BEST lip balm! and lotions, body scrubs....
  • ChristinaK69
    ChristinaK69 Posts: 249
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    I use it as a face cleaner. Put coconut oil and sea salt together. Scrub gently on your wet face, then rinse off using a wash cloth. I don't even have to use a moisturizer. Love it
  • hauer01
    hauer01 Posts: 523 Member
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    I use coconut oil for everything. I love it! It is high in calories, but it is very healthy for you. Olive oil is known for being healthy, but once you heat up Olive Oil, the goodness of it goes away and it's just oil. Coconut Oil, however, maintains all of its good qualities when heated.
  • MrsK20141004
    MrsK20141004 Posts: 489 Member
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    Bump and save for later!
  • bronnyd
    bronnyd Posts: 278 Member
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    I love coconut oil and was adding a tablespoon to my morning smoothies for a while before I started cutting my calories. I fully intend to start doing it again once I get to maintenance and can afford the calorie content!!
  • TubbsMcGee
    TubbsMcGee Posts: 1,058 Member
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    I use it mainly for "beauty" products that I make.
    Lotions, deodorants, etc.

    I generally cook with infused olive oils though, as I mainly eat spicy foods.
    I'm curious about using coconut oil in baking though...
  • Jodycnd
    Jodycnd Posts: 56 Member
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    So depending on the type (strength of the coconut flavor) do you cook with it in similar manner to olive oil? Like could you put some on potato and then bake? Or sautee veggies in a bit of it? I bought some but haven't researched good uses aside from on hair/skin.
  • LATeagno
    LATeagno Posts: 620 Member
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    I looove it! It's a fantastically healthy source of sustained energy, helps to regulate blood sugar and is even amazing for just about anything (including as a lotion or in your hair to make it shiny).

    If you don't want the coconut flavor in your cooking (like for eggs or other savory things), just buy the organic refined coconut oil. The refined version (Spectrum Organics has a great one) has no flavor at all. I prefer the unrefined organic version (Spectrum also makes this-- the jars look almost the same), which has lots of flavor and a delicious smell. However, in cooking savory things, refined is the way to go. It is mechanically refined (not chemically) to remove the flavor and also withstands higher heat. :)
  • blu_meanie_ca
    blu_meanie_ca Posts: 352 Member
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    Calorie wise, it's similar to other oils. I don't eat it as a food suppliment, but I do use it when I'm going to use a cooking oil. I also use it on popcorn instead of butter. I have found a slight increase in energy since switching, but I also like it because it has a low water content, and doesn't absorb into food as quickly, so I don't need to add more.
  • lpina2mi
    lpina2mi Posts: 425 Member
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    I put a little coconut oil in my oatmeal. I often use it in cookies and quick bread recipes (including pancakes) instead of butter. I h--ave not gotten round to taking it straight, but I am considering it finding a way to use it daily (or at least 3x/week) rather than a few times a month.

    There is much information on the internet about the virtues of this saturated fat. I have long abandoned (~10y) the current trend that fat is bad. Fat is my best diet friend. My bald spots are filling-in, my skin texture is finer (had an aquaintance tell me I look so much younger--"what did I do?" I said, "Sleep, Water, few grains & protein-more fats" She said, "No really." like I had a medical procedure or found a magic cream.) I also was having fewer RA episodes. Yet, I had not shed any weight (bounced around 8-12 lbs-but nothing permanent).

    I eat 40-60g of healthy fats daily. My diet had been (for 30y+) primarily whole, organic, local--so there no reason to add that to the Sleep-Water-Fat summation. II have high HDL, lowmid LDL, no blood sugar problems, no medication, no eye glasses at 53y old. So why am here on MFP-->To Lose Weight. And I am doing, while eating fat and not cutting any more kcal than I had been restricting for the last 10y. I am upping my kcal burn daily by ~500kcal, but I am currently loosing pounds at twice the MPF calculated rate--6lbs in 3 wks!

    I being my own experiment ,and I am not quite ready to confidently say I FOUND MY MISSING PIECE to make my body behave logically. If I can loose about 10lbs, then I am going back to my doctor to share what I have been reading and doing. In the meantime I am blogging my experiment on MPF.

    Reading Nourishing Traditions was the book that educated me about the value of fat, even though that is not the specific purpose of this book. The purpose of this book is to understand why the diets of our grandparents or great-grandparents was so good and how to put those traditions into current practice. EXCELLENT BOOK. :happy:

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