Hey guys! TGIF! Hope everyone has had a happy and healthy week. Every Friday here in The Kitch I’m going to be doing a segment that I’ve named Feature Friday where I’ll rave about a favourite product or food, providing you with why I love it and what their benefits are. Today I am featuring one of my very, very, very favourite products – Nutiva’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil. This stuff is absolutely amaze and has so many different uses in and out of The Kitch!
You may have read before that coconut oil is bad for you, that it is “unhealthy” and artery clogging. But what you probably didn’t know is that those studies were based on coconut oils that have been hydrogenated. When coconut oil is not hydrogenated it is virgin or extra-virgin. Virgin coconut oil is one of the most healthy super foods in the world!
Nutiva processes their coconut oil immediately after harvesting fresh coconuts from the Philippines, holla! Representing my mama’s homeland! They use a process that prevents fermentation and helps to retain the smoothness and flavour of the coconut oil. Did I mention it smells divine!? Of course Nutiva’s cholesterol- and trans-fat free coconut oil is also certified organic and non-GMO, and you know how much we love that here in The Kitch!! It is also cold pressed so it maintains its vital nutrients and delicate fats such as lauric acid which makes up 50% of this bad boy. Lauric acid is great in supporting a healthy metabolism and is being studied for anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial properties.
So how can you use coconut oil?
1) Cooking Oil - Instead of using polyunsaturated fats such as vegetable oils like corn, soy, safflower, sunflower and canola switch to coconut oil. The omega-6 oils I listed above are the worst oils to cook with because they are highly susceptible to heat damage because of all of the double bonds they have. Coconut oil is stable enough to resist heat-induced damage.
2) Homemade Chocolate - An easy way to make some sugar-free, healthy chocolate is by using coconut oil as a base. I will be posting a recipe soon but if you can’t wait check out my lovely friend Kris’ blog over at i heart wellness she has a great recipe posted here. Her’s even contain protein – bonus!
3) Moisturizer & Massage Oil - Coconut oil can also be used on your skin instead of using lotions or creams that contain toxins that are harmful to your body. As a long time sufferer of eczema, coconut oil has been a god send for me! It works amazing on dry, cracked, itchy skin. But what works for one may not work for all, make sure you test a small patch of skin before applying to a large area. Coconut oil helps to improve your skin’s elasticity and has anti-aging benefits as well. Woo hoo!
4) Make Up Remover - Not only can coconut oil be used as a moisturizer, it also works great to remove makeup after a long day. To take off eye makeup I usually wet a cotton pad and scoop up some coconut oil which will melt from your body heat once you start to rub off your makeup. It works like a charm and is gentle on the eye area!
5) Hair Mask - As a female that has some Asian background, I am very blessed to have naturally healthy hair but in the winter it does tend to get a bit dry, especially my scalp. This is when I turn to coconut oil! I like to cover my hair in coconut oil and let it sit for about an hour then rinse well it out well. Some people even sleep with coconut oil in their hair and wash it away in the morning leaving it silky smooth and shiny.
So now you know why I’m so coo coo for coconut oil and why you should be too! Do you use coconut oil? Do you use it for something that I haven’t listed above? Please share!
If you would like to know some more facts about coconut oil you can visit Dr. Mercola’s website here. He is absolutely amazing!
Enjoy the weekend friends! Keep it healthy n’ happy ;)
Love From The Kitch,
Kirstie
