That's Fit

Healthy or not healthy? It's a pretty easy question to answer when you're comparing apples to, say, a candy bar. But when you take a look at coconuts, the answer just isn't so clear. Several years ago I worked with a Registered Dietitian who wrote a piece about the benefits of coconut oil. I ended up 86ing the article because I just wasn't convinced that her conclusions were sound nutritional advice. Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid which is said to benefit your immune system. But coconut oil is also crazy high in saturated fat. The RD swore by her stance, but I wasn't convinced. I'm still not. Do the benefits of coconut oil outweigh the negatives?

Fitsugar just ran an article with some further explanation about coconut oil. It has a long shelf life and high smoke point which makes it a good choice for many restaurants and bakeries (particularly those that have had to switch from trans fats). But coconut oil is 90% saturated fat; 60% of which is a form of lauric acid and is metabolized quicker than most saturated fats.

So, the debate continues. As for me, I'd prefer to boost my immunity through fruits and veggies and avoid the unnecessary saturated fat.

Each week, we'll be offering original recipes and unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

Sunday's Parade magazine lists some Super Foods we ought to embrace. Each one is packed with nutrients. And flavor too. Can't beat that combo. Check out these six.

Coconut Milk
Coconuts are rich and saturated in fat. Sound scary? It shouldn't. The people in the South Pacific enjoy diets loaded with coconut oil, yet studies show that these people don't get heart disease. U.S. researchers are hot on the trail of this interesting fact, hoping to support the claim that the fatty coconut is a heart-healthy fruit. What they do know is this: Coconut flakes, coconut milk and cream, and coconut oil contain lots of an antiviral, antibacterial fatty acid called lauric acid. It's one of the immune-boosters babies get from breast milk.

Try this: Mix a can of coconut milk with a pint of chicken stock and some grated ginger for a healthy coconut chicken soup.

Grass-Fed Beef
All beef is a great source of iron, B vitamins, and zinc -- three nutrients most of us don't get enough of. But grass-fed beef (versus grain-fed beef) is best. It contains less fat, less saturated fat, more CLA (an anti-cancer fat), and more omega-3 fatty acids.

Try this: Use the very lean grass-fed beef for spaghetti sauce, chili, and meatloaf.

Nuts
Rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and antioxidants, moderate amounts of almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, and hazelnuts are a good addition to a healthy diet. Walnuts too. They are one of the best vegetarian sources of the omega-3 fatty acids that fight obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Try this: Put nuts in a blender with a little olive oil, milk or water for fresh nut butter.

Cinnamon
Cinnamon regulates blood sugar, inhibits cancer cells, and is anti-inflammatory. Can't beat that.

Try this: Sprinkle cinnamon on French toast, oatmeal, or a cup of hot chocolate.

Raw Honey & Molasses
Great for a sweet tooth, these whole and natural sweeteners make for a healthy sugar substitute. Unfiltered, raw honey contains lots of phytonutrients and enzymes to aid digestion. Blackstrap molasses is a surprisingly good source of iron and many other minerals.

Try this: Honey is best unheated but molasses already has been boiled, so there's no reason not to cook with it. Use with baked goods like muffins and pumpkin pie.

Olive Oil
Olive oil's monounsaturated fats reduce inflammation. Its phenols fight cancer. And its vitamin E lowers the risk of heart disease, protects skin from damaging agents, and prevents nerve damage.

Try this: Gently sauté vegetables in olive oil, drizzle it on salads, or use it in pesto.

Celebrities are under pressure to be super-thin for movie roles, appearances and more. They try some pretty crazy weight-loss gimmicks to lose weight, while all seem either unhealthy, unnatural or downright uncomfortable. AOL Body has put together this list of the wackiest diet ideas:

• Martha's Vineyard Diet
• Cabbage Soup Diet
• The Lemonade Diet
  
• Blood Type Diet
  
• Facial Analysis Diet: Your diet is determined by an analysis of your skin
• Grapefruit Diet: This involves eating half a grapefruit before every meal
  
• Fat Flush Diet: This mostly-water diet should be called the water-flush diet -- that's all it does
• Coconut Diet: Based on the belief that coconut boost metabolism, you eat a lot of coconut on this plan.
  
• Cardio-free diet
• Any diet using diet pills

Come on, fess up -- have you tried any of these? Most of us have

Are we really eating healthier than we were before? More than 1,200 new reduced-fat or trans-fat-free products were introduced last year, so like many others, you probably think you are. But the truth is that many manufacturers are replacing one evil (trans fat) with another evil (saturated fat). While saturated fats are less harmful, it seems that the newly formulated formulas may have slightly more saturated fat then they did before. And, to simply put it ... well, more fat is more fattening!

What to watch out for: Tropical oils, such as coconut, palm kernel, and palm oil.

Healthier alternatives would be: Soybean oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, ultra-low-linolenic soybean oil, or high-oleic canola oil.

That being said, Whole Foods Market gives a different point of view and defends the use of tropical oils.

Of course, the best approach would be to limit any packaged and processed foods. Instead, load up on 'whole' foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, and lean proteins.

Just thought I'd share one of the cutest things that happen in my house. My husband has confiscated and is now in posession of my deodorant. Of course, he may get even with me for telling you this, but he uses my Lady Speed Stick and it works well. In fact, the reason he uses it is due to the men's deodorant creating a weird chemical reaction with his body. The 'guy stuff' would leave odd stains on his shirts and create funky odors.

What makes it all so great is that he's this big perfectly muscular and athletic guy who is a police officer. He's totally all the manly guy things in the world, but his armpits smell like strawberries and I think it's adorable. More importantly, the deodorant works and that's how this is all relevant to you. I buy the Lady Speed Stick clear drying deodorant in strawberry and it's awesome.

I spend all day in the gym and after he runs seven miles and lifts weights (then showers), Rob spends all day in a bullet proof vest. From what I've been told we don't smell half bad. The clear drying stuff is terrific because I wear a ton of tank tops and the last thing I'd want is yucky white stains on my shirts. Lady Speed Stick seem to cost less than the other deodorants on the shelf and it also comes in Cool Coconut, Berry Blossum and Pink Crush. The scents are fun, so give em a try. You can smell fruity instead of smelly too.

Having grown up here on the Caribbean island of Trinidad, the restorative properties of coconut water aren't new to me: my family believes in coconut water. Fighting a cold? Drink some coconut water. Trying to lose weight? Be sure to have coconut water every day. Feeling a bit hungover? A cold glass of coconut water will clear that right up. And while these "remedies" might be questionable, I must admit that I feel a certain cultural satisfaction every time I go to the coconut vendor at the side of the road, and have him cut the top off of a not-quite-ripe coconut with a large machete so I can drink the water straight from the nut.

Well, as it turns out, coconuts are going mainstream: According to Lime, Zico has begun packaging coconut water in handy 11-oz. boxes, ostensibly to be chugged as an after-workout refresher. According to the article, "Naturally occurring electrolytes make young green coconut water especially suited to post-workout hydration. One container of Zico contains five essential electrolytes -- potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus. Even better, coconut water infuses the body with necessary electrolytes without added sugar or artificial coloring. Zico also boasts a 4.8 pH level, which clocks it in with significantly less acid than the average sports drink."

You might want to give it a try -- it comes in its natural flavour, or enhanced with mango or passion fruit and orange peel. And even if you choose not to use it after your workout, at the very least, drinking it may send you into a daydream of tropical skies and sandy beaches.