Working With New Things

[teddy_radiator]

Hello everyone, I'd like some advice.

I've decided to jump on the 'better living through trendy foods' bandwagon, and to that end I've purchased coconut oil and chia seeds. Now, the coconut oil I like. A Lot. In fact, I'm practically living on it. But I would like to hear what, if anything, is your favourite way to use both Coconut Oil (which I love) and chia seeds (which I'm still a little iffy about).

Any suggestions, my wise friends?

Comments

[karelia.livejournal.com]

What kind of Chia seeds did you get, the ground ones or the actual seeds? The seeds, unground, get very gelatinous, which I don't personally like, so I tend to grind them into a powder. I use both coconut oil and chia seeds in smoothies and drinking yogurt (aside from the oil and seeds, I use fruit, yogurt, and filtered, crystalised water), and I also use coconut oil for cooking, sometimes instead of olive oil and/or butter or as an addition. I find it absolutely yummy with mushrooms, but then I'm a mushroom freak, lol. I also use coconut oil for my skin. In fact, it's the only thing I allow on my skin, and I've done it for close to 15 years now. I still wouldn't allow anything else on my skin!

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

These are the actual seeds. I sprinkled a few on a cole slaw I'd made earlier, and I didn't really taste them in it, but I also didn't find them offensive either. Do you use a grinder to powder your seeds, or can I use a mortar and pestle? I have a really good one of those.

I'm learning to really love coconut oil. I've used it in hot drinks, cooking, moisturising my skin, and I'm really impressed with it.

[karelia.livejournal.com]

I've used both grinder and mortar and pestle, it doesn't make a difference. To benefit from them, you need at least a tablespoon full, preferably two or three a day, and I find it easier and more palatable to eat them in a ground state, lol. And yes, you can add them to pretty much anything; just don't overheat them, as they likely lose lots of their nutrients that way.

You really got it. Coconut rules the healthy world!

[irishredlass.livejournal.com]

I use the coconut oil on my hair and to cook and bake with. I use chai seeds in the refrigerator oatmeal I sent you the recipes for.

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

That's right! I knew I had some recipes that included chia seeds. At the time I didn't make them because I didn't know what chia seeds were.

[minaharker87.livejournal.com]

I love coconut oil for my hair (I use it on wet hair after washing it). If my hair feels really dry, though, I get my hair wet, put lots of coconut oil on it and let it sink in for at least 30 minutes before washing it out (make sure to use conditioner, as conditioner works better for washing out oils than shampoo).
I've heard that it's also great for removing make up, but as my skin is blemish-prone, I don't use it on my face.
That being said, I don't actually eat it (I don't even know why).

[gelsey.livejournal.com]

As someone with a lot of hair, I hope you'll forgive me asking what coconut oil does when you use it like that?

[minaharker87.livejournal.com]

Well, when I use it after washing my hair (just a tiny bit, really, mostly on the ends), my hair feels softer and it seems to be less frizzy when it's dry and feels less brittle. When I use lots of coconut oil before washing my hair, the result is kind of the same, just better.

(my hair is somewhere between BSL and midback, medium-thickness, I'd say (certainly not fine), wavy and usually, if I don't take particularly good care of it, quite frizzy)

[gelsey.livejournal.com]

Cool! I might have to try it. Mine is very long, below my bum, and it could be thicker though I don't think it's terminally thin either. It can get a bit flyaway at times especially in the summer though. Thank you for telling me!

[kittylefish.livejournal.com]

i use coconut oil pre-washing sometimes. never tried it post-washing - will have to try that!

[gelsey.livejournal.com]

My friend just dumps her Chia seeds in her food, particularly soup. She says they don't have much taste, and she seems to like them well enough.

[drinkingcocoa.livejournal.com]

Used coconut oil to oil the pan for omelettes and couldn't tell the difference in taste, but enjoyed doing it. I've also just gotten coconut/peanut butter and it's so yummy I just eat it straight. I do like the gelatinous nature of chia seeds so I've been soaking them in coconut milk before adding cereal and fresh fruit.

There are many trendy foods I've ignored, but these two are fun. :-)

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

Hope I don't sound too negative, but be careful when cooking with coconut oil -- it's high in saturated fat. After my father had his heart attack, foods made with coconut and coconut oil were totally forbidden on his cardio-diet. My BFF's stepfather is a cardiologist, and he rails against coconut oil, too (it's used in a LOT of processed foods, more than you might think). Sorry, dear! I don't mean to rain on your parade, but too often when foods get trendy, they don't get advertised in a balanced way that makes us aware of the risks.

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

Good to know. Actually, I've been using it more for cosmetic purposes, to be honest. It's great on my terribly dry feet, and skin-wise it feels lovely. I do a little cooking with it, but no more than I would any other vegetable oil.

[kittylefish.livejournal.com]

coconut oil has the most saturated fat of any oil, actually. it started being widely used in packaged products when trans-fats got a bad name, because it performs similarly, precisely because it is highly saturated. i like how it tastes, and occasionally use it sparingly for cooking purposes mostly when i don't want things to taste like olive oil.

[dickgloucester.livejournal.com]

I thought it was palm oil that was the big monster in all those processed foods (ecologically disastrous, too) - and easily confused with coconut oil. Is it coconut oil too, then?

[kittylefish.livejournal.com]

coconut oil is something like 92% saturated. i edited a report on cooking oils a long time ago, so i don't remember the figures exactly, but coconut oil is the most saturated, followed by palm kernel and then palm oil. the saturated fat is why it's pretty much solid at room temperature. and why it's used as a substitute for trans fats - because really trans fats, or hydrogenated oil, makes unsaturated oil more like saturated fat. that's as best as i can explain it some 25 years later, lol.

[blueartemis07.livejournal.com]

Chia seeds get gelatinous whole, like boba. I just drink them in water, which I find refreshing, but I have a friend who sprinkles them on salads, rice, oatmeal, whatever.

I don't use much coconut oil.

[arwitchywoman.livejournal.com]

I tried the "pulling" coconut oil a couple of months ago. After 2 weeks of disgust, and no change in anything in my health, I quit. I won't use it for anything else because I don't like the way coconut tastes.

Chia and Flax seeds - I'll put those in my NutriBullet with kale or spinach, a banana, and lots of soy milk. Yum. Also, I have a coffee grinder, gring them up, and sprinkle them on my steal-cut oatmeal with blueberries. I can't taste anything, but my cholesterol is down A LOT.

[mimimanderly.livejournal.com]

I LOVE coconut oil for my hair! I distribute about a tablespoon of it through my hair (except for the roots) and comb it through about an hour before I shampoo. Then I shampoo, condition, and blow-dry as usual. Since I've been using it, I don't even need to use any styling product to de-frizz my hair. And my hair stylist is always commenting on how soft my hair is! "Whatever you're doing, keep doing it," she says.

As far as using it for the body, though, I find that safflower oil is cheaper and does a better job, as it has a less oily feel once it sinks in. Also it has lots of vitamin E, which is a potent anti-oxident.

[minaharker87.livejournal.com]

I hope you don't mind the question, but on your avatar it looks like you dye your hair black. I've recently started dyeing my hair black again and have been very careful with the coconut oil ever since. In your experience, does the coconut oil in any way influence how long the dye lasts?

[mimimanderly.livejournal.com]

Actually, I've been slowly lightening my hair to a medium ash brown (what I remember as being my natural color!), and it is a slow process. I had to go slowly, dying just a shade lighter for several months, before -- finally -- getting to the shade I want. So now it's sort of an ombre effect, with very dark brown on the ends, and the color I want at the crown.

Coconut oil has no effect on the dye one way or the other. I find that the best way to keep color from fading is to use SULFATE-FREE shampoos, make sure that any styling product you use is free of alcohol, and either stay out of the sun or wear a hat if you are out for a prolonged period of time. The coconut oil does, however, keep the hair soft, manageable, and as undamaged as possible considering all we inflict on our hair. From what I've read, the molecules in coconut oil are small enough to penetrate the hair shaft and fill it out, whereas that is not the case with a lot of oils, which just lie on the surface.

I hope this helps!

[minaharker87.livejournal.com]

Thank you, it's good to know that I don't have to be careful with the coconut oil.
I already use sulfate-free shampoos, but they're really hard to find in Germany (if there's anything that works particularly well for you, I'd be grateful for a recommendation, as I've already considered importing shampoo). And I don't really use styling products, as I don't like the ingredients of most (I try to avoid alcohol and silicones and most polyquats don't work that well for my wavy hair).
I usually stay out of the sun, but in the future, I'll try to remember to wear a hat if I do spend some time in the sun.

Thanks again for your tips!

[mimimanderly.livejournal.com]

You know... I've tried the expensive brands (Living Proof No-Frizz, I'm lookin' at you!), but I've found that the cheaper brands are just as good, sometimes better. L'Oreal's "Ever" line is sulfate-free and very good. I use the EverSleek products, because I wear my hair straight. They also make an EverStrong... EverPure, EverCurl, etcetera. It's inexpensive and it works very well.

[minaharker87.livejournal.com]

Thanks :) I've been thinking about ordering something from the EverCurl line, but as I can't get them in stores here, I was somewhat reluctant. I think I'll just give it a try now, though.

[kittylefish.livejournal.com]

i use a tablespoon of either whole chia seeds or hemp hearts in my smoothies each morning. the other thing i use chia seeds for is to make 'pudding.' the seeds soak up the liquid and it ends up with a sort of tapioca texture. i like it. here's the first recipe i used.

Banana Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding
Ingredients
o 0.5 medium banana, mashed
o 1 tbsp blue agave nectar
o 1 tbsp cocoa powder, unsweetened
o 6 tbsp chia seeds
o 1.5 cups vanilla almond milk, unsweetened
For garnish:
• 0.5 medium banana, sliced
• 2 tbsp 0% Greek yogurt, plain
• 1 tsp chocolate chips
Instructions
1. To make chocolate pudding: In one mason jar or any container combine 4 tbsp chia seeds, 1 cup almond milk, cocoa powder & agave nectar. Stir well.
2. To make banana pudding: In a second mason jar or container combine mashed banana, remaining chia seeds (2 tbsp) and almond milk (0.5 cup). Stir well.
3. Cover both jars and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
4. To serve divide equally between 2 bowls or glasses and layer in the following order: chocolate pudding, banana, banana pudding. Top with Greek yogurt and chocolate chips.

fyi, this last time, i forgot i was only supposed to use half a banana, and i have to say, it tasted awesome with a whole banana, lol. also, sometimes i just make the chocolate and make mexican chocolate, adding cinnamon. and you can also make cinnamon chia seed pudding, just do the milk, seeds, a tsp of cinnamon, and sweetener if you want it. i use a little. you can make it with other fruits as well, though i haven't.

[melusin-79.livejournal.com]

Thinking of trying chia seeds myself, so would be interested to see how you get on with them. Coconut oil one of the best fats to use in cooking as it doesn't deteriorate when it's heated so doesn't release free radicals. Also very good for the brain - seen recent articles of people with dementia improving from eating 6 tablespoons a day (which when you think of it is pretty logical as the brain is largely made of fat and cholesterol).

[lynnylou.livejournal.com]

I have been meaning to try coconut oil instead of lotion because my hands seem to get really dried out from constantly washing them at work. I hope you get some great suggestions for its use.

[darklotus1211.livejournal.com]

A few other people have warned of the risk of eating coconut oil too, but I just thought I'd chuck my two cents' worth in too - be very careful with it as it is a highly saturated oil. If you have a tendency to have high LDL levels, it can be quite disasterous. Some people metabolise fats better than others, but in a recent study in Malaysia, where coconut oil, milk and cream are used very widely, they found that it tended to raise LDLs (bad cholesterol) by an average of 8%, so, depending on how your body goes with cholesterol levels, it could be very risky to use it too much in a dietary sense. It's also very fattening. I still cook with coconut cream and milk, but not regularly as I love the taste, but I keep it in moderation. I love it for cosmetic purposes, though and it is really good for your hair and scalp.

I have a genetic condition where, no matter what I eat, without medication I have catastrophically high cholesterol levels, but how people's metabolisms handle fats really does cover a broad spectrum. My stepdad, for example, ate a diet horrifically high in saturated fats and never had a cholesterol problem in his life - so go by what your levels tend to be at generally and also by how influential your diet is in whether your levels change (it is more so in some people than in others).

As mentioned in another comment, coconut oil is used in many processed foods as it's extremely stable and doesn't oxidise or go rancid for a long time so gives foods a longer shelf life. It was used a lot before being replaced with trans fats and now is being used more again as trans fats are not popular (and rightly so!), so many people are eating it already without being aware of it.