The Nourished Life: Coconut Oil

Showing posts with label Coconut Oil. Show all posts

Key Lime Whipped Coconut Oil Body Butter Recipe

This whipped coconut oil recipe is the perfect moisturizer for summertime (or when you wish it was summertime!). Key lime pie is one of my favorite desserts, so it comes as no surprise that I rather enjoy smelling like key lime pie in the mornings after applying this whipped moisturizer. The sweet, tangy combination of lime and lemon essential oils brightens my mood, lifts my spirits, and makes me dream of lying in the sun on a tropical beach somewhere--even if it's below freezing outside!

A New and Improved Whipped Coconut Oil Recipe

My key lime coconut oil recipe contains a few extra ingredients that weren't in my original whipped coconut oil body butter recipe. One is a small amount of liquid oil, such as olive oil or castor oil. (I recommend a low-PUFA oil because vegetable oils aren't your friend--either in your body or on your skin). Another is aloe vera gel, which is soothing to the skin, and great for treating acne, wrinkles and scars. Both the liquid oil and the aloe vera gel keep the coconut oil on the softer side (even in frigid temperatures).

The lemon and lime essential oils not only give this whipped moisturizer its tantalizingly indulgent aroma, but they have beneficial properties as well. Both citrus oils have antiseptic, antiviral, antibacterial, disinfectant, and astringent properties. I notice they combine well with the moisturizing properties of coconut oil, and tend to keep it from feeling excessively greasy--a common complaint about using coconut oil as a moisturizer. The skin on my face absolutely glows after using this combination!

I'm quite impressed with the results, and am secretly pleased that this coconut oil recipe easily outperforms an expensive facial cream I tried recently. Just imagine: a facial moisturizer that contains only food-based ingredients and costs pennies on the dollar compared to department store creams. What's not to love?

Key Lime Whipped Coconut Oil Body Butter Recipe

Ingredients
(Makes About 1 Cup of Whipped Coconut Oil)

1/2 cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon olive oil (or try castor or macadamia nut oil)
2 tablespoons aloe vera gel
20 drops lime essential oil
20 drops lemon essential oil

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl. Note: Do not melt the coconut oil first. It will only whip up if it's solid.

2. Mix with an electric mixer on high speed with a wire whisk attachment for 3-7 minutes or until whipped into a light, airy consistency. (After 3 minutes, check back every minute or so until it reaches the right consistency.)

3. Spoon the whipped coconut oil body butter into a glass jar and cover tightly. Store at room temperature, or in the refrigerator if your house is so warm it melts the oil.

Tip: An electric hand mixer will work, but my KitchenAid stand mixer did the job quickly and easily with little effort on my part (love it!). A blender or food processor will not work with this coconut oil recipe, because they tend to warm the oil too much and prevent it from whipping up. If your coconut oil is too soft to whip, try putting the bowl in the freezer for a few minutes before mixing.

Need a high quality source for coconut oil, olive oil and other real food ingredients? Check out my Resources page to find these products online from companies we trust.

Have you made this whipped coconut oil recipe? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Do you love coconut oil? You might enjoy these posts:

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The Ultimate 33 Nourishing eBook Bundle for 92% Off

How many eBooks can you buy for $39? Most of the time, not even one! I'm all for learning more about living a healthy, nourished life, but a girl's gotta have a budget (at least this one does). So in general, I pass up eBook offers (even if I think it's work the money) because, well, it's just not in the budget!

If you're like me, then you only spring for the wallet if it's a really good deal. And I mean a really good deal. So if you've been waiting around for the ultimate health and wellness eBook sale, you'll be happy to hear the wait is finally over.

Seriously. You can now get 33 popular real food and wellness eBooks for only $39.

This is pennies-on-the-dollar good. We're talking 92% off. All of these books normally retail for $479! So if you're looking for a good sale, you just found it.

Do you want to learn...

how cook grain-free meals the whole family will love?
the top paleo diet myths?
how to stoke your metabolic fire?
everything you need to know to cook with coconut oil?
how to cook indulgent, gluten-free treats?
what your baby needs to be healthy and nourished?
how to make all your skincare products at home?
how to stock your pantry with economical, nourishing food?
how to heal your acne from the inside out?

Then you don't need one eBook: you need 33 eBooks for the price of one! And this week, that's actually possible.

Here's what you'll get in the bundle:

Whew. That's my kind of bundle! If you want to avoid paying retail, then you can purchase all 33 of these incredible eBooks for $39 between now and January 14th at 11:59pm EST.

Then you'll have all 33 eBooks instantly available for download so you can start reading right away. How cool is that?

Click below to buy now or you can click here to learn more!

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Refined vs. Unrefined Coconut Oil: 3 Reasons I Use Refined Coconut Oil

One of the biggest misconceptions I see in the health world is that unrefined automatically equals better. This isn't always the case, especially with coconut oil. The refined vs. unrefined coconut oil debate has raged on for decades, with unrefined coconut oil usually winning the battle. However, I choose refined coconut oil every time and here are three reasons why:

3 Reasons I Use Refined Coconut Oil

1. It's All in the Fat

Coconut oil's benefits are due to one important factor: its fatty acid composition. Coconut oil contains a high concentration of medium-chain saturated fatty acids like lauric acid. These fight inflammation caused by unstable polyunsaturated fatty acids, are easily digested, and put up one powerful fight against pathogens like bacteria, viruses and fungal infections.

So here's the question: does unrefined coconut oil have a better fatty acid composition than refined coconut oil? The answer is no. They are essentially the same. So if you're looking for the benefits of coconut oil's fatty acids, you'll still find them in the refined oil.

2. The Taste is More Practical

Don't get me wrong: I really dig the occasional coconut macaroon or coconut cream pudding. But I don't want coconut flavor invading my scrambled eggs, fresh popcorn or homemade chicken broth. And neither does the rest of my family. We tend to eat more coconut oil when it's refined and flavorless, because it's so much easier to blend into any kind of dish.

If you love coconut-flavored anything, then this probably isn't a big deal. But if you're like me, refined coconut oil simply fits into your life more seamlessly.

3. It's Better for Sensitive Digestion and Allergies

Digestive issues and allergies are some of the most common health problems invading our society today. For this reason, unrefined coconut oil can be irritating to sensitive individuals, because it contains a lot of potentially allergenic compounds. In refined oil, these have been completely removed, which is why it is odorless and flavorless.

If someone tells me they have stomach pains after eating a very small amount of coconut oil, I always ask if it was refined or unrefined. Chances are, they answer unrefined. Usually switching to a quality refined oil eliminates this problem.

More Tips on Buying and Eating Coconut Oil:

It's still a good idea to buy high quality coconut oil. Quality sources make sure their coconut oil is clean, pure and uncontaminated. Click here to find my favorite source of refined, expeller-pressed coconut oil.
If you are new to coconut oil, start with less than a teaspoon per day and then slowly add more as desired. This can help with digestion and also prevents any possible reaction that your system might have to coconut oil's strong antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties.

Read More About Coconut Oil:

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Homemade Whipped Coconut Oil Body Butter Recipe

Does your moisturizer make you nervous? Let me guess: it's either filled with questionable ingredients or wildly expensive. Or both. Like you, I've been seeking a natural alternative to those bottles of creamy (but chemical-laden) conventional lotions. It hasn't been easy. Coconut oil has always been a top contender, but it wasn't until I tried a new coconut oil body butter recipe that I finally found my personal holy grail moisturizer.

Whip It: The Secret to Moisturizing with Coconut Oil

I've been having an on again, off again love affair with coconut oil as a moisturizer for a few years now. I love that it's pure, natural and even inexpensive. But we don't always get along, and in the winter things get hard. Literally. I practically need a jackhammer to get enough coconut oil out of the jar to moisturize my dry winter skin. This is a serious problem, because I'm a big fan of convenience, and wrestling with a jar of coconut oil isn't exactly my cup of tea in the wee hours of the morning.

Heating the jar to melt the oil never worked for me, either, because I chronically forgot to do it! So most of the time I'd end up digging it out with my fingernails, or I'd just give up and go back to my old lotion stand-by. But deep down I felt there was a way to work things out. Coconut oil and I were meant to moisturize together. I just needed to figure out the how.

One day I ran across a recipe for whipped shea butter, and this got me thinking: can you whip coconut oil? Well, by golly, I had a brand new KitchenAid mixer sitting on my counter (my husband sure knows how to melt a girl's heart on Christmas!) and five gallons of coconut oil sitting in my pantry. Why not give this coconut oil recipe a go?

The result was a superbly light and fluffy moisturizer that far exceeded my expectations. With a jar of this on hand, I doubt I will ever be tempted to fool around with expensive store bought lotions ever again.

Want to try it out? Here's how you whip coconut oil:

Whipped Coconut Oil Body Butter Recipe

I love that this coconut oil recipe only requires one (yes, one!) ingredient. Anything else is completely optional. It also only takes a few measly minutes, and you'll have enough whipped body butter to last at least a month or two. In fact, if you get carried away, put some in an attractive jar and it makes a great gift! It feels sinfully luxurious as a moisturizer, and yet an entire jar of it costs less than $2 to make.

What you need:

1 cup coconut oil

1 teaspoon vitamin E oil (optional)

a few drops of your favorite essential oils for fragrance (optional)\

What to do:

1. Put all ingredients into a mixing bowl. Note: Do not melt the coconut oil first. It will only whip up if it's solid.

2. Mix on high speed with a wire whisk for 6-7 minutes or until whipped into a light, airy consistency.

3. Spoon the whipped coconut oil body butter into a glass jar and cover tightly. Store at room temperature, or in the refrigerator if your house is so warm it melts the oil.

Tip: An electric hand mixer will work, but my KitchenAid stand mixer did an amazing job and I was able to get other work done while it was mixing away. A blender or food processor will not work with this coconut oil recipe, because they tend to warm the oil too much and prevent it from whipping up.

Note: Your whipped coconut oil should stay relatively soft, even at colder temperatures. If it's really cold, it will become a little more solid, but not rock hard like it normally does. I noticed mine beaded into a froth of tiny coconut oil pearls that melt right into my skin. Love it!

Looking for high quality coconut oil at an affordable price? Check out the marketplace!

Have you made this whipped coconut oil recipe? Do you have your own coconut oil recipes to share? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Do you love coconut oil? You might enjoy these posts:

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Coconut Oil for Acne

Coconut oil for acne was at the top of my list of posts to write about getting clear skin. While I don't agree with outright food worship, I have to admit that coconut oil deserves a lot of the attention it gets. When it comes to promoting clear, healthy skin, coconut oil is definitely just what the doctor (dermatologist?) should be ordering. You can use coconut oil for acne in two primary ways:

How to Use Coconut Oil for Acne

1. In Your Body

Coconut oil is brimming with medium chain fatty acids like lauric acid and caprylic acid which are metabolized into potent antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal agents in the body. These work to fight some of the underlying causes of acne such as candida overgrowth, autoimmunity and inflammation.

The Coconut Oil Miracle (Previously published as The Healing Miracle of Coconut Oil)

Recently I've been considering the times I've had exceptionally clear skin during the past few years, and one factor that keeps popping up is that whenever I had really clear skin I was also eating a lot of coconut oil at the time. I'm still not sure whether or not eating more coconut oil is a determining factor in my acne, but it's certainly worth experimenting with.

And so I've renewed my commitment to eat at least three tablespoons of coconut oil every day, the minimum amount recommended by Bruce Fife in The Coconut Oil Miracle, as well as Mary Enig and Sally Fallon in Eat Fat, Lose Fat.

2. On Your Body

I know what you're thinking: Coconut oil on your skin? Won't it make you break out?!? ...At one point in time I too was terrified of putting anything oily on my skin. Using coconut oil for acne sounded ludicrous.

I figured that acne is caused by oil so the best thing to do is kill it with dryness. Well, you know what's worse than acne? Acne and dry skin at the same time! (And let me tell you it's no picnic trying to apply makeup to dry, flaky skin.)

The Truth About Beauty: Transform Your Looks And Your Life From The Inside Out

My exploration in the world of real food and natural living led me to realize that oil is not your skin's enemy. After reading what Kat James had to say in her book The Truth About Beauty, I was struck by the realization that I had been stripping my skin of everything it needed to protect and replenish itself. I was punishing my skin for having acne, and it was most definitely backfiring on me.

So I've tried to use gentler methods for cleansing, toning and moisturizing my face. Coconut oil is a regular part of my regimen. And believe me, my skin is oh so grateful.

Why is coconut oil good for your skin? The same antibacterial and antifungal properties in coconut oil that work wonders in your body can do the same on your skin as well. It is far more gentle than chemical antibacterial agents and yet surprisingly effective for many people. Because it consists primarily of short and medium chain fatty acids, coconut oil is also absorbed easily through the skin and provides moisture without leaving your skin feeling greasy.

Tip: If you are left feeling like an oil slick after applying coconut oil, consider scaling back on the amount you use. A very small amount goes a long way. I get much better results working a small amount into my skin rather than slathering it on too liberally.

There is always a jar of coconut oil in my bathroom now (I use it for oil pulling too). I don't personally use it on my face every single day, but whenever my skin feels the need, I reach for my jar of coconut oil without hesitation. It has yet to produce anything but positive benefits for my skin.

For a trustworthy source of high quality coconut oil, check out the marketplace!

Do you use coconut oil for acne? How has it benefited your body and your skin? Share your thoughts and tips below in the comments!

This post is part of Fight Back Friday and Real Food Wednesday.

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Book of the Month Review: The Coconut Oil Miracle by Bruce Fife

It's time to go coconuts here at The Nourished Life. I confess: as I've read through The Coconut Oil Miracle this month, my kitchen has taken on a more tropical theme (at least as far as our meals are concerned). Coconut flour, coconut cream concentrate, coconut milk and dried coconut have all made their way into my pantry and my cooking. Why? Because Fife's book is quite convincing about the healing properties of coconut oil!

The Coconut Oil Miracle starts off explaining why coconut oil and other traditional fats have a tainted reputation. I applaud Fife for managing to set the record straight in one short, sweet chapter. He then moves on to possibly one of the most informative pieces I've ever read on the structure of fats. I'm no biologist, and I know most of you aren't either. And I don't want to spend an unearthly amount of hours trying to decipher the differences between all the fatty acids. Well, thanks to this book I don't have to. The explanation was swift and to the point, visually helpful without getting too long-winded. These two chapters along with the next one about the true causes of heart disease alone are worth the cost of the book, in my opinion.

And then comes the coconut oil. Its abilities are no less than astonishing, and yet coconut oil remains a relatively undiscovered gem in the medical community (who seems to have its communal head so far up its... er, textbook... that it refuses to acknowledge the healing power of traditional foods). I can't compete with Fife's elucidation on the benefits of coconut oil, but I can give you a basic summary:

The unique fatty acids in coconut oil (medium chain triglycerides) are antimicrobial, antiviral, and antifungal. That means that it takes one heck of a burden off the immune system when it comes to fighting pesky fiends like bacterial infections, candida, the common cold and even HIV. That's why doing a coconut oil detox is so effective.

Fife also praises coconut oil's ability to burn off excess fat because of it has been shown to heighten metabolic activity. He acknowledges that diets have a habit of not working, and that coconut oil can help combat the typical metabolic slow-down that accompanies weight loss plans. He also warns of the anti-metabolic effects of vegetables oils and suggests that for many people just switching over to coconut oil can be enough to stimulate weight loss. (Read more about coconut oil and metabolism here.)

Coconut oil also makes for luminous skin and hair. Used externally as well as internally, it improves the natural balance of the skin and can be used by those with dandruff, dry skin, skin irritations and even acne (for real).

Fife emphasizes that the medium chain fatty acids found most abundantly in coconut oil are also one of the most important fats in breastmilk, and that a nursing mother who regularly consumes these fats will have a higher concentration in her breastmilk (and thus her baby will receive more of these beneficial fatty acids). So, all you moms out there enjoy a little coconut oil fudge now and then, okay?

According to The Coconut Oil Miracle, this tropical fat is also great for the liver, bone health, digestive health, and thyroid function. It's shown benefits for chronic fatigue syndrome, psoriasis, cancer, stomach ulcers, diabetes and epileptic seizures. I could go on, but I fear my fingers may cramp up if I attempt to list all the benefits associated with coconut oil!

How Much Coconut Oil Do We Need?

Fife recommends 3 1/2 tablespoons of coconut oil per day. He distinguishes the important differences between commonly refined coconut oil and virgin coconut oil, and also adds that you can get the same beneficial fats from coconut milk and coconut meat (dried or fresh) as well.

To finish up, I'll quote Fife from page 88:

"In my opinion, the coconut is one of God's greatest health foods and, when consumed as a part of your regular diet, can protect you against a host of infectious illnesses. Eating coconuts and coconut oil can provide you with some degree of protection from a wide variety of disease-causing organisms."

Buy The Coconut Oil Miracle by Bruce Fife today.

Or buy high quality coconut oil from a trusted source here.

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Experiments with Coconut Cream Concentrate

Since I've been reading The Coconut Oil Miracle this month, it's had me thinking about new ways to get more coconut fat into my diet. I haven't had the pleasure of experimenting much with coconut milk because, well, quality coconut milk is hard to find. Half the stuff you run across will usually be "lite" coconut milk (who wants to give up those amazing coconut fats?!?), filled with additives or in a can. Frankly I'm not into any of those options. But I still wanted to find something akin to coconut milk to experiment with. Enter coconut cream concentrate.

I recently was invited to sample coconut cream concentrate from this site. Additives aren't my thing, so I liked the idea of pure coconut milk in concentrate form. The texture is smooth and the taste is fresh with a hint of sweetness. Plus it gets bonus points for coming in a glass jar. The question is how to use it? Here's some ideas:

In a cup of hot cocoa or coffee, it's a great dairy-free alternative to cream
Spread it right on toast.
Make easy fudge with it.
Mix with warm water and raw honey for a calming bedtime drink.
Melt into oatmeal (it makes breakfast taste like dessert!).
Try this easy lemon coconut candy recipe.

The only trouble with the coconut cream concentrate is it's not really a straight replacement for coconut milk. Since it contains fiber it's a little grainy. If this bugs you, you can also make your own coconut milk out of dried coconut (as outlined in this video).

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The Easiest Coconut Oil Fudge You'll Ever Make!

Coconut is fast becoming one of my favorite real food products. Now, I'll be perfectly honest: I usually buy expeller-pressed (refined) coconut oil. Frankly, I find this allows me to use coconut oil more often since it has virtually no taste. I mean, no offense to the almighty coconut, but I don't want coconut-flavored scrambled eggs. So we all get a hefty dose of coconut oil every day without necessarily getting a hefty dose of the flavor.

But don't get me wrong: I love coconut. Coconut flour, fresh coconut, dried coconut, coconut water--it's all good. And when you combine coconut and chocolate together... well, it's nothing short of heaven on earth. So I've been hunting around and tweaking coconut fudge recipes until I came up with the simplest one-step recipe I've ever found. Bonus? It tastes freakin' awesome.

The Easiest Coconut Oil Fudge You'll Ever Make

1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup organic cocoa powder
1/4 cup raw honey
dash of vanilla (optional)

Mix ingredients in a medium glass bowl until smooth. Spread into a small glass container (a 6 x 6 square worked for me) and refrigerate until solid (about an hour). Cut into squares and savor every bite!

Tips for this recipe: This time of year my coconut oil is soft enough to mix straight into the recipe. Come wintertime, however, coconut oil may need to be gently melted first.

Easy variations: You can get creative with this recipe and add shredded coconut, almonds, or walnuts as desired. Have fun with it!

Need quality real food ingredients? Check out my Resources page.

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More Coconut Oil Benefits: Lauric Acid

The benefits of coconut oil truly reach far and wide, but certain components of this tropical oil stand out for their valuable contribution to good health. Lauric acid--a medium-chain fatty acid found mainly in coconut oil--is one of these prized substances. Pure coconut oil contains about 50 percent lauric acid, which makes it the most abundant natural source of lauric acid on earth.

How the Body Uses Lauric Acid

When lauric acid is present in the body, it is converted into monolaurin, a monoglyceride compound which exhibits antiviral, antimicrobial, antiprotozoal and antifungal properties. It acts by disrupting the lipid membranes in organisms like fungus, bacteria and viruses, thus destroying them.

The compound monolaurin is an effective treatment for candida albicans and fungal infections like ringworm and athlete’s foot. Monolaurin also specifically targets bacterial infections as well as lipid-coated viruses like herpes, the measles, influenza, hepatitis C and HIV. Researchers in the Philippines have even begun studies to research the effectiveness of lauric acid against HIV/AIDS because of its strong antiviral properties. Plus, lauric acid is essentially non-toxic, which gives it a distinct advantage over modern pharmaceutical drugs that are typically used to fight viruses, bacterial infections and fungal infections (I mean, heck, I'd rather down some coconut oil over conventional drugs any day!).

Without a plentiful source of lauric acid, the body cannot produce monolaurin, and all of these important benefits are lost. Many people who regularly consume coconut oil experience less sickness. Breast milk is the only other natural source that contains such a high concentration of lauric acid, which could explain the drastic decrease of infections of all types in breastfed babies.

A Missing Element in Today’s Diet

The lauric acid content of foods and infant formulas has been rapidly decreasing over the years. Manufacturers and consumers alike have turned from using coconut oil and have replaced it with cheap vegetable oils, obliterating lauric acid intake in the process.

There is no recommended daily allowance (RDA) for lauric acid, but as a guideline, Dr. Mary G. Enig suggests adults and growing children can benefit from an intake of 10 to 20 grams of lauric acid per day. (It’s interesting to note that nursing babies consume up to 1 gram of lauric acid per kilogram of body weight per day.)

You can get about two grams of lauric acid from one tablespoon of dried coconut, and quality coconut milk will contain about three and a half grams per two ounces. But coconut oil by far contains the best concentration of lauric acid - about seven grams per tablespoon. Experts like Mary Enig and Bruce Fife recommend the average person eat about three tablespoons of coconut oil each day. This amount will not only provide sizeable protection against bacteria and viruses, but it will also increase your metabolism and improve the condition of your skin and hair, in addition to many other benefits. To reap the full benefits of using coconut oil, choose a high-quality source that offers coconut oil in its best form: organic, cold-pressed and extra virgin. Check out my Resources page for my favorite source for coconut products!

Learn more about coconut oil:

Learn How to Detox with a Coconut Oil Cleanse

Coconut Oil's Role in Weight Loss and Metabolism

Four New Ways to Use Coconut Oil

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Polyunsaturated Oils Lead to Higher Cancer Risk

For years we've been told to avoid butter and instead use vegetable oils as our primary fat source. Mainstream science claims this will save our hearts. But industrial oils like soybean, corn and canola oil are hiding a dirty little secret: consuming them could very well increase your risk of cancer.

What Are Polyunsaturated Fats?

Saturated fats have no double bonds (like those in coconut oil) and monounsaturated fats (like those in olive oil) have one double bond. However, polyunsaturated fats (also known as PUFAs for short) are linked by multiple double bonds. This is what makes polyunsaturated oils highly unstable and fare more vulnerable to oxidation than other fats. Bruce Fife offers an excellent explanation of the different kinds of fats and how they affect our health is his book The Coconut Oil Miracle.

The Cancer Connection

Many experts now acknowledge that refined polyunsaturated oils are damaged fats and should be avoided. This leads to the assumption that cold-pressed organic oils are inherently acceptable because they are less refined. However, even gently processed polyunsaturated oils are unstable, and oxidation can still occur once these fats are in the body. And oxidation is linked to cancer and other degenerative diseases.

In addition to the dangers of oxidation, there are also bonafide concerns about the omega-6 content of polyunsaturated oils. A recent San Francisco study demonstrated that under laboratory conditions, omega-6 fatty acids could accelerate the growth of prostate tumor cells.

Other studies show that improving the omega-3 to omega-6 ratio can lower the risk of certain cancers. Experts vary in their specific ratio recommendations, but most suggest a ratio of between 1:1 and 1:4 at most. The average modern diet has an omega-3 to omega-6 ratio of 1:20 (or more!).

The blame for this imbalance can be squarely placed on the rapid increase of vegetable oils in our diets during the past century:

While some vegetable oils do contain small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, for the most part they consist of omega-6. Eating more vegetable oils does nothing to correct the imbalance of omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids in our diet.

To combat this effect, the typical recommendation is to increase omega-3 consumption. That's kind like bailing water out of a sinking ship with a baseball cap. This problem is far more effectively resolved by reducing omega-6 intake. Eliminating or drastically decreasing polyunsaturated oil consumption is the best way to do this.

How to Decrease Your Polyunsaturated Fat Intake

Here's how you can cut excess PUFAs from your diet:

1. Avoid commercial fried foods. With very few exceptions, these are cooked in polyunsaturated oils and contain highly damaged fats.

2. Avoid commercial salad dressings, mayonnaise and other fatty condiments. Unless otherwise noted, these are generally made with refined vegetable oils.

3. Avoid commercial baked goods. Riddled with bleached flour, refined sugar and chemical additives, these items should be avoided in general for obvious reasons. But their high PUFA content gives you yet another good reason for leaving these items on the shelf where they belong.

4. Cook and bake with butter, coconut oil, olive oil and other heat stable fats. Frankly, these taste a whole lot better than veggie oils anyway, so making this trade should be easy. Find quality sources of healthy oils here.

5. Go easy on the nuts. While these may be hailed as a health food by many experts, in excess nuts can easily skew your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio and push your polyunsaturated fat intake over the limit. A few servings a week is more than enough, though I personally choose to eat them even more sparingly than that. Hazelnuts and macadamia nuts are the most forgiving since these contain the lowest PUFA content (and they also taste pretty darn good!).

A Historical Perspective on Vegetable Oils

Traditional cultures simply did not liberally use polyunsaturated oils in their diets. Keep in mind that these cultures often exhibited excellent health and did not suffer from modern diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Weston A. Price noted in his book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration that industrial vegetable oils were one of the modern foods that brought health problems to traditional people when they started using these oils in their diets. We should take a hint from our ancestors and ditch the industrial fats.

Need help finding high quality, healthy oils? Check out my Resources page.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesday hosted by Kelly the Kitchen Kop.

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Learn How to Detox with a Coconut Oil Cleanse

The idea of a coconut oil detox seems a little crazy at first. I'm not big on fad cleanses personally. I've never been good at subjecting myself to an insanely restricted diet (aside from my milk diet, but what can I say? I love milk), especially one that required heavy duty fasting. I know now this is probably because my adrenals have been whacked out for a few years, and fasting can generally aggravate adrenal fatigue (can we say mood swings, anyone?).

So it's with some reserve that I talk about a coconut oil detox as a way to cleanse without using complicated formulas or living off nothing but water for days on end. Coconut oil is a powerful cleansing food. I know this from personal experience. When I first added a couple tablespoons of coconut oil to my diet, I went through some noticable die-off symptoms like headaches and chills for about 2-3 days. Considering I hadn't changed much else in my diet I was pretty impressed.

Coconut oil is also a great source of energy. It's largely comprised of medium-chain fatty acids, which are sent directly to the liver for energy rather than storage. This type of fat is ideal for a cleanse, since it can provide the energy needed at a time when less food is being consumed. It's also supposed to give digestion somewhat of a break during this time, which is an important benefit of fasting because this allows the body to process and eliminate general toxic buildup.

These same medium-chain fatty acids play a crucial role in cleansing the body from toxins. Coconut oil is heralded as a natural healing food, and a coconut oil detox simply speeds up healing results by thoroughly flushing the entire body of toxins in a short time. Here is an example of four types of conditions coconut oil can combat during a detox:

Candida. In modern society, candida overgrowth is considered by some to be almost epidemic. More people are experiencing systemic candida (when the problem spreads throughout the body and causes a myriad of unpleasant side effects). A coconut oil detox is completely void of sugar and other carbohydrates, which effectively starves off all candida in the system. People who suffer from candida will notice many conditions improve or disappear after a coconut oil detox, including sugar cravings, fatigue, eczema, acne, repeat sinus infections and poor concentration.

Fungal infections. Often connected with candida, repeat fungal infections like ringworm and jock itch are linked to an imbalance of bacteria and fungal organisms in the body. The lauric acid and caprylic acid in coconut oil are antifungal, so a coconut oil detox is an effective way to cleanse the entire system of fungal growth. Many people with fungal conditions report a complete recovery within the cleansing period.

Digestive conditions. A coconut oil detox can help banish digestive conditions like irritable bowl syndrome (IBS) and leaky gut syndrome by restoring health and balance to the digestive system.

Viruses. Lauric acid, which is found in abundance in coconut oil, is converted into monolaurin in the body, which has strong antiviral properties that can protect against and even destroy lipid-coated viruses like herpes and influenza.

How to Detox with Coconut Oil

A coconut oil cleanse is a very simple detoxification method that replaces regular food with coconut oil, usually for about 3-7 days. Start your day with two tablespoons of coconut oil and take 1-2 tablespoons throughout the day as needed for up to 14 tablespoons total each day.

Coconut Cures: Preventing and Treating Common Health Problems with Coconut

Take the coconut oil plain if you enjoy it that way, but those who can’t tolerate swallowing the oil straight can mix it with warm lemon water or plain organic yogurt if necessary. You can use small amounts of stevia if you’d like to sweeten the lemon water or yogurt, but no sugar should be consumed during the cleanse. In his book Coconut Cures, Dr. Bruce Fife adds that you can eat up to four ounces of fresh coconut meat daily while on the detox if needed.

The best kind of coconut oil to use to detoxify is organic, raw extra virgin coconut oil. This type of oil should be completely unrefined, expeller- or cold-pressed, unbleached and not deodorized. This ensures you are getting the maximum natural benefits from your coconut oil. But I wouldn't say that refined coconut oil has no benefits, so if that is what you have on hand or if it's easier for you to take, then it will probably work for the cleanse.

Find an great source for high quality coconut oil at my Resources page.

*Warning: Work Up Slowly if You're New to Coconut Oil*

If you have never taken coconut oil before, then you’ll want to let your body adjust by slowly incorporating it into your diet before trying a coconut oil detox. Start with 1/2-1 teaspoon three times per day. Gradually work your way up to 1-2 tablespoons three times daily. It may take two weeks to work up to the full amount. When you feel comfortable taking this much coconut oil, then you should be ready to start a coconut oil detox.

Some people will experience “die-off” symptoms when they begin a coconut oil detox. These symptoms are often flu-like, including headaches, joint stiffness, dizziness and foggy-thinking. It may not feel so good, but it’s a sign that your body is ridding itself of harmful toxins like fungal organisms. Die-off symptoms usually only last for 3-5 days, but you can ease them by gradually introducing coconut oil to your diet before doing a detox.

Drink Your Water!

During a coconut oil detox, it’s important to drink plenty of filtered water to nourish the body and facilitate cleansing benefits. Here is a recipe for a delicious drink that can replenish you during a cleanse:

1 cup pure lemon juice
6 cups filtered water
1 teaspoon high quality sea salt

The lemon juice has cleansing properties, and the sea salt replaces minerals that may be lost during a cleanse. You can also add some liquid trace minerals for additional minerals if you'd like. Add stevia for a sweeter taste, but do not sweeten with any kind of sugar.

*Remember, if you have medical conditions or if you are on prescription medications, it’s important to talk with your physician before trying a coconut oil cleanse or any other kind of cleanse.

This post is part of Fight Back Friday at Food Renegade!

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