The Coconut Oil Comeback

Not too long ago, coconut oil was considered to be liquid death, with more artery-clogging, cholesterol-raising, heart-attack-causing saturated fat than butter or lard.

In 1994, Center for Science in the Public Interest caused a coconut oil panic when they released a study claiming that a large movie-theater popcorn delivered as much saturated fat as six Big Macs because it was popped in highly saturated coconut oil. It was the final nail in the coffin for coconut oil.

Surprisingly, virgin coconut oil has made a bit of a comeback over the past few years. Two groups have helped to change the view on this versatile oil. One group is made up of scientists, many of whom are backtracking on the worst accusations against coconut oil. Most of the studies involving coconut oil were done with partially hydrogenated coconut oil, which has been shown to cause heart disease. However, virgin coconut oil, which has not been chemically treated, is a different thing in terms of a health risk perspective. The other group is the growing number of vegans who rely on it for baking and sautéing.

Not only does coconut oil taste good, it also may be very good for you. Lauric acid, the major fatty acid coconut, has long been recognized for the unique properties that it lends to nonfood uses in the soaps and cosmetics industry. More recently, it has also been recognized for its antiviral and antibacterial  properties.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t believe that coconut oil is a miracle substance. A quick Google search will result in hundreds of ads and articles touting its benefits. Only time will tell if these benefits are true. My point here is to get you to start thinking differently about food. For the most part, saturated fats are bad for you, but coconut oil may deserve a place in your kitchen. Go ahead and give it a try.

Here are two easy recipes to get you started:

  1. Apple Chicken Stir-fry

• 4 large organic chicken breasts
• 2 red apples, Gala or Pacific Rose
• ½ cup virgin coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 tablespoon shredded ginger
• 2 cups mushroom slices of your choice
• salt and pepper to taste
• chopped green onions
• 2 − 3 cups of steamed wild rice

Cut chicken and apples into chunks and set aside.
Sauté oils, honey, chicken, ginger and apples until chicken is cooked, about 8 minutes. Apples should be tender.
Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sauté for another 5 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked. Serve on wild rice and garnish with the green onions.

2. Coconut Carrot Cake

• 3 cups shredded carrots
• 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour, fresh ground if possible
• ½ cup coconut flour
• ¼ cup whole organic sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¾ cup pecans – optional
• ¾ cup dried shredded coconut – optional
• 4 eggs
• 1 ½ cups honey
• 1 ½ cups warm liquid coconut oil
• 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla
• 1 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, un-drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add all remaining ingredients and stir until well combined. Pour into un-greased 9×13 inch baking pan and bake for 50 minutes or until tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool.

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