Photographs by David Engelhardt | Recipes by Natural Gourmet Institute | Food Styling by Corey Belle

It seems like everyone’s touting the amazing powers of coconut oil these days. Health experts swear the stuff can help you slim down and boost your brain power. Natural beauty devotees say it’s the best skin and hair treatment out there. And vegans love that it can be used instead of butter or lard in baking, since it’s solid at room temperature but melts when heated. Here at Naturally, we’re fans of any product that’s chemical-free and can be used in lots of ways around the house. We spoke to David Katz, MD, founding director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center and president of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, to find out just how healthy coconut oil really is.

Saturated fat used to be considered the enemy; we were told it clogs arteries and causes heart disease. But lately, science has revealed that it’s not that simple. We’re learning that different types of saturated fats actually behave differently in the body. A lot of the buzz around coconut oil has to do with a saturated fat called lauric acid, a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) that your body metabolizes more efficiently than larger fat molecules. This has led some people to speculate that MCTs are used as a quick energy source and don’t get stored as fat. Katz says that’s most likely “an exaggeration” but adds that, “since MCTs are easier to digest, they can offer advantages to people with digestive problems.”

A few small human studies have found that eating coconut oil can help boost metabolism and lower your overall calorie intake. One study of 40 women aged 20–40, published in the journal Lipids, found that eating about 2 tablespoons of coconut oil every day for 12 weeks effectively reduced abdominal fat. Paleo eaters say that coconut oil makes great brain food, too. The evidence is limited, but there was a pilot study done last year that showed that coconut oil can help protect the brain from the damaging effects of amyloid proteins—plaques that build up in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. (It’s believed that amyloids might block the ability of brain cells to communicate with each other while also triggering inflammation.) Lauric acid has displayed antibacterial and antifungal powers, too, but, so far, only in a lab setting. It’s compelling stuff, but overall, more research is needed before we can officially crown coconut oil as the next superfood.

In the kitchen, though, we can attest that coconut oil is great for popcorn, baked goods, and roasting and sautéeing veggies. And that’s not all. Turn the page for a batch of new recipes that call for coconut oil in creative ways.

DIY Bulletproof Coffee

Makes one 8-oz cup

If you want to kick up your morning cup of joe, this easy recipe delivers flavor, creaminess and a nutritional boost. Instead of store-bought
coffee creamers full of sugar and artificial flavors, this all-natural
version will make any cup good to the last drop.

1 tablespoon grass-fed butter

1 tablespoon coconut oil

8 ounces freshly brewed hot coffee

Optional : chocolate extract, vanilla extract, mint extract

Whip together ingredients (and optional extract) in a blender until homogeneous and frothy. Enjoy in place of your morning brew for a sustained winter-worthy warmer.

Vegan Coconut Aioli

Makes 1 cup

This sauce’s delicate coconut flavor has myriad uses: as a mayonnaise alternative for sandwiches, a creamy topping for roasted vegetables, or to spread on shrimp, fish or tofu before broiling or baking.

4 ounces soft silken tofu

2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¾ cup organic non-GMO canola oil

¼ cup coconut oil

Sea salt

1 Combine tofu, lemon juice and mustard in a blender and purée for about 30 seconds, or until the tofu is smooth.

2 While blending, slowly pour in the oil until the mixture thickens.

3 Season to taste with sea salt.

Wilted Spinach Salad with Coconut Bacon

Makes 2 servings

This ultra-easy coconut “fakin’ bacon” is a cinch to make and really delicious as a savory vegan protein-packed treat. Make extra to snack on to curb cravings.

4 ounces spinach (not baby, it wilts too quickly), stemmed, washed and spun dry

½ pound butternut squash, peeled, diced, roasted tender

2 ounces red onion, thinly sliced

¼ cup coconut “bacon” (large flaked coconut, tossed in ½ teaspoon tamari and ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika, baked at 350° for 10 minutes)

for the dressing

3 tablespoons coconut oil

½ teaspoon white or black mustard seeds

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon maple syrup

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

Sea salt, to taste

1 Divide and arrange spinach, squash and red onion among two plates or bowls.

2 Warm oil and add mustard seeds. When the seeds begin to pop, carefully add vinegar. Whisk in maple syrup and Dijon mustard, and season with salt.

3 Drizzle dressing over spinach to wilt lightly, and sprinkle with coconut “bacon” to finish.

Pho Flavor Cubes

Makes 1 cup / 6–8 frozen cubes

This coconut pho paste is incredibly versatile. It’s delicious as a spread, tossed into hot rice or roasted vegetables, or in a seafood salad. Mixing ¼ cup of the pho paste with ¼ cup of the coconut oil aioli makes a delicious dip, perfect for crudité or as a mayo replacement for tuna or chicken salad.

for the CUBES

5 ounces Thai basil leaves, washed and spun dry

2 ounces mint, washed and spun dry

1 ounce cilantro

4 scallions, trimmed, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 ounces ginger, minced

1 bird’s eye chili (or other spicy chili)

2 lime leaves (optional)

¼ cup Vita Coco coconut oil

Sea salt to taste

for the SOUP

4 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth

1 pound mung bean or rice noodles, rehydrated in cold water for 10 minutes

½ pound bean sprouts

1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

½ pound shrimp, cooked and cut in 3–4 pieces each

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 Combine basil, mint, scallions, garlic, ginger, chili and lime leaves in a food processor. Drizzle in oil as machine is running to create a thick purée. Season with salt to taste.

2 Scoop mixture into ice cube trays and freeze. When frozen, pop out cubes and store, frozen, in an airtight container.

3 Toss 3 cubes into simmering chicken broth and let them dissolve. Divide among four serving bowls filled with rehydrated rice noodles, bean sprouts, cooked shrimp and lime wedges.

4 Drizzle each bowl with ¼ teaspoon of sesame oil before serving.

Coconut Miso-Glazed Japanese Eggplant

Makes 1 cup glaze for 2–4 servings

This vegan glaze is both savory and sweet, which works beautifully on Japanese eggplant and other hearty vegetables. When cooking for meat eaters, use extra sauce to give proteins like chicken or beef a caramelized glaze. 

¾ cup sake or light white wine

¼ cup seasoned rice wine (mirin)

¼ cup filtered water

6 tablespoons light/white miso

1 teaspoon agave

1 tablespoon coconut oil

3 Japanese eggplants (approximately 1.5 pounds), sliced lengthwise from stem to end (or 1 pound of lean protein, if cooking meat)

1 By hand or in a blender, mix together sake, mirin, water, miso, agave and coconut oil. Coat eggplants or protein of choice, and allow to marinate for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.

2 Bring eggplants to room temperature, wipe off any excess marinade, and grill or broil until eggplant is tender and caramelized, about 10–12 minutes. Alternatively, roast at 375°F for
15–20 minutes.

How to Choose a Great Coconut Oil 

Pick up a jar of coconut oil and you’ll see lots of different buzzwords on the label. But there are really only two things you need to check for: The oil shouldn’t be hydrogenated, and it shouldn’t be processed using chemicals. Other than that, what you choose is a matter of personal taste.

Raw vs. Refined Like the name implies, raw coconut oil is minimally processed. In the nutrition world, “refined” is usually a bad thing, but that’s not necessarily the case when it comes to coconut oil. Refined oil has a milder flavor and holds up better to heat, making it a great choice when you’re cooking, especially if you don’t want a dominant coconut flavor.

Cold-pressed  You might see this on the label, or maybe “expeller-pressed” or “centrifuged.” These are all methods of extracting the oil from the coconut flesh that typically don’t involve chemicals, and one isn’t better than the other. But each process produces an oil with a slightly different flavor, so you may need to sample a few to find your favorite.

Extra-virgin  If you see this or “virgin” on the label, you can ignore it—in the U.S., there’s actually no legal definition for these terms when it comes to coconut oil.

One brand we love here at Naturally is Vita Coco. Their coconut oil is raw, 100% organic and sustainably harvested. The company partners directly with local coconut farmers and gives back to the communities through education programs and other projects.