RodrigoPeres.com: April 2012

Sometimes I forget about the wonderful “FRESH” fruits, vegetables, nuts, plants and herbs we have back home in Brazil. Its health benefits, from curing diseases to aiding weight loss and health in general.

Like Acérola about 15x smaller than a Organe but 1677mg/100g of Vitamin C while Orange is only 50mg/100g, Camu Camu is 2800mg/100g, Açaí, Guaraná, Arnica to name a few, which I used to eat/drink/rub (my grandmother recipes) as a child and now the world has boxed it and you can find in many forms, from frozen pulp to capsules and gels.

During one of my classes, one of my clients was drinking coconut water while exercising as a form of Isotonic Drink (Coconut water has the same electrolytic balance as human blood).
I was thinking to myself, I miss Brazil… you can easily buy coconut water at any bakery or coconuts stalls around town and kiosks by the beach for about £1 and they open it right there and then.

Forget about the water for now and let is talk about the OIL!!!!!

Most people would say, “coconut oil, no way, it is 90% saturated fat”. I say, yes it is, SO?

There is a BIG difference in saturated fat in coconut oil to the other fats.
From the 3 categories of fatty acids, 97% of our diet comes from long chain fatty acids (bad).
Coconut oil is UNIQUE, and it is predominantly composed of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), also called medium-chain triglycerides or MCTs.

In terms of weight loss, coconut oil raises metabolism by 30-45% for as long as 24hrs and it also decreases Insulin resistance.

Just by throwing your (bad) vegetable oil in the bin and replacing with coconut oil, people have reported a loss in weight between 5-10kg in just 6-10 weeks.

It doesn’t stop there, coconut oil is not just for weight loss, it is for total health!
The weight loss benefits is just a very small % of what coconut can do, coconut oil has far more benefits than any other cooking oil and many foods.

> OTHER HEALTH BENEFITS

- Easy Digestion (people with digestion problem, people who can’t digest fat, premature babes)
- Balance Blood Sugar Level
- Antiviral Properties
- Antibacterial Properties
- Antifungal Properties (Athlete's foot, Dandruff)
- Anti-aging
- Skin & Hair Care
- Healing
- Thyroid Function
- Improve HDL Cholesterol
- Stress Relief
- Increase Immunity
- Relief from kidney problems
- Blood Pressure
- Heart Diseases
- HIV
- Cancer
- Alzheimer and quite a few other things… AMAZING isn’t it?!

Q. How do I use it?
A. Just like any other oil in cooking, in the bath, as a cream!
There are many ways to use coconut oil and incorporate it into your diet. Since it is a stable cooking oil, one can simply replace other oils with coconut oil. (it might become solid when mixed with very cold ingredients).
Even though I don't fully recommend frying foods, whenever you need an oil to cook with, use coconut oil instead of butter, olive oil, vegetable oil, margarine, or any other type of oil, particularly Trans Fats. E.g. Margarine.

Since it is solid most of the time at room temperature (UK), it can be used as a butter or margarine substitute for spreads or for baking. Most recipes calling for butter, margarine, or any other oil can be substituted with coconut oil.

Many people simply eat it by the spoonful 2-3x a day.

Mixing the oil with hot water and drinking it is becoming more and more popular. Try also mixing it with herbal teas, honey, lemon, and other suitable beverages for a great warming drink!

Do you need more ideas?

- Blend in shakes, smoothies and porridge – Try the MILK as well.
- Roast potatoes and other vegetables in coconut oil.
- Use on rice or pasta.
- Spread on Ryvita or bread.

* Some oils are for cooking and other culinary purposes. However, indigenous populations that have made their oil for millennia don't differentiate between its uses, and have always used coconut oil as a hair and body lotion.
If you decide that you wish to use this oil as "skin food", you may find it convenient to warm the oil until it becomes liquid (in an airing cupboard or place it in a bowl of warm water - NEVER microwave).

Q. What is in coconut oil that makes it so healthy and unique?
A. One of the main things is Lauric Acid.

When Lauric Aacid is present in the body, it is converted into monolaurin, a monoglyceride compound which exhibits antiviral, antimicrobial, antiprotozoal and antifungal properties. It acts by disrupting the lipid membranes in organisms like fungus, bacteria and viruses, thus destroying them. Without a plentiful source of lauric acid, the body cannot produce monolaurin, and all of these important benefits are lost.

Many people who regularly consume coconut oil experience less sickness.

Breast milk is the only other natural source that contains such a high concentration of lauric acid, which could explain the drastic decrease of infections of all types in breast-fed babies.

Note: DO NOT stop using Extra Virgin Olive Oil (in salads but not for heating) as it plays a significant role in the many health benefits attributed to olive oil.

Try the Milk, Water and the meat... you can make nice objects with the shell as well!

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