Wonderful Coconut Oil!

December 23rd, 2009 · 11:18 AM

A reader writes: I’ve been reading a lot about coconut oil. Is it really as wonderful as I hear, and should we be eating it, cooking with it, and putting it on our skin and hair?
Coconut oil is a saturated oil with very little omega-3 or-6 oils. This makes it good for cooking—perhaps it is the best oil on the market for cooking. Olive oil is good up to 400 to 450° F, which is the range for most cooking anyway. Coconut oil can be cooked at higher temperatures, before it starts smoking, which is a sign that any oil is now changing into the free radical, oxidized state.
Outside of recommending it for cooking, I think the flavor and aroma are excellent! It is well designed for use in skin, hair, and ingestion. As long as it is not processed, it should be an excellent oil for the body. It is composed mostly of medium-chain fatty acids, which makes it especially good for the intestinal tract and body.
Much of the negative marketing against the ‘tropical oils’ appears to be politically motivated and not based on fact.

Tags: coconut oil, digestion, essential fatty acids, hair care, oil, skin care

5 responses so far ↓

1 Todd // Dec 23, 2009 at 11:38 am

Having tried several different brands, there is a wide variety in taste. Stick to extra virgin and unrefined. I like Wilderness Family Naturals or Radiant Life, but there are other good ones. Too many are processed and refined to the point where they destroy nutrients and taste.
2 Dave, RN // Dec 23, 2009 at 12:43 pm

I get mine from Nutiva. They have it by the 1 gallon bucket for less than $50 and free shipping.
3 Gene Pearce // Dec 23, 2009 at 12:44 pm

I used coconut oil to get rid of candida. I cut my carb intake to less than 50 grams a day and took a tablespoon of coconut oil a day three times a day for two weeks. Candida is gone!
4 charles // Dec 23, 2009 at 9:20 pm

My massage Terapist uses, Fractionated Coconut oil. What is this? Which “fraction” is kept?
5 Sue // Dec 28, 2009 at 10:02 am

We love coconut oil! We use it in cooking in place of shortening (NOT a healthy fat). We also use it on air-popped popcorn to make a tasty treat. It’s a great nighttime moisturizer and eye make-up remover, too! Our favorite brand is Nutiva and we get the 1 gallon bucket through a bulk foods supplier.