Unrefined Virgin Coconut Oil!

With so many type of oils out there how are we supposed to decipher the good oil from the bad? Well, First off, eliminate vegetable oils high in polyunsaturated fatty acids and Omega-6. These are the types of oils that are not good for you. For example: vegetable oil, corn oil, peanut oil, soybean oil , grape seed oil, cottonseed oil, safflower and sunflower oil.

Learning to eat Paleo you pick up on a few things, like how good fats don’t actually make you fat and are actually healthy.  Paleo eaters rely heavily on consuming good fats, it’s our main source of energy. Our bodies are said to be designed to run primarily on fat as a source of energy. Coconut oil is an edible oil, like olive oil that is extracted from the meat of coconuts. The oil is made up of around 90% saturated fat, 6% monounsaturated fat, and 3% polyunsaturated fat which allows it to stay stable under high heat.  This is also why it is great to cook with.

Using coconut oil for cooking is becoming more and more popular. I actually began using unrefined virgin coconut oil in my cooking long before I made the jump to a Paleo lifestyle.  When I began eating Paleo I quickly learned that although you can consume olive oil at room temperature, for example, drizzled over a salad, you are not supposed to cook your food with it.  Since I used olive oil in many of the dishes I prepared,  I began supplementing the coconut oil in it's place and opening up many more possibilities for cooking with it.  The difference from most oils you are probably used to cooking with is that coconut oil is solid at room temperature. I use this oil now for most of my stove top cooking.  It is great for sauteing vegetables and frying eggs.  It will leave a great subtle coconut flavor and smell that is not overpowering to your dishes.  I also use it in some of my grain free baking.

Using coconut oil in your cooking can also positively affect your health. Here are just a few examples of how:

• Boosts your metabolism 
• Aids with weight loss.
• Increases your digestion 
• Helps you absorb fat-soluble vitamins.
• Improves your heart health 
• Supports your immune system.
• Positively affects your hormones for thyroid and blood-sugar control. 
• Promotes healing & tissue repair.
• Helps protect against kidney disease and bladder infections.

Coconut oil also has many other uses outside the kitchen check out these 160 uses for coconut oil.

If you are unsure or curious I encourage you to buy a jar and substitute it in a few of your recipes   You may just be pleasantly surprised.  There are many brands of coconut oil on the market.  I tend to buy the brand Spectrum that's pictured above on the left.  It is reasonably priced and has worked well for me for many different uses.

Would you cook with coconut oil?