Coconut Oil, Ketones, and Medium-Chained Fatty Acids
Since coconut oil consists of medium-chained fatty acids, it provides a host of health benefits. These medium-chained fatty acids/triglycerides (MCTs) differ from the long-chained triglycerides present in many other fatty foods.
One key difference about MCTs is the way your body metabolizes them. Rather than sticking around as excess body fat, your body brings them directly to your liver. Once they arrive at your liver, they transform into either immediate energy or ketones. Since ketones are able to move from the blood and into the brain, they are especially beneficial for your health.
Organic Mu Mu Muesli is a great way to reap the health benefits of coconut daily.
The 3 Transformative Benefits of Coconut Oil
You can find a lot of in-depth information about the health benefits of coconut oil in the posts tagged in the next section. However, let’s jump into a quick list of the top three.
Coconut oil is great for brain health. Due to its special ketones, it may benefit Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and other brain conditions.
People who eat more coconut oil are healthier. In other words, in places around the world where coconut oil is more common, key health benefits are measurable. For example, one reputable study focuses on a population in the South Pacific whose calories come largely from coconuts. The study reveals a group of people with incredibly low rates of heart disease and above-average health. Another study of a different population that also consumes a lot of coconut reports the same findings: healthier, happier people. In the second study, individuals showed an “apparent absence of stroke and ischemic heart disease.”
Finally, coconut oil helps fight obesity and may help you lose weight.Research suggests that people who consume MCTs actually burn more calories than people who do not.
What is the Best Kind of Coconut Oil?
The homemade kind is always the best, of course! Did you know that you can make coconut oil from coconut milk? And it’s a very simple process.
How to Make Coconut Oil
First, use a razor-sharp knife to hack through your coconut. (This should be a mature, brown coconut rather than the “baby” green kind.)
Next, “gut” the coconut. Just like you would a pumpkin when you’re making a Jack-O-Lantern.
Now it’s time to chop, chop, chop. In other words, cut those shards of raw coconut into teeny-tiny pieces.
After that, pour the pieces into a blender or food processor. Add a dash of water, and shred into even smaller bits.
Next, wrap a piece of cloth around a spoonful of the mixture. Squeeze into a glass container of some sort, and make sure to squeeze out all of the liquid. (Much like Lisa does in this video.)
When you’ve squeezed out every last drop, cover and set aside for 20-24 hours. After waiting, you’ll notice that the coconut oil and milk separate. You’ll also see a thickened curd at the top level.
Remove the curd. And behold, your creamy coconut oil awaits!
Have you ever tried making a smoothie bowl with coconut oil? It’s delicious!
In order to learn more about coconut oil, browse the archives list below. You will undoubtedly be inspired to add coconut oil to your clean eating shopping list.
Are you ready to supercharge your health through a whole, natural, organic foods diet? Dubbed the “tree of life” in many cultures, the coconut is definitely one of those foods to add to your “must eat” list. In fact, the health benefits of coconut are truly astounding! It’s an incredibly versatile food, so there are many different ways to work it into your diet. It also has amazing benefits for your skin, hair, and body.
While it’s tempting to try to “play it by ear” and eat whatever vegan foods happen to be available, this isn’t the most sustainable vegan lifestyle choice. This could inadvertently lead to nutritional deficiencies, which are actually quite common in vegans who don’t make a conscious effort to eat a full, well-rounded diet.