Coconut oil

What is it, where does it come from and why the big fuss? Lucy Stephens,clinical psychoneuroimmunologist, medical herbalist and nutritionist,gives us the lowdown on coconut oil.

Coconut oil is extracted from the meaty part of the coconut.  It is high in saturated fat, which despite what you may have read, does not cause high cholesterol, obesity or heart disease!  Coconut oil in fact doesn’t even contain cholesterol.  However not all saturated fats are created equal.  Man-made fats found in processed foods are artificially manipulated saturated fats, and these are not the same as the fats found in nature that we’ve been eating for millennia.

Coconut oil is one of my favourite fats to include in our diets as it has a ton of health benefits, just a few include: heart health, promoting weight loss and boosting metabolism, supporting the immune system and thyroid, and giving you energy.  The reason for all of these benefits is mainly to do with the fact that coconut oil is a rich source of medium-chain fatty acids.  This is simply the structure of the fat contained in coconut oil, but the big benefit is due to the fact that medium-chain fats are easily absorbed without needing your digestive system to be working well.  Once in the body they are converted straight to useable energy in the liver, and this can be used instead of needing glucose from carbohydrates.  So although medium-chain fatty acids give energy as quickly as carbohydrates do, we don’t activate our insulin system, so we don’t have a blood sugar spike.

Lauric acid (a type of medium-chain fatty acid) is found in very high quantities in coconut oil, which when converted in the body becomes a powerful anti-viral.  This is why coconut oil is a great boost for the immune system when you’re sick.  Our heart and muscles and even our brain work really well by using fat.  For pregnant women, those with poor digestion or those who are really unwell, coconut oil is a vital fat.

The only two oils that I use at home are coconut oil and olive oil.  I usually start the day with a ‘bulletproof matcha’!  This is basically ½ tsp of matcha (powdered green tea) with a teaspoon of coconut oil.  This alongside a protein powder and green smoothie gives me all the energy I need.  Another great use for coconut oil is to use it for roasting veggies.  Coconut oil is usually hard at room temperature (apart from in a heatwave!), so I put a tablespoon on a baking tray and pop it in the oven for a couple of minutes to melt.  Then try cutting a sweet potato into rounds and laying it on the tray with melted coconut oil and roast.  Or just mix it into mixed veg and roast.  You can also use it in your baking instead of butter.  It is the best oil to cook with as it is the most stable when heated, so it doesn’t oxidise and create nasties that your body has to deal with.

Other uses for coconut oil are as a moisturiser for your skin, or as an after-sun oil.  You can also rinse your mouth with coconut oil as it’s great for your teeth and gums due to the fact that it’s antibacterial – have a look at oil pulling and see what you think.  Basically coconut oil is a must-have for your food cupboard and your medicine chest!