I looooooooooove when I find food that tastes like a treat, and is super fantastic for your health. Coconut is one of those foods! Woohoo! Plus doesn't this picture just conjure up memories of being on a relaxed vacation in the Carribbean? Ahhhhh, sweet. And we do tend to think of coconut as very sweet due to the highly sugar-fied version that we buy at the grocery store. But really, natural coconut has a mildly sweet and nutty flavour. So let's hit it, how is coconut so good for us? Let me count the ways....

1. youthful skin and hair; helps with skin problems like psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema
2. stress relief
3. maintaining cholesterol levels
4. weight release
5. strengthen immune system; antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant
6. supports digestion
7. supports metabolism and thyroid
8. relief from kidney problems
9. reduces high blood pressure and supports heart health
10. helps manage blood sugar, good for diabetics
11. dental care
12. bone strength

In my books that qualifies as a SuperFood!

So what are the sources of coconut, and how does coconut do all that?

• Coconut oil is a "medium chain fatty acid" (MCFA) and so while it is highly saturated, it differs from the saturated fat from an animal source. Your body will process it more like a carbohydrate than a fat, used as a quick energy source rather than being stored as body fat. So in fact, you can eat more coconut oil fat than other fats, and give a boost to your thyroid and metabolic rate overall.
• Coconut oil and coconut milk contain lauric acid, capric acid, and caprylic acid which gives it properties that are antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant. Killing off stomach bacteria, it helps boost your immune system.
• Coconut milk contains a wide range of vitamins and minerals, especially calcium, potassium, chloride, Vit A and E. This makes it excellent for reducing blood pressure, regulating blood sugar, and improving bone and dental health. A dairy free option to milk products!
• Use coconut oil topically for a great skin soothing moisturizer, helping prevent sagging and wrinkles
• Coconut flour is a great alternative to glutenous flours, containing loads of fibre and even a source of protein, making it a great choice for those seeking to release excess weight. It's ideal for baking!
• Coconut sugar is a fantastic alternative to regular sugar, as it has a low GI (35 - meaning, it doesn't affect your blood sugar negatively), making it an ideal choice for hypoglycemics and those seeking to manage their weight and energy levels. It is full of essential minerals as well!
• Coconut water is a natural isotonic beverage. Think of it as a natural Gatorade! It has the same electroytic balance as our own blood. This makes it a great post-workout choice to replenish all those electrolytes you sweated out! AND, it can help raise your metabolism, promote weight release, boost your immune system, detoxify and fight viruses, cleanse the digestive tract, etc!

So, given all of that, how could a food so good for you have gotten such a bad reputation? Well, I already address the concern about it being a saturated fat (first bullet above, re: Med-chain fatty acid). The other concerns that have been raised about coconut oil come mainly from some flawed studies that were done over four decades ago, that were based on HYDROGENATED coconut oils.

Hydrogenated oils of any sort are TRANS-FATTY ACIDS. You know those "trans-fats" that are literally poison to your cells? It doesn't matter if the oil is olive oil, flax oil, vegetable oils... no matter the oil, if it's hydrogenated, it's a trans-fat, which means their original molecular composition has been altered in such a way that they mimic and replace natural essential fats that make up your cellular membranes, causing them to close off their receptivity to vitamins and minerals while trapping in cellular wastes and toxins. Hydrogenated oils from any source are one of the most harmful substances for your health in all ways, and should be avoided. The studies done so many years ago that found coconut oil to be deemed dangerous for your health were actually based on studies of hydrogenated coconut oil. This is not a fair representation of the effects of non-hydrogenated virgin or extra-virgin coconut oil.

Convinced yet? OK one more plug: It's soooo yummy!

Here's some ways to use coconut products everyday:

• use it for stir frying or frying anything on the stove top
• use it in place of butter in all your baking
• use coconut spread on toast
• put a tbsp in your smoothies, or use coconut milk as a base for your smoothies
• ditch the nasty microwave popcorn. Go old school, and believe me, it only takes about 5 minutes to make popcorn on the stove: Use 1 tbsp coconut oil, let it heat up and melt, and then add 3 Tbsp organic popcorn kernals, put the cover on the pot, and shake-a-shake Jiffy-pop style until you don't hear any more poppin' goin' on. Sprinkle with sea salt, cinnamon, or brewer's yeast (for a great vegetarian source of B12 with a somewhat "cheese-like" flavour).
• get one-serving tetrapacks of coconut water (make sure it's chilled, much tastier that way) and drink after your workouts
• use coconut milk to make a curry-dish
• bake with coconut flour and coconut sugar

And here's a recipe for a Coconutty Apple Crisp you can make for your holiday dinner get togethers!

Enjoy! Muah!

References
Dr Mercola
WebMD
OrganicFacts
HealthMad
Shirley's Wellness Cafe
The Nourishing Gourmet