Update from last blog: George Zimmerman is finally arrested on long-overdue murder charge in the Trayvon Martin killing. And enough of death.
Today I celebrate life; one with a healthier mind and body. I’m on one of my kicks. This time it’s coconut oil. It all started with an article I read in The Tampa Bay Times about Dr. Mary Newport who says coconut oil has significantly lessened the effects of Alzheimer’s on her husband, Steve. I read her book from Amazon, Alzheimer’s Disease, What if There Was a Cure?, and found it amazing. Not only does coconut oil help reduce the ravages of memory loss, but also it helps in weight loss and a host of other neurodegenerative diseases. I immediately hacked down a coconut from my Costa Rican farm and started experimenting.
Some notes about fresh coconut:
- The water is tasty, refreshing, a natural electrolyte and a benefit to bladder health. This part does not contain oil.
- Once the coconut has been stripped of its husk, pound a nail through the softest of the 3 holes in the top and one of the others, to easily extract the water.
- Place coconut on its side, the ends parallel to you, and hit a sharp blow in the middle with a hammer or the non-sharp side of a machete until it cracks in half – perfectly. Don’t believe it? Try it.
- Let it dry out a bit. With a knife or hammer remove flesh from shell.
Now you’re ready to prepare and eat this wonderful nut:
- Just eat the flesh as is.
- Break flesh into small pieces and grate in blender, food processor or by hand.
- You can extract the oil from the flesh by placing in hot boiled water, then straining through a cloth or fine sieve. Reserve the liquid coconut milk for use in smoothies, Thai food or other recipes.
- The remaining flesh can be eaten, used in baking, or placed on a flat cookie sheet and toasted in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.
- The toasted coconut (yum) can be sprinkled on ice cream, salad, or as a coating for fish, vegetables, meat, or fruit. No sugar added.
- The oil can be used in baking, sautéing, frying, salad dressings, smoothies and for skin and hair care.
Now for those of you without a good source of coconuts you can buy organic, non-processed, virgin oil from health food and some grocery stores (Publix). If you buy coconut milk make sure it has no sugar added. There are many websites with more information about the benefits and recipes. Just google it and enjoy.
Just got an email from my friend Jolly with a wonderful video of Dr. Mary Newport and her husband Steve’s progress. See here on http://www.cbn.com/media/player/index.aspx?s=/mp4/LJO190v1_WS
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We are cookoo for coconuts, too! For three summers now we get the fresh young coconuts from Thailand at our local Asian market and refresh ourselves with the water (which can also be used as a substitute for plasma when someone needs a blood transfusion and there isn’t any blood available! Miraculous!), then enjoy the delicious meat. We also have been eating Paleo since January and incorporating coconut milk, oil, flour, and flakes into all aspects of our diet and culinary delights. We use the oil for flavorful frying, roasting, baking and put the milk into everything we used to use dairy milk for (my favorite is the rich creamy treat it makes of my morning coffee). We buy coconut milk in liter boxes at our local Asian market (if you are limited to cans at the grocery store look out for additives and NEVER but “Lite” coconut milk which just has water added and sometimes costs even MORE than regular!). Since we no longer eat wheat flour, we use a mix of nut flours and coconut flour for baking. I’m so glad to hear there are even more health benefits and potentially staving off Alzhiemer’s! Thanks for sharing and enjoy the kick (hopefully long duration!).
i just had coconut milk yogurt…greek style… for the first time… worked for me! i have a sensitivity to dairy…need to be cautious…w/ dairy of any kind.
yogurt is ok if i don’t over due it because of the cultured aspect…easier to digest…so the coconut milk yogurt/ice cream etc is very cool ; )
Kuis dad, Golden, has been using the oil as a daily supplement as well as using it and the whole nut in food preparation etc for some time…he says he experiences clarity of mind and a sense of well being.
Gracias for sharing your kick out of coconut trees…it was a good reminder for me…such a valuable resource… muchas gracias to the coconut trees!
<3 to u & all V ~*~
Yay for coconut! I grew up on them in Hawaii, finding them by the side of the road and bringing them home to hack open with a machete. There’s a point in the ripening process, during which time the coconut is still green and the water (milk) hasn’t seeped out from the meat yet. Opening up one of these lucky green ones would yield what we called “spoon meat” because the meat was pudding-like and sweet and spoonable. Natural coconut oil is great but stay away from food products with the hydrogenated kind, that’s a big no-no!