Cooking with Coconut Oil
You don’t have to go on a mystery quest as to why more and more people are digging for coconut oil. The results are evident! It can bring many health benefits for you and your family especially if you cook with it. Cooking with coconut oil may be the easiest way to consume the sufficient amount of coconut oil needed to deliver its health benefits.
Unlike any other essential oils like olive oil, coconut oil has a high smoke point so it can tolerate higher temperatures of heat. It’s pretty versatile too. You can cook anything with it and even bake or fry with coconut oil.
Benefits of Cooking with Coconut Oil
- Coconut oil can fuel your energy.
- Coconut oil kicks up your metabolism and helps you lose weight.
- Coconut oil helps regulate your cholesterol and sugar levels.
- Coconut oil moisturizes your skin and is perfect as a makeup remover.
- Coconut oil has antimicrobial properties to fight against infections.
- Coconut oil has anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce joint pain.
- Coconut oil nourishes the hair, strengthens the hair follicles, and helps prevent hair loss.
- Coconut oil is perfect for maintaining healthy teeth and gums.
Cooking with coconut oil (Sauté, Bake, Fry and Everything Else)
For stir-frying, sautéing vegetables and other proteins, replace your cooking oil with coconut oil. Stir-fry it like you usually do and voila! You get a healthier dish with coconut oil.
For vegans, coconut oil is the best substitute for butter. It can entirely replace the butter’s role on your baked goodies. However, you must remember to use about 25% lesser than the amount asked if you’re using butter. Why? It’s because coconut oil is just about pure fat. Bake biscuits, cookies, cakes and brownies the healthier way with coconut oil. You can even try baking sweet potato chips brushed with coconut oil.
For some regular frying, you can use the unrefined coconut oil, but it’s recommended to use the refined type especially for deep frying since it has a higher tolerance to high heat. Try frying eggs with coconut oil, and you’ll instantly fell in love with its taste.
You can also use coconut oil on your popcorn for a flavorful twist. Use it as a topping instead of butter. You can even dress your salads with it.
What Kind of Coconut Oil to Use for Cooking?
The best kind of coconut oil to use for cooking and consumption is the unrefined (virgin) coconut oil, especially if you’re up for more coconut taste and aroma. However, you can also use the refined coconut oil for cooking. That’s if you don’t care much about the taste and smell. The refined coconut oil’s smoke point is higher than unrefined, 450 degrees compared to unrefined coconut oil’s 350 degrees which make it better for deep-frying. Make sure to buy a refined coconut oil that’s unbleached.
Here are a few important things to remember when handling coconut oil for cooking.
- Don’t keep it an area where it’s exposed to direct sunlight.
- The melting point of coconut oil is 76 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re living in a place warmer than that, your coconut oil will be in liquid form unless it’s refrigerated. Before using a liquid coconut oil, stir it first before scooping out.
- In cold places, coconut oil will be solid form. If there’s a need to melt it, just melt it in a saucepan over low heat.
Opt for a healthier choice for you and your family by cooking with coconut oil. It’s the best way to maximize your needed daily consumption of coconut oil which is about 2-3 tablespoons. Find out more recipes with coconut oil on our website! We feature interesting articles about coconut oil every now and then!