When it comes to health in this day and age people are constantly looking for things that will make them feel better, look better or prolong their lives. We are constantly looking for potions and lotions to do just that. In walks coconut oil derived from the oil of the coconut. It is used by many across the world for numerous things. In some parts of the world it has been used for 2,000 years. Before they had electrical lighting, coconut oil was used in India for illumination. It is applauded by many for its wide array of positive benefits and attributes.
Used for various things from food, to medicine and even has industrial use. Coconut oil’s use and popularity has increased steadily from year to year. Though in the past century it has been ostracized by some because of its extremely high saturated fat content. The stigma is slowly being removed because of the fact that coconut oil has so many health benefits. New data and multiple studies are showing that the saturated fat in coconut oil is harmless. After all, not all saturated fat is created equal it depends on the source.
Health officials and even the media over the years have made the claims that saturated fat is the contributing factor of heart disease. But studies have shown people in the Pacific Island who can sometimes get up to 60 percent of their caloric intact from fully saturated coconut oil, have shown nearly non-existent levels of cardiovascular issues.
Rich in lauric acid which your body converts into monolaurin. Monolaurin has antibacterial, antiviral and antimicrobial affects. Coconut oil is very useful in treating or even preventing various infections. Coconut oil is also rich in Capric acid, which has antimicrobial benefits and helps to prevent infections.
Coconut oil comes in two forms, refined and unrefined and they both have their good and bad attributes.
Refined Coconut Oil
It is the most widely used form of coconut oil in the world. It refers to coconut oil that has been bleached and deodorized. It is derived from dried coconut meat called copra. Refined Coconut oil is also sometimes known as RBD Coconut oil which is short for Refined, Bleached, Deodorized. Because of contamination that can occur during the drying process, the oil has to be purified using bleaching clays. Copra can sometimes contain such contaminates as spawns, microbes, fungal spores, and other such things that can be harmful for your health.
First the crude oil is repeatedly filtered to obtain a clean filtrate. Then to remove its odor and flavor, high heat is used to deodorize it. The heat also kills the germs and other contaminates. To prolong its shelf life sodium hydroxide is used as a preservative.
Unrefined Coconut Oil
Unrefined coconut oil is crude coconut oil. It is obtained directly from fresh coconut, not dried, during the oil extraction process. It sometimes goes by other names like Virgin coconut oil, pure coconut oil, organic coconut oil and organic virgin coconut oil. Though refined coconut oil is cleaner and more hygienic, unrefined coconut oil does have its good attributes.
Because of the fact that Unrefined Coconut Oil isn’t exposed to extreme heat, it retains all of its coconut flavor and odor. The elimination of the heating process also makes it more nutritious. It is richer in proteins, vitamins and antioxidants. This makes it an all natural option. There are two methods for processing the fresh coconut meat, quick drying and wet milling.
Quick drying happens to be the most commonly used method. It is a method where the coconut meat is rapidly dried and then the oil is mechanically expressed. The wet milling process is where the coconut milk is expressed from fresh coconut meat and then boiled and the milk fermented. Because of the quickness with this process, it doesn’t need to have the bleach or additives that refined coconut oil has.
The benefits of coconut oil are makes it a candidate to be classified as a “superfood.” It has profoundly positive effects on our health. Though high in saturated fat like we have talked about it isn’t the same as the kind you would find in a T-bone or cheese. Coconut oil contains Medium Chain Triglycerides whereas the foods that contain “bad” saturated fat are long-chained. The fatty acids in coconut oil are metabolized in a completely different way. Because of this, it can have therapeutic effects on brain disorders and is used to help Alzheimer’s patients reduce some of their symptoms.
Though the coconut is considered to be an exotic food to the Western cultures. In other parts of the world it is a dietary staple, like Americans and french fries. These populations that eat coconuts on a daily basis have thrived for centuries with no signs of adverse effects, in particularly heart disease. As stated before coconut oil contains lauric acid. This along with the monolaurin kills harmful viruses and bacteria like Staph, a dangerous pathogen, and also Candida Albicans which is one of the sources of yeast infections in humans.
Another great finding is that the fatty acids in coconut oil are turned into something called ketones. This can lead to reduction in seizures. Coconut oil is also said to improve your good cholesterol which reduces your risk of heart disease.
There are other purposes for coconut oil that doesn’t have to do with eating it. Cosmetically it can improve the health of your dry skin by adding moisture and lipid content. It also is great for hair because it protects it from damage and keeps it from being dry. Coconut oil is also a great sunscreen because it blocks the 20 percent of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. You can also use it in place of mouthwash to kill harmful bacteria in your mouth and to reduce bad breath.
Since coconut oil reduces appetite, increases energy by 5 percent, and increases fat burning it makes sense that it helps in weight loss. In particularly, it is effective in the reduction of abdominal fat, which is the most dangerous fat and found to be associated with many diseases that plague the Western world.
So which one is the best to choose? It will mainly depend on your preference but also sometimes the use. Refined coconut oil has no taste or odor therefore making it perfect for cooking, commercial food manufacturing, industrial use, cosmetics and also pharmaceutical purposes. Unrefined is great for cooking as well if you want to get the full coconut flavor in your food. It’s really up to you and what you need it for.