I heard that coconut oil has some nutrition benefits and decided to get a tub of it at the health food store today. i have a friend who eats it on toast for breakfast, and i am undecided about trying it since it has 120 cals per tablespoon. However, I do not take fish oil or anything so i figured that i could try it in place of my 2% cheese that i have on my toast for breakfast.
does anyone else use/take it? have you seen any benefits?
I've been reading a lot about coconut oil over the last few years. And the claims soundt too good to be true. According to authors of books like The Coconut Oil Miracle, and other proponents, it essentially cures almost everything from obesity to fibromyalgia.
I originally became interested in it, when I heard people swear by it on the fibromyalgia support sites for helping energy and mental clarity. I read some of the books, and have to say that I wanted the claims to be true (especially the ones about fibromyalgia, and it helping with hunger and cravings and raising metabolism).
I was skeptical, and still am skeptical, but about a year ago, I started including more coconut milk in my diet as an experiment (budgeting for the calories) and surprisingly eating a little more fat and calories (with my already lower-carb diet). It didnt seem to be hurting, and I did see (as promised in the books) an increase overall health and in my "good cholesterol" (although weight loss itself, or the low-carb diet could have been the cause). Even though I was eating a little more (and losing a little better) I can't be sure the coconut had any part in that. I was making a lot of health improvements, and being more active could just as easily have been the real cause of my better energy and mental clarity and my being able to eat more and yet lose more.
One thing I did find annoying in one of the books, was the author suggested eating coconut oil WITH fiber and protein - because that's how it comes naturally - in a coconut. Which made me wonder why the books weren't prescribing coconut (the whole food) or at least coconut milk (a healthy and less expensive source of the coconut oil) over Virgin coconut oil (processed, at least in the sense of being seperated from the other components of whole food).
The answer became obvious - in that most of the book authors (who I've read so far) also sell coconut oil and sometimes other coconut products. The authors who sell only coconut oil, only recommend coconut oil. The authors who sell other coconut products, recommend the products they sell. Now, maybe they're selling only the products they've come to believe in, or maybe their beliefs are also being influenced by where they're making their money.
Even so, after a year of positive results with coconut milk, I decided to try coconut butter (ground coconut meat), coconut flour (as a wheat replacement, because I'm allergic to wheat), and coconut oil.
I do not swallow three tablespoons of the coconut oil straight (as many of the books recommended for weight loss). First of all, that's more than my daily fat budget. Secondly, eating something that has a texture of thin Crisco didn't really appeal to me, and thirdly if I'm going to spend my entire fat budget for the day on coconut oil, it's going to do double duty as a substitute for other oils and butter.
I don't spend my entire fat budget on coconut oil or coconut milk. I don't even eat coconut oil or any coconut product every day, but I have to say that I've become a little less skeptical, but the jury is still out. The least expected, but most impressive potential "result" (and I use the word cautiously, because I don't yet have enough proof to be sure this is really true and not coincidence or placebo) has been dramatic improvements to my sugar cravings and between meal hunger.
I started doing more reading including trying to find and understand the effects I seemed to be seeing, and the most logical sounding explanation is that medium-chain fatty acids may be responsible (if the effect is real and not placebo)."
Milk fat is also a medium-chain fatty acid, and (for many years, now) I have noticed that I am less hungry and stay full longer when a meal contains a dairy product (but I have to be careful with dairy, because I'm mildly lactose intolerant). My energy level, mental clarity, and sleep issues also seem better...
but it will be months before I'm certain that the effects are real (or that they don't come with side effects that I'm not willing to tolerate).
I have to say that I am a convert to coconut flour as a replacement for wheat flour. I made a coconut bread, and even though it was more the texture of cornbread or quickbread like nut and fruit bread, it was one of the first edible breads I've had since going wheat-free. It's a high fiber, high-protein flour, and it's tasty without a bitter aftertaste as so many other non-wheat bread flours have. And you don't need three or four different flours to make it.
The coconut butter is awesome - but high-calorie, and a bit inconvenient - it's even worse than natural peanut butter for seperating, and you have to heat it up to melt the coconut oil so you can stir it back into the coconut butter.
You can make your own coconut butter from unsweetened coconut, if you have patience and a high-powered blender or food processor (I don't have either).
Except for coconut milk, and dried, unsweetened coconut the coconut products are expensive.
The coconut butter sells locally for $12 to $16 per pound (so if I get too hooked on it, I'm going to have to buy a high-powered blender).
Coconut flour is about $10 to 12 per pound.
The coconut oil is also around $10 per pound.
Coconut milk I can get for $1.50 for a 16 ounce can
Dried, unsweetened, organic coconut, I can get for a little under $4 per pound.
A whole coconut for about $3.00 (I don't buy whole coconut, because it's a pain to deal with).
As a food, I think coconut and coconut products are great (as long as they're incorporated into a balanced diet - eaten occasionally and with a whole lot of other foods). As a medicine, I'm not sure yet. I have to say that I'm intrigued and encouraged by my own results, but I doubt I'll ever use it daily (unless my continued experiments yeild much more impressive results than I've experienced so far), at least not as my entire fat alottment. I wouldn't want to give up my olive oil, avocado, canola oil, nuts and other healthy fats.
I have to say that I have increased my fat alotment from the 3 teaspoons allowed by most exchange plans (to 8, though I don't use them all most days, especially when my protein is coming from less lean sources). I find that I am far less hungry when fat comprises a little more of my diet. And I've been even more impressed with the hunger and craving supression coconut seems to have (I'll be even more impressed if I still think so six months from now).
So my recommendation would be experiment, but be careful because these are high calorie foods. Even if they do (and it's a big if) increase metabolism slightly you can destroy any advantage if you're not calculating in the calories. So you can replace other fats and foods with coconut, coconut oil, coconut milk, and coconut butter, but keep in mind your calorie, fat, and financial budget.
Our food budget is pretty tight, so coconut oil and coconut butter are going to have to pretty much prove themselves to be actual miracles for me to budget them into my diet as a staple. Coconut milk and coconut flour have won a place, though (but I'm not convinced daily or even weekly use is necessary).
I love coconut oil! I spread 1 tablespoon on a piece of toast a couple of times a week. I need healthy fats in my diet, and I've found that for me, coconut oil is a delicious way to get some in.
I just discovered coconut butter thanks to a "healthy dessert blog". I used it to make peanut butter fudge - comparatively healthier than traditional chocolates/desserts.
I use unrefined coconut oil occasionally in recipes that call for it or where the coconut flavor will be helpful. I don't go out of my way to eat it because like you said, it's calorie dense, and like kaplods, I'm not totally buying the "coconut oil will fix all of your problems" scheme.
I have heard a lot of mixed reviews on Coconut Oil but I especially loved a review of all natural coconut oil I found on one of the blogs I read. The reason I liked it is because it wasn't from a doctor or anyone personally vested in the product. It was someone speaking of their personal experience of using it. From then on I tried it and have also been seeing positive results in all of the aspects I have tried. From my hair, to my skin, to my diet and energy level they have all improved!
I see this post is getting up there in age but I have been doing a bit of research on coconut oil and of course looks like the jury is still out but my husband swears by it takes a tbsp daily and is in great health thus my interest. Though this article doesn't fully support its use it also doesn't fully deign its healthful benefits. here is some good unbiased info I found at my school online library it is from a reputable source and does not sell any products.
Coconut Oil Confuses: Is It an Artery Clogger or an Artery Cleanser?
I thought coconut oil was bad for the
heart, yet I see "organic virgin coconut oil"
promoted as healthful. What's the deal?
A . While coconut oil's effect on health
isn't entirely clear, the truth probably lies
in between health food and artery clogger.
Coconut oil is one ofthe so-called
tropical oils''(along with^palm and palm
kernel oils), which differ from other plant
oils because they're high in saturated
fats. Avid label readers may notice more
tropical oils on ingredient lists these days
as they replace partially hydrogenated
oils. Ironically, sometimes they are
also partially hydrogenated, generating
trans fats the same way other oils do.
Does Coconut Oil Clog Arteries? Coconut
oil is high in saturated fat, which
is what typically relegates it to the "bad"
foods list. But results from both animal and
human studies have yielded mixed results
about its effect on cardiovascular health.
Some research indicates coconut
oil may increase heart disease risk.
But studies of people in Indonesia, the
Philippines and India, where coconuts,
coconut milk, coconut water and coconut
oil are commonly consumed, have
found that coconut consumption does
not correlate with heart disease. Still
other research has found coconut oil
consumption is actually associated with
less cholesterol production in the body,
as well as with fewer oxidized low-density
lipoproteins (ox-LDLs, the really
bad cholesterol) and improved fibrinolysis,
the ability to break up blood clots.
Talk about confusing!
Not All Saturated Fats Equal. The
explanation for the disconnect could be
tied to the fact that the saturated fatty
acids in coconut oil are different than
the ones in animal foods. Almost half
the saturated fat in coconut oil is lauric
acid, a medium-chain fatty acid unlike
the long-chain fats in animal products,
and is handled differently by the body.
Some studies suggest that the way medium-
chain fats are metabolized makes
them less likely to lead to weight gain,
though this is still speculation.
Bottom Line. While the last word
isn't in on coconut oil's role in health, it
appears it doesn't have the same arteryclogging
effect as other saturated fats.
Treat it as a neutral player, sort of like
the stearic acid in dark chocolate.
Our advice? Feel free to indulge in
fresh coconut and the occasional Thai,
Indonesian or Indian dish made with
coconut oil. But if you see partially
hydrogenated coconut oil in an ingredient
list, steer clear, because that means
it surely contains trans fats. Also, be
aware that coconut oil carries the same
calories per tablespoon as any other
oil—about 120.
I use coconut oil instead of olive oil for stir frying etc. It can handle the heat better than olive oil and you really don't need much - like a tsp, rather than a tbsp. It is one of those 'good fats', and calories are not always equal. I would rather have a tbsp of coconut oil over three days (1 tsp x 3) than a single serving bag of potato chips, even if both are 120 calories. I haven't noticed any massive changes to report about, but it is something I feel good about including in my diet.
I have to say that (since my last post) I'm a little less skeptical. The coconut oil (and the coconut oil in coconut milk and coconut butter) really does seem to help control hunger longer than other plant fats, and I do seem to have more energy. My weight loss is also a little bit more consistent, but I don't know whether there's an actual metabolic boost or whether it's just because of the more energy and less hunger.
Glad to hear its working for you as I am doing low carb and not so much watching cals I am not to worried about the fat or cals but I make sure I only use 1 tbsp a day no matter what (so I always get it) I will be going to the doctor in a few months to recheck my cholesterol and such and again when I am maintaining if my cholesterol is still high than I will weed out all sat fats and see what happens but until then Im going to pray its the miracle its been for my husband!
I had very very bad thrush when my daughter was a baby. Nothing cured it. After about 6 months and a dozen trips to the clinic someone suggested I start taking coconut oil and using it as an ointment. The yeast problems were GONE within a week and I felt great!
I've been sold ever since. It's great for your flora, if nothing else . Has antibacterial and antifungal properties.
coconut oil, anyone?
. Has antibacterial and antifungal properties.
