Delicious on the palate, soothing on the skin, and vegan to boot, this miracle ingredient just might become your best friend.

Pure coconut oil is up to 92% saturated fat, the highest percentage of saturated fat in any fats, including butter. Saturated  fats are solid at room temperature, and coconut oil too, is solid at room temperature and has a high smokng point,making it suitable for frying. It is safe to keep at room temperature, it doesn’t go rancid and doesn’t require refrigeration which can make it so hard it is tough to scoop out of the jar. And unlike saturated animal facts, coconut oil does not contain cholesterol.

Coconut oil is a blend of fatty acids-44% lauric acid, a medium chain fatty acid that has a more neutral effect on cardio-vascular health than the longer chain animal fats found in meat and dairy. Short and medium length fatty acids are metabolized much more easily by the liver than long length fatty acids, so are less likely to be stored in your body as fat. Lauric acid also has antibacterial properties and contains antioxidants that combat free radicals that are linked to aging. Still, it is important to note that with any saturated fat, you want to control your intake;  one tablespoon of coconut oil has 117 calories, 14 g of fat, 12 g of saturated fat, and no vitamins or minerals. For this reason it is recommended that saturated fats, including coconut oil should not exceed 7% of your daily caloric intake.

In terms of overall health, the medical community is still cautiously optimistic about coconut oil, advocating moderate use; better than trans fats, but not as good as liquid vegetable oils 

Still, coconut oil is everywhere these days. Here are just a few uses for coconut oil you might have not tried yet;

-It can be substituted once per ounce with hard fats like butter, shortening or lard in recipes for baked goods, making it a good choice for vegan baking

-It is great for rubbing on roasted veggies, as an alternative to butter or duck fat

-Used topically, it is great for dry skin, sunburn, psoriasis, as a salve for bug bites, and soothes and softens the skin.

Those are just a few. Once you end up buying a jar of , check this site out for a hundred and one uses for it. Another great article about coconut oil can be found here.

Prepare to get hooked!