Cocont Oil

improvemyself4myhealth
improvemyself4myhealth Posts: 22 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have read about several benefits of coconut oil and I know many many people use it to cook versus other types of oil. But I've heard there are benefits from just drinking it straight. Has anyone tried this? If so, have you noticed any benefits from it?
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Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    drinking it straight is just taking a good thing and stupefying it...just cook with it like a normal person. I use it in lieu of butter for a variety of things. A lot of the "evidence" as to health benefits is anecdotal at best and lot of great marketing...but it's delicious. Keep in mind that while the medium chain saturated fats are touted, about half of the saturated fat from coconut oil is still long chain. There is little actual scientific evidence backing the many anecdotal claims...it's just very trendy at the moment...and like I said, delicious...but I still use it rather sparingly.
  • Keiras_Mom
    Keiras_Mom Posts: 844 Member
    On a ketogenic diet, it's often recommended to have a higher percentage of fat, so some choose to increase their fat by taking a spoonful of CO. It's also touted to have a thermogenic effect, increasing metabolism. I have not found that to be true for me, but others swear by it. I just cook with it sometimes. I also like coconut butter, for another kind of fat, and it's great on baked sweet potatoes.
  • slackerwoman
    slackerwoman Posts: 261 Member
    drinking it straight is just taking a good thing and stupefying it...just cook with it like a normal person. I use it in lieu of butter for a variety of things. A lot of the "evidence" as to health benefits is anecdotal at best and lot of great marketing...but it's delicious. Keep in mind that while the medium chain saturated fats are touted, about half of the saturated fat from coconut oil is still long chain. There is little actual scientific evidence backing the many anecdotal claims...it's just very trendy at the moment...and like I said, delicious...but I still use it rather sparingly.

    I have not really read much about coconut oil. Would you use it instead of olive oil when cooking? Or is olive oil just as good?
  • vienna_h
    vienna_h Posts: 428 Member
    a spoonful of coconut oil, straight up? just thinking about it makes me what to gag... yuck. cook with it, sounds like a better idea.

    or put in your hair :) no health benefits, but your hair will look great!
  • nscarebear
    nscarebear Posts: 29
    bump
  • ContraryMaryMary
    ContraryMaryMary Posts: 1,780 Member
    I have not really read much about coconut oil. Would you use it instead of olive oil when cooking? Or is olive oil just as good?

    Choosing the best oil to cook with depends on what you're cooking - I tend to save my extra virgin olive oil for dressings as it has a relatively low smoke point (191 degrees Celsius) and fry with rice bran oil (254 degrees). Refined coconut oil also has a high smoke point (232 degrees), making it great for frying, while unrefined coconut oil (otherwise known as extra virgin) has a low smoke point (177 degrees).

    And in case you don't know what smoke point means, this from Wiki:

    In cooking, the smoke point of an oil or fat is the temperature at which it begins to break down to glycerol and free fatty acids, and produce bluish smoke. The glycerol is then further broken down to acrolein which is a component of the smoke. It is the presence of the acrolein that causes the smoke to be extremely irritating to the eyes and throat. The smoke point also marks the beginning of both flavor and nutritional degradation. Therefore, it is a key consideration when selecting a fat for frying, with the smoke point of the specific oil dictating its maximum usable temperature and therefore its possible applications. For instance, since deep frying is a very high temperature process, it requires a fat with a high smoke point.
  • A_Healthier_Me2013
    A_Healthier_Me2013 Posts: 227 Member
    I have read about several benefits of coconut oil and I know many many people use it to cook versus other types of oil. But I've heard there are benefits from just drinking it straight. Has anyone tried this? If so, have you noticed any benefits from it?

    why don't you buy just buy coconut milk if you want something you can drink?
  • Howdoyoufeeltoday
    Howdoyoufeeltoday Posts: 481 Member
    I love the stuff. It tastes amazing and I use it wherever I can in food. I put it in stuff I bake and cook....and I also use it for my hair. It's supposed to be good for weight loss(they say it breaks down fats), the skin (eat it and use it to moisturize) and it just makes everything taste tropical and awesome. :) I don't now if id eat it alone, but I hear it's great in a fruit smoothie. a little goes a long way though.
  • Debbiedebbiey
    Debbiedebbiey Posts: 824 Member
    Lookup bulletproof coffee, coconut oil & kerrygold butter are soooo yummy in coffee !! Gives great energy & seems to take away the coffee "jitters", works for me ! Or, look up fat bombs, another yummy treat ! Oh yeah, and keeps my hair soft :wink: ( I do low carb/high fat,btw)
  • TigerBite
    TigerBite Posts: 611 Member
    drinking it straight is just taking a good thing and stupefying it...just cook with it like a normal person. I use it in lieu of butter for a variety of things. A lot of the "evidence" as to health benefits is anecdotal at best and lot of great marketing...but it's delicious. Keep in mind that while the medium chain saturated fats are touted, about half of the saturated fat from coconut oil is still long chain. There is little actual scientific evidence backing the many anecdotal claims...it's just very trendy at the moment...and like I said, delicious...but I still use it rather sparingly.

    I have not really read much about coconut oil. Would you use it instead of olive oil when cooking? Or is olive oil just as good?

    Extra Virgin Olive Oil (which is what most people are buying now, since that's what is being touted as healthy) is HORRIBLE for cooking (2nd and 3rd press have a higher smoke point), heating it destroys the phytochemicals (as does light ... I only buy it in a dark green glass bottle) ... In Italy, they don't cook with it, extra virgin is like a garnish ... drizzled on AFTER cooking or for dipping bread ... Coconut oil is better for high heat applications, like sautéing ... Coconut oil is certainly much healthier than canola oil ...
  • bowbeforethoraxis
    bowbeforethoraxis Posts: 138 Member
    Everything I've read about coconut oil has been anecdotal. I did have a boss that swore by taking a tablespoon every day for better hair and skin, but that was probably more about getting a better amount of healthy fat than anything else.

    I have also done oil pulling (swishing the oil around in your mouth for 10-20 minutes then spitting it out) and haven't noticed any health benefits, but my dentist did say he saw a difference during my cleanings (I told him about it and asked if he could keep track between the cleaning before I started, and the next one where I'd been doing it every day). The difference didn't seem to be major, my teeth didn't get whiter or become amazingly healthy instantly or anything, but I've got crappy teeth (poor genetics) so anything that seems to be slightly helping I latch on to.

    The main thing I liked about the oil pulling was just having something in my mouth for 20 minutes helped with cravings. When I started yearning for an after-dinner dessert or woke up desperate for french toast with mounds of powdered sugar and lemon juice, having to sit and think about swishing the oil around distracted me enough that I could stick to my plan easily.

    Overall, besides substituting coconut oil for butter or making sure you get enough healthy fats every day, I really don't see a point in adding coconut oil to your diet.
  • auntiemsgr8
    auntiemsgr8 Posts: 483 Member
    Does coconut oil actually come in liquid form? I was looking for some the other day and all I found was solid.
  • bowbeforethoraxis
    bowbeforethoraxis Posts: 138 Member
    Does coconut oil actually come in liquid form? I was looking for some the other day and all I found was solid.

    Coconut oil is solid at room temp, becomes a liquid at roughly 80 degrees.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    Does coconut oil actually come in liquid form? I was looking for some the other day and all I found was solid.

    it solidifies at 18C
  • Debbiedebbiey
    Debbiedebbiey Posts: 824 Member
    Antie msgr8, coconut oil does start out solid, but liquefies on its own when it gets warm. In the summer I reach for it, it's liquid, now that it's getting chilly outside, every morning I reach for it, it's a solid.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    It's not a magical unicorn fart, it's an oil. Meaning, it's a fat. It has similar properties as other commonly used fats such as olive oil and butter.

    If chugging spoonfuls of liquid fats fits your daily calorie and macro needs, what the hell, go for it.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    It's not a magical unicorn fart, it's an oil. Meaning, it's a fat. It has similar properties as other commonly used fats such as olive oil and butter.

    If chugging spoonfuls of liquid fats fits your daily calorie and macro needs, what the hell, go for it.

    yep.

    The only difference is it is classed as an MCT (which means the majority of it is medium chain triglyceride not all of it) so it gets metabolised a bit quicker. Contrary to popular belief in the intermittent fasting world, that doesn't mean you can chug loads of it and just not worry about it.
  • TigerBite
    TigerBite Posts: 611 Member
    It's not a magical unicorn fart, it's an oil. Meaning, it's a fat. It has similar properties as other commonly used fats such as olive oil and butter.

    If chugging spoonfuls of liquid fats fits your daily calorie and macro needs, what the hell, go for it.

    yep.

    The only difference is it is classed as an MCT (which means the majority of it is medium chain triglyceride not all of it) so it gets metabolised a bit quicker. Contrary to popular belief in the intermittent fasting world, that doesn't mean you can chug loads of it and just not worry about it.

    Sheep's milk is and the cheeses made from it are high in MTCs (CLA) ... I personally, much prefer eating yummy cheese (that's also more nutritious ... loads of calcium among other things) than an isolated, somewhat tasteless oil ...
  • improvemyself4myhealth
    improvemyself4myhealth Posts: 22 Member
    a spoonful of coconut oil, straight up? just thinking about it makes me what to gag... yuck. cook with it, sounds like a better idea.

    or put in your hair :) no health benefits, but your hair will look great!

    Yes, drinking it in liquid form does not sound appetizing, but I guess I am looking at it from a different view other than my health and diet. You mentioned, hair and that is actually what I am wondering about. I have really bad scalp psoriasis and am already using it topically. I am just wondering if I would get an added benefit from taking about a tbsp. shot once a day.
  • jellybeanhed313
    jellybeanhed313 Posts: 344 Member
    I love coconut oil. I introduced it to my diet about 2 years ago. I use it as a cooking oil, on skin and hair, in my coffee and to make "coco crack" which is melted coconut oil, cocoa powder and sweetener of your choice frozen to make "chocolate". I like it and I follow a mostly low carb/high fat diet.
    I notice it gives me energy in the morning and it taste wonderful on steak, salmon, tilapia, green beans, shrimp. If you are using it, I would stick with the unrefined raw vigin coconut oil. I don't think the refined high heat version has the same "benefits".
    Eggs however- do not taste so good cooked in it. :)
  • improvemyself4myhealth
    improvemyself4myhealth Posts: 22 Member
    I love coconut oil. I introduced it to my diet about 2 years ago. I use it as a cooking oil, on skin and hair, in my coffee and to make "coco crack" which is melted coconut oil, cocoa powder and sweetener of your choice frozen to make "chocolate". I like it and I follow a mostly low carb/high fat diet.
    I notice it gives me energy in the morning and it taste wonderful on steak, salmon, tilapia, green beans, shrimp. If you are using it, I would stick with the unrefined raw vigin coconut oil. I don't think the refined high heat version has the same "benefits".
    Eggs however- do not taste so good cooked in it. :)

    I just recently started using it. I can't say I have or haven't noticed a difference yet, except when I apply it topically to my scalp. It has shown a major improvement. I have tried using the coconut oil to cook my chicken in and it is fantastic! Maybe I will try it with shrimp next. Thanks for the suggestions.
  • sarah456s
    sarah456s Posts: 98 Member
    Does coconut oil actually come in liquid form? I was looking for some the other day and all I found was solid.

    It depends where you live. In my kitchen, coconut oil is liquid 11 months of the year. It's just started getting a few wisps of white color in it, from being a totally clear liquid all summer.

    I cook with it, or put it in my hair. I don't think I'd like to drink it, and I think I get enough fat in my diet anyway that there's no need to add extra.
  • stpetegirl
    stpetegirl Posts: 241
    I use it to cook for my family. I have recently gone raw vegan, I will put a half tablespoon in my morning smoothie if I'm out of coconut butter. It's supposed to be great for the skin, and is supposed to help make you feel full longer. I also have a friend that actually puts a tablespoon in her morning coffee along with cream and swears by it!
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    Grew up in the Pacific. Coconut oil is commonly used. It's not any more magical or special than other good fats like evoo etc. It's definitely the latest fad in the western world.
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
    Coconut oil is better for high heat applications, like sautéing ... Coconut oil is certainly much healthier than canola oil ...
    Says who?
    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/coconut-oil-and-health

    For an omega 3/6 balance, and a higher smoke point, it's hard to beat canola oil. Don't believe the hype.
  • PositiveBody
    PositiveBody Posts: 43 Member
    I have followed the evolution of coconut oil and it's uses over the last 10 years and use it on my skin as a moisturizer and protectant and also, consume 2 tablespoons daily (in cooking mostly) for brain health (alzheimers prevention). If you are interested in learning more about alzheimers prevention, just g@@gle Dr. Mary Newport, she is an amazing physician whose husband suffered from the disease. If anyone wants to discuss this wonderful tropical oil, please just message me.
  • amazon62goddess
    amazon62goddess Posts: 17 Member
    I add 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil to my coffee or latte in the morning. It has helped greatly improve my digestion and my skin condition (at least to me!). It has benefits to brain and organs to keep them functioning nicely. I also use it as a moisturizer (it has so many uses!). I use it to cook foods: works well to replace things like vegetable oil in your cooking or baking. I rub it on typical dry areas such as elbows, lips, and heels...they're smooth as a baby now!

    To get maximum benefits from coconut oil, you should use organic, extra virgin, cold-pressed variety! Good luck!
  • PennyM140
    PennyM140 Posts: 423 Member
    Dont know about drinking it straight up. I wouldn't. But then I was stupid enough to try "oil pulling" because I saw a facebook post about it.
    Oil pulling is basically using oil like mouth wash, swishing it between your teeth. To whiten them and kill bacteria.
    It was disgusting, I fought gagging the whole time.
    I'll just stick with my listerine :)
  • jayrudq
    jayrudq Posts: 475 Member
    My husband eats a T or 2 of it everyday, as well as cooks with it and uses it topically. He loves it, says it has improved his skin, nails, and hair. He also believes the swishing he does with it in his mouth has improved his gums. He is 58 years old, very pumped, plays baseball two to three times a week all summer and through the fall (has three games this weekend - burrrrrrrr). And he is the pitcher (a very physically demanding position). By all of this, he is very healthy and fit.

    I do believe that improvements in our hair and especially our skin do come from within. I don't find it disgusting at all, I just prefer to get me calories other ways.
  • Bebubble
    Bebubble Posts: 938 Member
    I have not really read much about coconut oil. Would you use it instead of olive oil when cooking? Or is olive oil just as good?

    Choosing the best oil to cook with depends on what you're cooking - I tend to save my extra virgin olive oil for dressings as it has a relatively low smoke point (191 degrees Celsius) and fry with rice bran oil (254 degrees). Refined coconut oil also has a high smoke point (232 degrees), making it great for frying, while unrefined coconut oil (otherwise known as extra virgin) has a low smoke point (177 degrees).

    And in case you don't know what smoke point means, this from Wiki:

    In cooking, the smoke point of an oil or fat is the temperature at which it begins to break down to glycerol and free fatty acids, and produce bluish smoke. The glycerol is then further broken down to acrolein which is a component of the smoke. It is the presence of the acrolein that causes the smoke to be extremely irritating to the eyes and throat. The smoke point also marks the beginning of both flavor and nutritional degradation. Therefore, it is a key consideration when selecting a fat for frying, with the smoke point of the specific oil dictating its maximum usable temperature and therefore its possible applications. For instance, since deep frying is a very high temperature process, it requires a fat with a high smoke point.

    I have worked in many kitchens-when the oil starts to smoke. You get ready for the fire.

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