In light of the fact that we spent most of today in the sun... I thought I would repost on the splendid marvel of Extra Virgin Coconut Oil....
A post from last April (oh how I miss a crawling Bee!).
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As promised, a post on the brilliance of Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (EVCO)!
Now, for my slight disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nor am I anywhere near an advising nutritionist... all my opinions and statements are done from my own research and basically asking questions to those far more nutritious than I am.
Done. Let's move forward.
I learned of
EVCO as we were doing swimming lessons last year... remember
that story? A favorite by far! One of the families that I mirror our nutritional beliefs after was there. She was slathering
EVCO on her daughter, naturally I asked about it (as I sat in awe watching her 13 month-old brown baby walk around--breathtaking, really, with all her blond curls and brown skin). From there I was sold.
Now I have my own brown baby.
I even kept these images photoshop free for proof of the natural skin tone that Bee possesses after a few days shirtless in the sun. Snap, back to EVCO, the whole purpose of this post.
Here are the facts, friends:
Skin First: EVCO has a natural SPF 4 to it. Obviously that means do not sit hours on end in the sun slathered in it. That's the protection-SPF 4. Got it? However, what it protects you from is for more. Rather than screening you (like sunscreen does), it protects you from the UVA rays and their danger (skin damage/ premature aging/ skin cancer) and still allows your skin to soak in the Vitamin D (which health professionals recommend an average of 30 mins of unscreened direct sun daily--to get your needed fighting power's worth). Vitamin D is what ironically fights cancer and is one of the main cancer preventatives a body can have. Skin cancer is tricky as there are so many possible contributing factors, but above all (without rambling on and on and on), it's what the diet is made of and what types of fats and oils one is partaking of. If one has a poor diet full of polyunsaturated fats (canola, safflower, sunflower oils, margarine, etc.) and are exposed to long stretches in the sun, they are more likely to burn. It's amazing how the body works.
Why does EVCO protect you? It has wonderful antioxidant properties that protect the skin from free radical damage. When EVCO is consumed (later on that) and used topically on our skin, it helps our bodies absorb other nutrients more effectively as well, such as Vitamin E, another powerful antioxidant nutrients that protects the skin.
It also works as an exfoliate to remove dead cells, if you use it as lotion it will slowly build elasticity in your skin, removing or helping wrinkles and other damage free radicals have caused. Since it's an antioxidant, it also is used for rashes, irritation, acne, etc... if you are suffering from eczema, rashes, etc. try it, it will improve if not heal your skin irritation. I must finish with a disclaimer, this will not protect you from getting burned if you are hours in the sun... different skin types vary. Baby Bee and I can use this solely, without the use of any other types of "screen". Kid Mock and Daddy Mock can not. They are so fair they have to use
zinc oxide in order to get their base. I will say, once their base is on, they do fine without being screened if their time is monitored in the sun (Kid can last a good 2-3 hours of sun/ shade play).
Cooking/ Internal Use Next: EVCO is truly the only oil that doesn't lose it's nutritional value if heated. Other "healthy" unsaturated oils (corn, safflower, sunflower) can turn toxic when heated, due to the chemical reaction. EVCO not only is the best oil to cook with, it is heart healthy as well. "The unique health benefits of coconut oil are directly related to its chemical structure, or more precisely, the length of its fatty acid chains.Coconut oil is comprised of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), also called medium-chain triglycerides or MCTs.Coconut oil is nature's richest source of these healthy MCFAs.By contrast, most common vegetable or seed oils are comprised of long chain fatty acids (LCFAs), also known as long-chain triglycerides or LCTs.
There are several reasons to explain why these long-chain fatty acids are not as healthy for you as the MCFAs in coconut oil:
-LCFAs are difficult for the body to break down -- they must be packaged with lipoproteins or carrier proteins and require special enzymes for digestion.
-LCFAs put more strain on the pancreas, the liver and the entire digestive system.
-LCFAs are predominantly stored in the body as fat. (That's why most people buy into the myth that fats are automatically "fattening".)
-LCFAs can be deposited within arteries in lipid forms such as cholesterol.
On the other hand, however, the MCFAs in coconut oil are more health-promoting, because:
-MCFAs are smaller. They permeate cell membranes easily, and do not require lipoproteins or special enzymes to be utilized effectively by your body.
-MCFAs are easily digested, thus putting less strain on your digestive system. This is especially important for those of you with digestive or metabolic concerns.
-MCFAs are sent directly to your liver, where they are immediately converted into energy rather than being stored as fat.
-MCFAs in coconut oil can actually help stimulate your body's metabolism, leading to weight loss."*
I must concede, that although I am fully aware that I should be cooking EVERYTHING with EVCO, I don't. I use EV Olive Oil for my main cooking, unless a tropical flair can be added without notice (ie: stir fry, lemon chicken, etc.)... I am slowly acquiring the taste for it... what's funny is that Daddy Mock and the children don't even notice, just me... but, after writing this, I'm tempted to not look back and go full force with the EVCO. It's fantastic for baking because coconut by nature has a bit of a sweet taste to it! My friend Aleja makes fab brownies from it (hey, if you're going to splurge, do it consciencely!).
Weight Loss and Magic Powers! (oh, come on, I had to post this picture under that title!)
MCFA's are burned for energy, so rather than staying in your body like a
LCFA does, it's working
for your immune system and actually improving your metabolism! It's also proven to improve the thyroid function as well as intestinal issues. There's a whole book I read on the healing powers of
EVCO specifically relating to digestion issues, so if you have problems in that area, please be sure to check it out from the library or
buy it!
On the magic powers end, EVCO contains lauric acid, which is found in breast milk... lauric acid turns into monolaurin, the compound responsible for strengthening the immune system. How magical is that?! In fact, EVCO contains up to 50% of lauric acid...if your breastfeeding and you want an even healthier babe---make sure to make EVCO part of your daily diet... in the beginning months, I would take about 2 tablespoons of EVCO in the morning, just so the Bee got some extra immunity. It's also wise to take it while pregnant (not to mention the benefits it gives stretching skin!).
Now for where to buy and citing:
however,
Safeway &
Savemart are known to carry the brand
Spectrum Organics in their health food section. When purchasing, make sure that it is unrefined, or cold-pressed. Even when refined, it's better for you than any other oils, but it has then been taken from it's natural state. If you plan to make this a family oil/ lotion/ sunscreen, I would suggest to buy bulk. There are a lot of great companies online:
Books/Websites:
Use it just like you would lotion or oil! You can use it as cream in your coffee, butter on toast, etc... it's really an amazing household item. Don't be thrown back, when it's over 75 degrees, it's liquid, if it's under 75 degrees it's a milky-white solid texture. It will melt immediately when cooking or in your hands.
Alright, that was my go at EVCO. What are your thoughts? Have I sold you? :-)
