The Awesomeness of Coconut

So I am nutty for coconuts. They have such a bad reputation, so I figured I'd clear the air. I'm thrilled that so much more accurate and help information about them is being reported. The main reason mainstream doctors and media will tell you that coconuts are bad is because of the fat content.

So first let me toot them a bit. Did you know that coconuts have a wonderful already built in due to our wonderful creator, Jesus, natural antibacterial agent? So stick a tbsp of coconut oil in your smoothies. In fact you'd be better to wash your hands with regular soap, and then follow up with a little coconut oil as a skin moisturizer, than washing with antibacterial soap. Those antibacterial agents in soaps sold in stores strip our bodies of much needed healthy bacteria. They are too strong. Yes, some bacteria is good. That's another post.

Did you catch that up there? You actually get a two for one, natural antibacterial and a great moisturizer in one! Coconuts are a great source of healthy saturated fat. Oooops, did I break the health code and call saturated fat healthy? Yeah, I think I did. Gosh, I'm saucy today. Anyway, we need fat for brain development, heart health, much to the contrary of the American Heart Association, and healthy mobility for our joints.

Not all saturated fat is bad, and while I wouldn't recommend eating a whole jar of coconut butter in one sitting or a whole coconut since that would be glutinous, the stuff is good for you. This is not saying that I couldn't gobble down some plain, raw, coconut butter. Love the stuff! Many island living cultures use the coconut as a staple in their diets and they are not overweight. We in our country aren't overweight because we eat a coconut. We're overweight because we eat happy meals, and then sit on the couch watching Law and Order reruns...ouch!

The more and more I learn about all that the Lord has created the more grateful I am for being His. He gave us all the world to basically be ours and care for, and then He died on the cross for us...really humbling.

The water in the coconut is nature's own electrolyte drink. Skip the artificially colored and flavored Gatorade, and just drink coconut water. When my sons are sick I always go out and get them a young coconut. Forget the Pedialyte. You can use this in smoothies instead of water or nut milks for a healthy punch as well.

Coconut oil has a high heat tolerance, so basically its the best oil to cook with over any other. Unlike many other oils, such as one of my favorites extra virgin olive oil. Very fond of it, but I rarely cook with it because of its low heat tolerance. When we cook with an oil that has a low heat resistance the heat changes the chemical composition of the oil, and then it becomes toxic to our bodies. Fortunately for us like Psalm 139 says we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Our bodies can withstand a lot. At the same time, lets be good stewards.

For more information on coconuts here is an informative website:
http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/

Here is what I had for breakfast this morning:

Tropical Smoothie

5 leaves of raw kale
one banana
2 tbsp coconut butter
3/4 cup of fresh diced pineapple
3 tbsp hemp seed
1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
ice

Blend it up and enjoy it!