Coconut Oil for Health and Beauty: Uses, Benefits, and Recipes for Weight Loss, Allergies, and Healthy Skin and Hair
192Coconut Oil for Health and Beauty: Uses, Benefits, and Recipes for Weight Loss, Allergies, and Healthy Skin and Hair
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Overview
It can be overwhelming to figure out all of the great uses of this magical oil, but this comprehensive handbook can help. With detailed information on everything to do with coconut oilthe benefits, uses, recipes, and insightful factsthis guide will teach you all about this healthy oil, including:
The Coconut Oil Handbook includes all the information you'll need for cooking with this healthy oil including:
How coconut oil is made
How to make it at home
Skin care recipes for face and body
Hair care recipes for damaged, dry, or flaky hair
Dietary benefits
Coconut oil as medicine
Common misconceptions
And much more
More and more people are learning about the wealth of benefits that coconut oil brings, and this handbook will explain all of them.
Skyhorse Publishing, along with our Good Books and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of cookbooks, including books on juicing, grilling, baking, frying, home brewing and winemaking, slow cookers, and cast iron cooking. We’ve been successful with books on gluten-free cooking, vegetarian and vegan cooking, paleo, raw foods, and more. Our list includes French cooking, Swedish cooking, Austrian and German cooking, Cajun cooking, as well as books on jerky, canning and preserving, peanut butter, meatballs, oil and vinegar, bone broth, and more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
Product Details
ISBN-13: | 9781629141213 |
---|---|
Publisher: | Skyhorse |
Publication date: | 05/06/2014 |
Sold by: | SIMON & SCHUSTER |
Format: | eBook |
Pages: | 192 |
File size: | 8 MB |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
The Tree of Life
Coconut oil, of course, comes from a coconut — arguably the most versatile, nutritious, and therapeutic natural food on the planet!
The coconut is not actually a nut. It is botanically classified as a drupe, which is a fruit with a breakable fault-line where it splits easily. Coconuts are the fruit of the coconut palm, which is native to Malaysia, Polynesia, and southern Asia. Now it is also found in tropical climates throughout the world, particularly the Philippines, Vanuatu, and India, as well as some parts of South America and Australia. This is to the popularity of the coconut as trading currency and to the ability of the husk to float across oceans where it propagates on other tropical islands. Now almost one-third of the world's population relies on the coconut for food and trade.
In literature, the coconut was first mentioned in the tales of Sinbad the Sailor recorded in The Arabian Nights. Sinbad is briefly shipwrecked on an island, where he discovers a huge crop of coconuts. Once his ship is repaired, he loads it up with coconuts and has a pleasant voyage home, stopping at various islands to trade them along his way. Historically, coconuts were valuable trade commodities in the Indian Ocean's Nicobar Islands well into the twentieth century.
Marco Polo mentioned the nux indica ("Indian nut") he discovered in Sumatra during the thirteenth century. Sir Francis Drake called the fruit "nargils." It is believed that Portuguese explorers originated the name coconut from their word coco, meaning "grinning face" or "monkey face" because the three indentations on top of the coconut resemble a face.
The Sanskrit term for the coconut palm is kalpa vriksha, meaning "tree which gives all that is necessary for living," or "The Tree of Life" because the tree and fruit provide material for food, shelter, medicine, and fuel. The coconut provides meat, water, milk, and oil; these can be consumed directly or used as ingredients for meals, medicines, soaps, and cosmetics. Coconut water contains a high level of electrolytes and is hygienic and therapeutic enough to be administered intravenously — during both World War II and the Vietnam War, doctors used coconut water as an intravenous solution when medical supplies ran out. The husk contains a fiber called coir, which was traditionally used as fuel and is now used to make ropes, matting, padding, or upholstery. Some South Pacific islanders even carved the shell into small discs to use as coins. The tree itself can be used for fuel or building shelter; however, as it bears fruit thirteen times a year, it is better to keep harvesting all those coconuts! Since the tree continually bears fruit year-round, it is rarely chopped down, so coconuts are an environmentally friendly source of nutrition.
The versatility of the coconut is not the only reason it has remained so popular and valuable for centuries. The coconut is also rich in essential nutrients and has magnificent healing properties. Coconut oil, a natural extract of the coconut, has been dubbed "the healthiest oil on Earth." What other substance can soothe eczema, improve dental hygiene, decrease the risk of heart disease, cure dandruff, increase immunity, and improve digestion? Coconut oil is indeed an amazing product of the "Tree of Life."
CHAPTER 2How to Break a Coconut
There is so much goodness hidden inside a coconut — but it is not that easy to release this goodness from within the hard outer shell! When opening a coconut for the first time, you risk injuring yourself or losing some of the nutritious content in the process.
Imagine the coconut is a world globe. The coconut has a soft "eye" at the North Pole and a natural breaking line along the Equator.
First, locate the eye at the top of the coconut. This eye is much softer than the rest of the coconut shell, so you can slide a metal skewer or a knife through to make a hole. Be careful not to lose your grip on the coconut while sliding the sharp implement through the shell. If your hand slips, you risk cutting yourself.
Once you have penetrated the shell, drain the coconut water into a jug. Now work out where the Equator would run around your coconut. Tap gently around it with a hammer, or thump the coconut against a wall until the coconut splits open. If your coconut is particularly stubborn, place it into a plastic bag and hit it directly with a hammer. When the coconut finally comes apart, it will all be neatly contained in the plastic bag.
CHAPTER 3Modern Coconut Harvesting
Traditional tropical island life was fairly simple and uncomplicated: the basic method of collecting coconuts by climbing or shaking a tree and then breaking them to reach the copra (coconut meat) would be enough to provide the local village with all the coconut meat, milk, and oil they required. The meat would be scooped out by hand and ground into a paste, creating a thick version of coconut milk. However, when Pacific Islanders recognized the valuable international interest in the coconut, they realized they needed to modernize their methods of extracting the precious coconut oil from copra to meet demand.
The most important and innovative advance in coconut harvesting was the dehusking machine, which was first created in the nineteenth century. The dehusking machine neatly removes the husk from around the meat of the coconut, eliminating the arduous task of cracking open the husk and scooping out the hard meat with a knife or sharp stick. It extracts the copra faster and more efficiently than a person can manually — a modern dehusking machine can dehusk three-hundred coconuts in an hour with minimal wastage of copra.
Interestingly, modern coconut farmers still practice the traditional method of grinding the copra. Most coconut oil producers will ferment the ground white pulp in bulk tanks for roughly seventy-two hours. Sitting undisturbed, the thick milk separates into water and oil, doing almost all the work independently.
CHAPTER 4What Is Virgin Coconut Oil?
You'll see different labels on the supermarket shelves — coconut oil, virgin coconut oil, and extra-virgin coconut oil. So what's the difference?
Basic (or "refined") coconut oil is made from dried copra. Most coconuts are sourced from remote villages far away from copra mills where the copra is processed into oil. It is a long journey to the copra mill, so villagers will smoke the copra to keep it longer. Then, after a few months, they deliver a large supply to the mill. The copra is generally smoke-dried but can also be sun-dried or kiln-dried. Smoke-dried copra looks dirty and has a rancid taste, so it must be bleached and cleaned with chemicals.
Virgin coconut oil is made from fresh copra. While villagers will toil for months to smoke enough copra to take to the mill, they will use a few fresh coconuts to whip up some virgin coconut oil for their own use. The virgin coconut oil is completely pure — it requires only minimal heating and no refining. It is higher quality and more expensive than standard coconut oil because of course it is more time-consuming to make large quantities of oil from fresh coconuts.
Some unscrupulous companies will label their bottles "virgin" or even "extra virgin" if the product is derived from dried copra. As there is no industry standard definition for virgin coconut oil, these companies can get away with falsely labeling their products. The best way to distinguish virgin coconut oil from standard coconut oil is to smell it. The purest, cleanest coconut oil still has the aroma of fresh coconut.
CHAPTER 5Dietary Benefits of Coconut Oil
The website of the Coconut Research Center (www.coconut-researchcenter.org) includes countless testimonials from people who have dramatically improved their health with a daily spoonful of coconut oil. Seventy-six-year-old Diana took regular doses of coconut oil when she was diagnosed with diabetes, and her blood sugar levels improved dramatically; Charlie B. attributes coconut oil to lowering his high blood pressure; and Giovanna wrote that her husband was due to have surgery to control debilitating ulcerative colitis, but his health improved dramatically when a friend recommended coconut oil.
You don't need to swallow coconut oil to benefit from its healing powers: a young mother named Nellita wrote in to say she has successfully cured her daughter's eczema by applying coconut oil on the skin. One man wrote that his teeth and gums have improved since he began "oil pulling." Other coconut oil fans describe improvements to their hair, their skin, even their sex lives!
Is it all true? Is there any scientific basis to these claims that coconut oil can cure so many ailments?
The rejuvenating properties of coconut oil are due to a unique blend of saturated fatty acids. Medical studies show that a daily intake of coconut oil can help our bodies mount resistance to both viruses and bacteria, thereby helping us withstand illness and disease. Coconut oil also helps fight off yeast, fungus, and Candida overgrowth in the body and has a positive effect on our hormones, helping us naturally balance our thyroid levels and increasing our metabolism and energy levels. As coconuts help the body use insulin more efficiently, coconut oil also helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels. It also stimulates digestion and absorbs fat-soluble vitamins, so you absorb more nutrients from your daily diet.
You don't need to be ill to investigate the health properties of coconut oil. It can cleanse your hair and skin, adding a healthy glow that will enhance your appearance and well-being.
CHAPTER 6The Fatty Acids in Coconut Oil
Coconut oil contains a blend of three fatty acids — lauric acid, capric acid, and caprylic acid. Fatty acids are an essential source of fuel for the body and the brain. Individually, each of these fatty acids has important healing powers. Combined, they are even more effective!
Capric acid, also known as decanoic acid, is the central reason for the health-giving properties of coconut oil. The word capric comes from the Latin word for goat, as capric acid is found in goat's milk. It is also found in cow's milk, although only coconut oil and palm oil contain capric acid in substantial quantities.
Capric acid combines with lauric acid and caprylic acid to trigger an increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or "good" cholesterol. The "good" cholesterol lowers the risk of artherosclerosis, or thickening of the artery wall, a common and potentially fatal condition with no symptoms.
Capric acid has other beneficial properties. Once ingested, it converts into monocaprin, a substance with the ability to fight viruses, bacteria, and yeast infections such as Candida albicans. Monocaprin is also believed to help you release energy more efficiently, so you can remain active longer. It can be argued that in the longterm, capric acid can trigger weight loss and improve fitness.
Caprylic acid, is also found naturally in goat's milk and cow's milk as well as in coconut oil. Caprylic acid is believed to be effective in combating yeast infections and fighting bacteria such as staphylococcus and streptococcus. It is also believed to work as an antifungal agent by interfering with the cell walls of fungal infections such as Candida albicans. Caprylic acid will balance stomach acidity, and this in turn boosts the immune system, so you fight infection more effectively.
Lauric acid is a saturated fatty acid suitable for the production of soaps and cosmetics. Once ingested, it converts into monolaurin, a substance with strong antibacterial properties found only in human breastmilk and coconut oil. Monolaurin works to eliminate lipid-coated viruses such as herpes and influenza.
About two-thirds of the fatty acids in coconut oil are medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), making coconut oil the world's richest source of MCFAs. Vegetable oils and seed oils contain long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs), which are difficult to digest, so they are stored as cholesterol or fat. MCFAs are smaller than LCFAs, so they penetrate cell walls more easily, and unlike LCFAs, they convert into energy rather than fat.
Coconut oil can boost your metabolism both by providing more energy and by stimulating your thyroid gland. With a more efficient metabolism, you will heal faster and bounce back from illness better.
Saturated Fat and "Good" Cholesterol
You might be wondering why we are talking about coconut oil as healthy, when clearly fatty acids is another term for "saturated fat." Saturated fat is unhealthy, isn't it?
Actually, naturally occurring saturated fat is extremely healthy for you. Artificially created saturated fat — also known as trans fat — is not. Food distributors add extra hydrogen atoms to unsaturated products such as vegetable oil or seed oil in a process called hydrogenation so the products will last longer. Hydrogenation transforms the healthy and natural unsaturated fat into unhealthy unnatural saturated fat and ruins the reputation of natural saturated fats such as coconut oil.
For decades (since the introduction of hydrogenation and trans fats), saturated fat has been blamed for health conditions such as cardiovascular disease. But Pacific Islanders, who incorporate coconut oil into almost all their meals, have an extremely low incidence of cardiovascular disease and other health issues related to saturated fat. This is partly due to the combined presence of capric, lauric, and caprylic acids, which boost the production of lipoprotein, the "good" cholesterol that improves the health of your heart.
So the myth that coconut oil is bad for you is actually an intentional clouding over of the true message that artificially created saturated fat is unhealthy for you. Coconut oil, as a natural product, containing natural substances rarely found in other foods, is extremely beneficial for your overall health and well-being.
CHAPTER 7How to Make Coconut Oil at Home
Makes approximately 6.5 oz (200 ml) of oil
You will need:
3 coconuts
A sharp cleaver
Metal spoon/paring knife
Food processor (or grater)
Sheet of cheesecloth
Bowl
Glass jar with lid
First, split your coconuts with the cleaver, very carefully. Have a bowl handy, so as the coconut cracks open, you can save the coconut water that is stored in the center of the coconut. Coconut water is a cloudy, watery fluid, rich in electrolytes, so it is healthy to drink.
Once you have opened the coconut, you will see the shell is lined with a thick white layer. This is the coconut "meat." Use a metal spoon to scrape all the meat from the shell. If you need some extra help, try using a paring knife. When you have removed all the meat from the shell, slice it into small pieces. Put these pieces into the food processor and blend at medium seed until the meat is pulpy.
Cover a bowl with cheesecloth and spoon a portion of the coconut mixture onto the cheesecloth. Then wrap the cloth around the coconut and squeeze the bundle over the bowl. You will see coconut milk drain through the cloth into the bowl. Keep squeezing until you have removed all the fluid from the pulp, then put the pulp aside and spoon another batch of coconut mixture into the cheesecloth. Repeat until you have squeezed all the fluid from the mixture.
Now pour the fluid into a glass jar and secure the lid. Leave it to ferment for forty-eight hours.
Set the jar aside until you see a thick layer of curd has appeared at the top of the jar. Once the curd has risen, place the jar in the fridge so the curd can harden.
Once the curd has hardened, you can remove it with a spoon, and the remaining thick liquid in the jar is your coconut oil.
CHAPTER 8How to Make Your Own Fresh Coconut Milk or Cream
While coconut milk is always available in the supermarket, nothing beats the nutritious and delicious value of your own freshly made coconut milk.
Ingredients:
A fresh coconut (preferably an organic one) or 1 cup dried shredded coconut
A good quality grater (or food processor with grater attachment)
A cheesecloth, fine mesh strainer, or nut milk bag (you can easily find these in a health food shop)
Hot water (preferably purified)
A good-quality blender
If using fresh coconut, grate all the flesh. Be sure to remove the brown outer skin.
If using shredded coconut, put equal parts of coconut and purified water in a bowl and let it soak and rehydrate.
Place 1 cup of your grated/hydrated coconut in a blender with 2 cups of warm water and blend until smooth. For a creamier texture, use less water.
Pour through a fine mesh strainer, cheesecloth, or nut milk bag.
Repeat the process with the remaining coconut in the strainer. Do not repeat too many times, as the milk will be weaker each time. Leftover coconut meal can be baked in to cookies.
Enjoy this fresh coconut milk or coconut cream in your smoothies, curries, healthy desserts, or anywhere a recipe calls for coconut milk or coconut cream.
Storing Coconut Milk and Coconut Cream
As fresh coconut milk/cream has a short shelf life, you should use it immediately or freeze in BPA-free food containers, ice cube trays, or baby-food storage containers. Ice cube trays give you the correct portions and temperature for fresh smoothies!
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Coconut Oil for Health and Beauty"
by .
Copyright © 2014 Simone McGrath.
Excerpted by permission of Skyhorse Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Introduction to Coconut Oil 2
The Tree of Life 4
How to Break a Coconut 8
Modern Coconut Harvesting 9
What Is Virgin Coconut Oil? 10
Dietary Benefits of Coconut Oil 14
The Fatty Acids in Coconut Oil 17
Saturated Fat and "Good" Cholesterol 18
How to Make Coconut Oil at Home 22
How to Make Your Own Fresh Coconut Milk or Coconut Cream 26
Storing Coconut Milk and Coconut Cream 27
Coconut Oil as Beauty Therapy 31
Skin Care with Coconut Oil 32
Skin Care Recipes 32
Coconut Bath Melts 32
Whipped Coconut Oil Body Butter 34
Avocado and Coconut Oil Hydrating Face Mask 34
Honey and Coconut Oil Healing Mask 35
Coconut Peppermint Body Scrub 36
Coconut Oil Antiperspirant Deodorant 37
Coconut and Almond Eye Balm 38
Coconut Oil Pre-Shaving Lotion 39
Sesame and Coconut (Mild) Sunscreen 39
Coconut Zinc Wax Diaper Rash Cream 39
Coconut Oil and Dental Care 41
Oil Pulling 41
Coconut Benlonite Toothpaste 4
Hair Care with Coconut Oil 45
Coconut Oil Hair Care Recipes 46
Coconut Beer Shampoo 46
Deep Conditioning Mask for Normal Hair 46
Replenishing Conditioner Treatment for Dry Hair 47
Lavender Scalp Cream 47
Lemon Pepper Anti-Dandruff Mask 48
Apple Coconut Lice Treatment 49
Tea Tree and Coconut Cradle Cap Treatment 51
The Therapeutic Powers of Coconut Oil 53
Why Coconut Oil Is So Healthy 55
Health Benefits of Coconut Oil 55
How Much Coconut Oil Should I Take? 57
Losing Weight with Coconut Oil 58
Coconut Oil Diet Tips 59
Coconut Oil and Your Health 61
Coconut Oil during Pregnancy and Infancy 61
Coconut Oil and Thrush 61
Coconut Oil for Colds and Flu 62
Coconut Oil and Alzheimer's disease 63
Cocount Oil and Crohn's Disease 64
Coconut Oil for Common Ailments 67
Ailments to Be Treated with Coconut Oil 67
Possible Negative Effects of Coconut Oil 75
Coconut Oil Recipes 77
Coconut Oil Beverages 77
Coconut Cocoa 78
Dairy-Free Coffee Creamer 78
Coconut Latte 79
Iced Coconut Mochaccino 79
Hot Fudge Sauce 80
Coconut Oil Smoothies 83
Green Coconut Dream 83
Mixed Berry Smoothie 84
Coconut Cream Smoothie 84
Banana Coconut Smoothie 85
Coconut Orange Vitamin Kick 85
Coconut Strawberry Smoothie 86
Coconut Berry Freeze 86
Banana Orange Smoothie 87
Banana Oat Smoothie 87
Apricot Coconut Smoothie 87
Piña Colada-Adults Only 88
Coconut Oil Breakfast Recipes 91
Buckwheat Gianola with Coconut Oil, Cherries, and Cacao 91
Quinoa Porridge with Coconut Oil and Cinnamon 92
Coconut French Toast 92
Cheesy Bacon Muffins 93
Harvest Fruits with Cashew Butter and Coconut Oil 95
French Banana Toast 96
Apple Cinnamon Pancakes 96
Apple Topping 97
Chocolate Hazelnut Spread 99
Coconut Oil Lunch Recipes 101
Potatoes and Green Peas in Pumpkin Sauce with Coconut-Lime Rice 101
Savory Corn Cakes 102
Asian Broccoli Salad with Coconut Oil 103
Garlic Chicken Bites 103
Chicken and Coconut Rice 104
Coconut Pasta Salad 105
Coconut Chicken Satay 105
Coconut Peanut Sauce 106
Coconut Oil Soups 107
Creamy Lentil Soup 108
Coconut Bean Soup 109
Pumpkin Curry Soup 110
Roasted Cauliflower and Bacon Soup 111
Mushroom Coconut Soup 112
Thai Chicken Soup 113
Spicy Sweet Potato Soup 114
Coconut Oil Dinners 117
Coconut Chicken Kebabs 117
Coconut Lentil Stew 118
Pan-Seared Halibut with Pineapple Salsa and Coconut Sauce 119
Coconut Fried Chicken with Boiled Potatoes 120
Slow-Cooked Coconut Beef Stroganoff 121
Tropical Coconut Salmon 122
Coconut Citrus Tuna Steaks 123
Coconut Vegetable Ragout 124
Carrots in Coconut Oil 125
Creamy Coconut Potato Mash 126
Coconut Rice 126
Crispy Fish Fillets 127
Buttermilk Fish Fillets 127
Spicy Coconut Fish 128
Spicy Fish Strips 129
Coconut Pilau 130
Ginger Pork Stir-fry 131
Coconut Beef Curry 132
Crispy Fried Chicken 133
Chicken Cacciatore 134
Classic Coconut Chicken Curry 135
Condiments 137
Hummus 137
Tomato Ketchup 138
Italian Herb Dip 139
Coconut Mayonnaise 139
Coconut Baibeque Sauce 140
Dressings 141
Creamy Vinaigrette 141
Coconut and Olive Italian Dressing 141
Honey Mustard Salad Dressing 142
Garlic Vinaigrette 142
Lemon Vinaigrette 142
Desserts 145
Coconut Macaroons 145
Chocolato and Coconut Oil Pudding 146
Coconut Pudding 146
Coconut Tapioca Rice 147
Coconut Oil and Cocoa Fudge 150
Chocolate Apricot Bites 150
Chocolate Avocado Pudding 151
Chocolate Maple Brownies 152
Icy Almond Fudge 152
Coconut Rice Cakes 153
Coconut Carrot Cake 154
Chocolate Glaze 155
Coconut Pie 155
Lemon Rosemary Cake 156
Non-dairy Coconut Croam 157
Honey Chocolate Fudge Spread 158
Coconut Strawberry Tart 159
Breads, Cookies, and Muffins 161
Super Moist Banana Bread 161
Apple Walnut Bread 162
Zucchini Bread 163
Coconut Choc-Chip Cookies 164
Raspberry Banana Cookies 165
Buttermilk Cookies 166
Coconut Gingerbread Men 166
Cherry Coconut Cookies 168
Coconut Cookies 168
Almond Berry Muffins 170
Raspberry Oat Muffins 171