March

I was going back and forth about my March commitment.  I had and idea in my head, but just wasn't sure if I could afford to do it financially speaking.  One day, when I was playing around on Facebook, I came across this Cooking Oil Comparison Chart.  That sealed the deal for me.  I knew what I wanted to do for March.  I am switching my cooking oil!
Like many people, I fell for the clever marketing ploys that companies use to sell their products.  I had been using canola oil because it said, "no trans fat, cholesterol free, heart healthy" on the label; therefor it had to be true!  Companies have spent a lot of time and money looking for loop holes so that they can print partial truths on their labels.  I discuss that a little bit in my Fat-Free? Post.
Ok, so back to canola oil.  What I found out on the chart is that the conventional canola oil, that I thought was a smart choice, is actually genetically modified, usually high in pesticides, usually highly refined, bleached and deodorized and those Omega 3's that it's supposed to have are exposed to high heat so they are no longer of benefit to your body.  Geez!  I think the con's far out-weigh the pro's here, for me anyway!
What's a girl to do?!  All of the commonly known healthy oils are so expensive!  Yes, I buy extra virgin olive oil for some of my cooking, which is a great choice, but is pricey and adds a strong flavor to some foods.  It is low in the unhealthy fats and is high in flavonoids which protects your blood vessels and cells from damage and prevent excessive swelling in your body.  This is good stuff here.  The thing is, for the price, I can't afford to use it for ALL of my cooking.  Also, some foods take on the flavor of the olive oil and make it taste ... not so good.
Through conversations with a couple of friends, the idea of coconut oil was presented to me.  They said is is not expensive and that it does not add flavors to your food.  Hmm, sounded odd, but I thought I'd look into it.  Wow!  If you find good quality, organic, virgin coconut oil ... this stuff is great!  It is low in the Omega 6 bad fats and has no cholesterol or trans-fat.  Coconut oil is commonly referred to as the "healthiest oil on Earth".  There is a long, scientific explanation about the type of fat that's in coconut oil and how it is metabolized differently by out bodies.  You can read about that at Coconut Research Center.  I'll try to break it down the best I can.  50% of the fatty acid in coconut oil is called Lauric Acid which is turned into Monolaurin by our bodies.   

 "Monolaurin is the antiviral, antibacterial, and antiprotozoal monoglyceride used by the human or animal to destroy lipid coated viruses such as HIV, herpes, cytomegalovirus, influenza, various pathogenic bacteria including listeria monocytogenes and heliobacter pylori, and protozoa such as giardia lamblia. Some studies have also shown some antimicrobial effects of the free lauric acid."  (Coconut Connections)

The Nutiva brand that I found is cold-pressed (no heat to damage nutritional quality), organic, not refined, not bleached and is not deodorized.  The price was very reasonable.  I found it on Amazon for a great price and was able get a 15% discount and free shipping by subscribing to auto-shipments.  I am very excited about this and can not wait to give you all a review of how it goes!  Until then, I want to know how you are making commitments to better health!  Who knows, you may give me a great idea!