A Word About Coconut Oil

A Word about Coconut Oil

By: Kathryn Gustafson

“Put some Windex on it.” Is a classic line from one of my favorite romantic comedies, “My Big, Fat Greek Wedding.”  In the movie, the bumbling and lovable father of the film’s protagonist is a firm believer that Windex can treat any ailment, no matter how pesky or obscure. Well, since my husband and I started using coconut oil, we have said, “Put some coconut oil on it,” more times than I care to count.

            According to research presented by leading health-man, Dr. Oz, coconut oil is a miracle food which aids the body in a multitude of ways, from cholesterol reduction to increased metabolism to the prevention of Alzheimer’s  Disease.  There is also evidence to support coconut oil’s ability to reduce the risk of seizures, moisturize hair and skin, and reduce fat-especially the dangerous and hard-to-target belly fat! (authoritynutrition.com)

Did I mention, it’s delicious? One of our favorite meals to cook, which uses a great deal of coconut oil, is coconut-curry tilapia with coconut, lime and kale salad. Delicious!  Dane also likes to slow cook chicken in it.  The result is tender, meaty, and slightly tropical.  Homemade French fries cooked in coconut oil are also incredible. Plus, imagine eating French fries that actually reduce your cholesterol instead of raising it!

The flavor is slightly coconut-y, but not overbearingly so.  If you can’t stand coconut, but want the health benefits of this powerhouse oil, you can mix coconut oil with olive oil to lose the slightly sweet flavor. 

I love concocting homemade cosmetics, so one of my favorite things about this oil is its ability to be used in a variety of spa-like applications.  A tablespoon of coconut oil diluted with water makes an effective and inexpensive make-up remover.  Added to honey, it is an incredibly moisturizing face mask. Heat up the leftovers from your face mask, and you have an excellent warm-oil hair treatment (I am currently treating my breaking hair with this once a week and can tell a huge difference after each treatment). You can mix it with sugar or Epson salt and have an awesome body scrub. I love experimenting with this oil as a beauty product. 

Dane and I are currently working on a cookbook to record, in greater detail, the many ways we have been learning to incorporate this seemingly miraculous oil into our everyday lives. In the meanwhile, I hope that you are encouraged to go get some and try it out for yourself. 

LoGiudice, Pina, ND, Siobhan Bleakney, ND, and Peter Bongiorno, ND. "The Surprising Health Benefits of Coconut Oil." The Dr. Oz Show. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2013

Gunnars, Kris, "Top 10 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Coconut Oil." Authority Nutrition. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2013.