Coconut kind of stands on its own in our food guide because it is different than other foods and reacts differently in our bodies. It is such a wonderful and healthy food so it deserves to have it’s own category!  Technically, it is a fat because it comes from a nut and nuts are a good fat source.  However, the unique properties of coconut oil make it respond in the body more like a carbohydrate. It does not store easily in the body as fat but rather is burned for energy immediately. Therefore  it’s in a category all its own.

In Bruce Fife’s book “The Coconut Oil Miracle”,  he recommends  2-4 tablespoons of coconut oil daily for adults.  This dose can be achieved through cooking with the oil, adding it to food, or applying it directly to the skin. It absorbs into the skin very easily and leaves your skin very soft and smooth. Read more. If you are looking for ways to add it into you diet, simply type coconut into our search on the right column and many tips and recipes will come up.

Fife offers the following dose comparison: 3-1/2 tablespoons of coconut oil = 10 ounces of coconut milk = 7 ounces of fresh coconut meat (about 1/2 a coconut) = 2-3/4 cups dried, shredded unsweetened coconut.