Find out Friday-It's Ingredient Time; Coconut Oil

Coconut oil. Almost the #1 ingredient in ALL the herbal products I create. I will admit that I had zero clue about coconut oil except I could use it in cooking because it has a relatively high smoke point which makes it safer to cook at high temperatures. In learning about herbs and how to create different remedies, I went down the rabbit hole of this amazing ingredient and was surprised (and a little embarrassed) that at my age, I didn't realize the nutritional benefits. So to help inform you, here are some special things to know about coconut oil.

But FIRST, what exactly IS coconut oil?

Coconut oil is an edible oil derived from the kernels, meat, and milk of the coconut palm fruit. Coconut oil is a white solid below around 25 c (77 f), and a clear thin liquid oil in warmer climates. Unrefined varieties have a distinct coconut aroma.

Coconut oil is made by pressing fresh coconut meat or dried coconut meat called copra. Virgin coconut oil uses fresh meat, while refined coconut oil typically uses copra.

If using a "dry" method, the fresh coconut meat of mature coconuts is dried quickly with a small amount of heat and then pressed with a machine to remove the oil. If using a "wet" method, a machine presses fresh coconut meat to yield milk and oil. The milk is then separated from the oil by fermentation, enzymes, or centrifuge machines.

You may also see the following terms on labels of coconut oil:

Expeller-pressed: A machine presses the oil from coconut flesh, often with the use of steam or heat.

Cold-pressed: The oil is pressed without the use of heat. The temperature remains below 120 degrees F; this is believed to help retain more nutrients.

Refined: The copra is machine-pressed to release the oil. The oil is then steamed or heated to deodorize the oil and "bleached" by filtering through clays to remove impurities and any remaining bacteria.

Partially Hydrogenated: The small amount of unsaturated fats in coconut oil is hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated to extend shelf life and help maintain its solid texture in warm temperatures.

Fun Facts About Coconut Oil

1. The Philippines is the greatest worldwide producer of coconut oil. Indonesia and India are the next largest producers. The Philippines, European Union, United States, and India are the greatest consumers of coconut oil.

2. Coconut oil is an effective moisturizer for skin and hair.

3. It has antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties, which means when consuming coconut oil, it may help your body fight off pathogens and viruses.

4. It is high in natural saturated fats which act in your body to increase "healthy" cholesterol, or HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol and reduce "bad" cholesterol or LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. This can improve the health of your heart and reduce heart disease.

So there you have a pretty good lesson on coconut oil, how it's processed, how to use it and now you know you can feel safe with having coconut oil in your kitchen, on your body, and in your life.

Thank you so much for reading, keep foraging on!

Love and Mushrooms,

Ginger

(www.dailycal.org)

(hsph.harvard.edu)