Coconut oil has a number of health benefits. Notable among them are its ability to lower “bad” HDL cholesterol and reduce hunger. It also helps boost metabolism, and recent studies have shown that coconut oil can reduce stress.
Coconut oil can be used in many different ways around the home, which you can read about here. Our blog also has an article with frequently asked questions about coconut oil. It answers questions such as which coconut oil is the best, what it contains, how to store it, and even at what temperature it melts.
Today we'll take a closer look at how to use coconut oil in the kitchen.
What is coconut oil good for?
As we mentioned at the beginning, coconut oil has positive health effects. However, what you need to keep in mind is that even though it can help you lose weight and lower cholesterol, it is still just fat. 100g of coconut oil contains 898 kcal, so you shouldn't overdo it.
You can use coconut oil in many ways, such as cooking, baking, or preparing various cold foods.
Coconut oil in the kitchen.
Before you decide to use coconut oil in the kitchen , you should definitely know which oil is best for a given activity.
For baking, we recommend using refined coconut oil , which can be heated to 200° Celsius . This oil is usually odorless, which means you will be able to enjoy your food without the coconut aroma.
Refined coconut oil is also suitable for frying or baking in the oven . In addition, you can also use it in preparing various Asian dishes ( stir-fry ), where a higher oil temperature is required.
If you're a popcorn fan, you can easily swap out the coconut oil for butter or vegetable oil. Another tip is to brush skin-on chicken or turkey with coconut oil before seasoning it. This will ensure the skin is crispy and the meat inside stays tender.
In addition to baking, you can also use coconut oil for classic cooking. For such purposes, it is good to use unrefined (virgin) coconut oil, which can be heated to a temperature of 175°C. In most cases, it has a typical coconut flavor, so it is suitable for preparing various Thai soups or curries with coconut milk.
You can fry onions, various vegetables, fish, or skinless chicken and turkey in it. You can also add this virgin coconut oil to coffee or tea, where it will give you the energy you need and increase your metabolism .
Last but not least, coconut oil is also suitable for cold consumption, so feel free to add it to unbaked desserts, various chocolate truffles, fitness bars , or shakes.
And what to add in conclusion?
As you can see, coconut oil can be used in many ways in the kitchen. From our point of view, we definitely recommend adding it to your daily diet. If you use it correctly, the dishes you prepare with it will become a little healthier.
However, do not forget one important thing. And that is to check the origin and composition of the coconut oil you want to buy. Sometimes you can come across one that comes from a non-organic farm, where human rights are suppressed, or where the environment is devastated during harvesting. In addition, it may contain various harmful additives and preservatives. Fortunately, such cases are very rare.
