Is coconut oil healthy?

Last night I attended a continuing education class on coconut oil.  I know it is currently a hot topic and I was interested to see what Dr. Margaret Harris, a nutrition professor at University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS), had to say about it.

I learned a lot!  It is great for ezcema and dry skin.  It can be applied topically and ingested to improve skin condition.  

Coconut oil contains lauric acid which is known to fight infections.   The only other place lauric acid is found in a large amount is in breast milk.  Coconut oil is also anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial.  I plan to try it next time I have a cold sore and perhaps it will help.

Coconut has lots of phytochemicals.  Dr. Harris said these are chemicals that fight for your health.  It has also been shown to lower inflammatory markers in the body.

Dr. Harris mentioned that the coconut oil supplements in capsules are very expensive and don't contain enough coconut oil to reap the benefits.  For example, one tablespoon of coconut oil would require about 14 horsepills of the supplement!  Plus the high amount of processing to make capsules likely decreases the amount of phytochemicals still available.  Save your money and buy virgin coconut oil.  Dr. Harris said there is no such thing as extra virgin coconut oil.  It turns out the term began after some companies labeled their product with those words and other companies followed suit to be competitive! 

Coconut oil has a long shelf life (at least 3-5 years) and some brands have been tested at 12 years and found to still be stable.  You will know if the coconut oil has gone bad if it starts tasting like soap.

The best source of coconut oil is fermented coconut oil.  It also contains probiotics, (live, healthy bacteria needed for a healthy digestive system).  It does have a slight rancid smell because it is fermented.  It can be purchased online.  Two good brands are Tropical Traditions and Ancient Wisdom.  

Cold-pressed coconut oil is the next best available option and some people prefer it for its sweet coconutty flavor and smell.  I bought a tub of coconut oil at Costco and it is cold-pressed.  It should be pure white or almost colorless.  

Beware of coconut oil that is processed other ways because it will have a slight yellowish tinge and no odor.  These more highly processed coconut oils may not contain all the benefits of coconut oil.  

I was most excited to hear that it tends to raise HDL (healthy fat in your blood) levels since I have struggled to increase my HDL. Turns out my dad has low HDL levels, too, so there is also a family component.  Increasing exercise can raise HDL but for me consistent exercise hasn't changed my HDL levels.  

I tried coconut oil on a piece of toast and it is a very acceptable substitute for butter. Coconut oil is a better option than the laboratory produced versions of margarine or fake butters you find in great quantities at the store.  It can also be used in baking.  I made biscuits using coconut oil in place of butter and they turned out beautifully.  You can even try it in pancakes.  You will feel full for a much longer time!

Coconut oil won't make up for a poor diet but it appears to aid in weight loss and in Dr. Harris' study it helped with decreasing cravings and feeling full and satisfied.

It is important to look for a coconut oil company that is fair trade and organic so that the individuals who work to produce the coconut oil can live decently and we can help to support sustainable growing practices.

More research is needed to fully understand the benefits of coconut oil.  

A word of caution from Dr. Harris:  "Although people who live in the Pacific Islands have enjoyed coconut oil and lots of good health for hundreds of years, they also eat a healthier diet than we do in the United States with fish and lots of fruits and veggies. Although coconut has been thought of as hypoallergenic, some people can react with an allergic reaction, or intolerance.  So be mindful!  Symptoms can be as simple as feeling like you’re coming down with a cold, scratchy throat or just not feeling so well.  You may also want to start slow if you are starting out on coconut oil.  Since your body soaks up coconut oil quickly, eating too much of it at one time when you are not used to it, may make you feel sick or run for the bathroom."

I plan on incorporating it into my family's daily meals to see how it might aid us in our health goals.

I appreciate Dr. Margaret Harris' help and input regarding this information on coconut oil.  Here's a website that she recommended for recipes using coconut oil: freecoconutrecipes.com

How have you used coconut oil?  Any great recipes to share?  

Garden recipes....

I don't know how your garden did this year, but mine really struggled.  I did get a few cherry tomatoes and the basil was very happy so I made a caprese salad with fresh mozzarella balls mixed with tomatoes and basil and drizzled with salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.  Yum!   Luckily, I have some friends who have gardens that have produced more than mine and they have shared their harvest with me!  I love zucchini and tomatoes from the garden!  There is nothing like a sandwich with home-grown tomato, guacamole and a slice of cheese!

Here's a vegetable lasagna that uses zucchini and eggplant in place of the noodles.  It is one of my favorite meatless meals!  What do you do with your garden vegetables?  I'd love to hear!

No Noodle Vegetable Lasagna 
1 medium eggplant, trimmed and peeled, sliced lengthwise in 1/4 inch thick slices
2 large zucchini, trimmed, sliced lengthwise in 1/4 inch think slices
1 large egg, beaten
3/4 pound part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup basil, fresh, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
4 cup marinara sauce, divided
1/2 pound shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Coat two baking sheet with cooking spray.
Place eggplant on one prepared baking sheet and place zucchini on other prepared baking sheet. Spritz veggies with spray.
Roast 8 minutes, turn over and roast for 7 to 10 minutes more (don't exceed 20 minutes of roasting time or the veggies will get too mushy).  Remove from oven.
In a medium bowl, combine egg, ricotta cheese, basil and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.  Set aside.
When vegetables are done, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
To assemble lasagna, coat bottom and sides of a 9X13 baking dish with cooking spray.  Spread a thin layer of sauce (1/4 to 1/3 cup) on bottom of pan.  Layer eggplant over sauce, using all slices and overlapping as needed).  Cover eggplant with half of sauce and spread half of ricotta mixture on top.  Spring with half of mozzarella cheese.  Top mozzarella cheese with zucchini and cover zucchini wtih remaining marinara.  Spread with remaining ricotta mixture and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
Bake until bottom starts to bubble, about 35 to 40 minutes.  Remove lasagna from oven and allow to rest for about 15 minutes.  Slice and enjoy with a green salad as a side.

Eating out with children....

As much as we would all love to be able to cook healthy meals every night of the week for our family, sometimes life gets busy and eating out becomes a necessity.  I've been trying to introduce my boys to new foods so that they don't always end up picking macaroni and cheese off the kids menu at a restaurant!

Some of my favorite alternative restaurant options that can help our kids to branch out from burgers and fries and expand their food horizons include: 

• Which Wich? sandwich shop where they can choose and customize their own sandwich by marking all ingredients on the bag to order for themselves (they love this!)

• Chicken skewers and curry bowls at our local Thai restaurant 

• Japanese bento boxes with miso soup, chicken teriyaki, cucumber salad, California rolls

• Omelets at a breakfast restaurant

• Build your own taco kit at Chipotle

• Cracker Barrel veggie platters (collard greens, apples, okra and broccoli are some of the options)

Just because a restaurant has a kids menu doesn't mean that is what your kids have to eat. Unfortunately, the kids menus are not teaching our children about eating variety and increasing their familiarity with new foods.  Kids menus all offer pretty much the same foods over and over and over...

Remember your job as a parent when it comes to food is to decide when food is served and which foods are offered at mealtimes.  Your kids decide how much they eat and whether they eat.  

Next time you need to eat out with your kids, skip the fast food options and introduce them to something new.  They may actually end up liking in more than your typical go-to spots!  And once you find something they enjoy, try looking up a copycat recipe online of their new favorite food so you can make it together at home!

I'd love to hear your favorite non-traditional spots to eat with your kids.  

Eat more leafy greens.....but how?

It's common knowledge that we all need more veggies in our meals, especially leafy greens.  Today I'd like to share three ideas for getting more green on your plate (or in your cup).  

1.  Spinach salad is usually what we think of when we try to eat more greens.  Add fruit and nuts and it makes it taste great plus it adds fiber and more vitamins!  Here's a recipe for a healthier vinaigrette dressing:

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 T honey

1 shallot, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2.  Freeze bags of fresh spinach before they go bad to have them on hand for smoothies.  Grab a handful or two of frozen spinach and place in your blender.  Add water and blend for a few seconds to make a green liquid.  Add frozen fruit, and a banana or Greek yogurt to make it creamy!  Blend and pour!  This a great way to get fruits and veggies in your kids without them knowing.  Start with more fruit than spinach and gradually decrease the fruit and increase the greens!

3.  Drum roll please.....bite-sized spinach omelets!  My family loves omelets but they are labor intensive on a rushed morning.  These little treasures I found on Pinterest.  (The recipe came from everybodylovespretty.com)  I made a couple of changes and my kids LOVED it!  I was pleasantly surprised that they tasted like they had sausage in them because of the seasonings.  High in lean protein, fiber and they taste great!  You could have them on hand for a quick breakfast on the go!

Quinoa Spinach Omelet Bites

1 cup cooked quinoa, warmed

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or mozzarella or feta)

3 large eggs

1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach leaves

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp pepper 

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease mini muffin tin with cooking spray. (I own a Demarle silicone mini muffin pan and it doesn't need to be greased.  It's one of my favorite cooking tools!)

In a medium bowl, mix the warm quinoa with the cheese to melt the cheese.  Add the eggs, spinach, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.  Stir to combine.

Spoon mixture into mini muffin tins, filling to the top. Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.  Run a small knife around the edges to remove the bites from the muffin tin.

How do you include more leafy greens in your meals?  I'd love to hear your ideas.

How to fight inflammation in the body by what you eat

Today I attended a workshop by fellow dietitian Sandra Weatherly on how to decrease inflammation in the body.  The effects of inflammation can be harmful and it is linked to heart disease, auto-immune diseases, Alzheimer's, cancer and diabetes.

Here are 10 ideas to decrease inflammation by how you eat:

1.  Eat lots of fruits and vegetables.  Half your plate should be tasty produce!

2.  Use extra-virgin olive oil.  For example, try dipping bread in olive oil and balsamic vinegar mixed with herbs on a plate just like they serve at Italian restaurants.  It's a great substitute for butter.

3.  Nuts are a great snack instead of chips that have more fat, salt and calories and don't leave you feeling full.  Nuts have fiber and help you feel more full.

4.  Eat whole grains.  Avoid white, refined grains.  Opt for brown rice, whole wheat pasta, quinoa.

5.  Eat fish two times a week.  Fatty fish like salmon has omega 3 fatty acids that are powerful.

6.  Eat less fast food.  Home-made cooking is more economical and tends to have better nutrition.

7.  Use spices, herbs and garlic for seasoning foods.

8.  Drink less sugary drinks.  Water is a great beverage for anytime!

9.  Incorporate more beans and lentils in your meals.

10.  Dark chocolate with 70% cocoa has powerful antioxidants.  Dark chocolate should be eaten in moderation and won't make up for less than ideal eating.

Other helpful ideas for decreasing inflammation include:  getting quality sleep, exercise, not smoking and mindfulness/stress relieving practices (yoga, deep breathing, etc.).

I plan on incorporating these ideas and I'd love to hear about positive changes you see as you take better care of your health.