Coconut Oil - A Good Fat With A Bad Rap?

Lately, I've been hearing a lot of talk about the long-maligned coconut oil - how good it tastes and how good it is for you. First it was a friend who swears by the stuff and then it was my Thai cooking teacher, Kasma, who is a serious devotee and has done a bunch of research to back up her strong opinions.

Kasma painted a tale of large-scale conspiracy to discredit this oil and paint it as unhealthy. Who was behind this vicious smear campaign, you ask? The American soy and corn industries who want the cooking oil market all to themselves...

At first, I was a bit skeptical. But she had so many articles and studies to back up her claims that I finally began to question the evil coconut oil myth... You can read Kasma's summary argument and check out her references on her web site.

What is really the truth? I don't know for absolutely certain but I tend to believe that this is a really good fat. However, I can vouch for coconut oil's pleasant taste, relatively high smoke point, and long shelf-life (particularly if it remains solid) with absolute certainty. 

It's a great substitute for cooking and baking if you have any lactose intolerant people in your life. If you want to give it a try, I'd suggest looking for an organic virgin coconut oil.

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