Health & Cooking Tip: Coconut Oil | Health Benefits of Coconut Oil + Smoothie Recipe!

Have you jumped on the coconut oil bandwagon yet? If not, then you’ll be excited to hear that coconut oil can bring some healthy benefits (& tasty treats!) your way.  And since all-things-coconut remind us of tropical weather, March is a great time to take our mindset from snow to sun!

Why Coconut Oil is Good for You:

• Heart Healthy: Coconut oil is abundant in lauric acid, a type of saturated fat that increases HDL, otherwise known as your “good”cholesterol.
• Provides Energy: Coconut oil is a good source of immediate energy, since it contains medium-chain triglycerides, which your body converts to energy quickly.
• Helps Maintain Weight: Studies (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19437058) have shown that even though Coconut Oil is high in calories, eating it consistently does not effect weight gain, and does benefit the heart.
• Overall Wellness: Coconut oil contains the potent anti-fungal caprylic acid, which is beneficial to Candida sufferers (yeast-overgrowth or thrush symptoms), and can help eliminate chronic fatigue and other Candida symptoms.  The high level of antioxidants in coconut oil have also been show to help prevent some diseases, and many more benefits are still actively being studied.

(For other health questions or concerns, click here to see what Web MD has to say about coconut oil, and check out CoconutOil.com for loads of tips, tricks, and health research.)

What to Know About Using It:

• Coconut oil maintains it’s health benefits even at very high temperatures (unlike olive oil) making it a good choice for frying foods at high-temps.
• You’ll want to select the extra-virgin, and ideally organic, oil for the most health benefits — you’ll find it in a glass jar, rather than a bottle.
• Coconut oil is solid (a creamy white) at room temperature, and turns liquid when heated, mixed with warm water, or when the room temperature gets over 75 degrees.

Ways to Use It:

• Frying meats & vegetables
• Baking (can often be used instead of butter)
• Popping fresh popcorn
• Add to smoothies or soups (may want to heat to liquid form first)
• Take a spoonful straight (1-2 tablespoons a day has been shown beneficial)
• Add it to your tea or coffee

Coconut Oil Recipe: Banana Orange Coconut Smoothie

Want a simple way to get coconut oil into your diet?  Here’s an easy smoothie (that gets us in the mood for summer!) to give a try:

• 1 banana
• ½ cup orange juice
• 3 tablespoons virgin coconut oil – liquefied
• 1 tablespoon Coconut Cream Concentrate or 1/2 cup Coconut Milk
• 3 tablespoons vanilla yogurt
• 3 ice cubes

Ahh…. refreshing.  Here’s to an energizing (& health-filled) Spring!  Enjoy!

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Here at The Cabinet Store + Culina Design we know your beautiful kitchen isn’t just for admiring.  It’s for cooking, experimenting, entertaining, and enjoying!  Contact us — or visit our Apple Valley MN showroom — today, if your kitchen cabinetry or countertops are ready for an uplifting change.  We work with homeowners throughout the Twin Cities and beyond!