This week's PRODUCT LOVE: Carrington Farms Organic Coconut Oil

It isn't just the big bottle at a reasonable price that I love about Carrington Farms cold pressed, unrefined, organic coconut oil, I love the consistency and taste. I also love the care that they take in their processing of their products.

Coconut oil itself is rich in medium chain fatty acids, which are very healthy, easy to digest, and do not put strain on the liver and gallbladder. Once thought to raise bad cholesterol, researchers have recently discovered that coconut oil, because it is a medium chain fatty acid, does not raise bad cholesterol at all. Scientists now believe that coconut oil lowers the risk of heart disease.

There are three types of fatty acids: short chain (SCFA), medium chain (MCFA), and long chain fatty acids (LCFA). Most oils, fats and processed foods contain LCFA.

Coconut oil, because of its caprylic and lauric acids, has also been researched and found to be anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic, and even anti-viral. It can be used by knowledgeable practitioners in therapeutic doses to treat certain conditions of the gut.

I use it in a practice called oil pulling to whiten my teeth and help keep the gums and mouth healthy.

In cooking, coconut oil has a very high smoke point. That means that it is safe to use at high temperatures.

This week's PRODUCT LOVE: Navitas Naturals Raw Cacao

UPDATE 5/13/16

Navitas started producing tapioca in their factories some time ago, so I am no longer able to use this powder because I have an anaphylactic response to tapioca. however, I picked up a package this week to show a friend, and the allegen statement has changed. It states that it processes the raw cacao in a factory that also produces wheat, dairy, peanuts and more. Please check with the company and the label to be sure that this product is safe for you to consume if you are sensitie or allergic to the top 8 allergnes.

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This is a fantastic chocolate powder to use in baking. It may be a little stronger than regular cocoa powder, but generally, I find that I like that and use it as a 1 to 1 replacement. This raw cacao is packed with nutrients and is utterly and simply delicious. My favorite all around.

"All of Navitas Naturals products are inherently gluten free and vegan. We do not source or process anything with gluten and therefore our entire production facility is gluten free. We do not have a gluten free certification at this point nor do we test for parts per million for each product, but are working toward doing so for the near future. Our foods are also all dairy free. Again we do not test for parts per million at this time, but no dairy is ever present in our facility."

~Arthur Mullin, Navitas Naturals

• No Gluten: not sourced or processed with gluten, but not tested. In the process of getting gluten-free certification and performing a ppm test for gluten-free certification for raw cacao. Navitas Power Snack line is gluten-free certified.
• No Dairy: no dairy is present in the facility, but not tested for dairy at this time.
• Tree Nuts:  facility processes tree nuts, but handles cashews only.
• Soy: We do not test for parts per million for soy or peanuts. Our superfoods come from around the world and are grown in natural, native habitats. The risk for cross contamination with gluten, soy, or other legumes is extremely low and/or unlikely.
• Peanuts: We do not test for parts per million for soy or peanuts. Our superfoods come from around the world and are grown in natural, native habitats. The risk for cross contamination with gluten, soy, or other legumes is extremely low and/or unlikely.
• Sulfite Free: None of Navitas Naturals products contain sulfites
  
• Organic: All products are certified organic and use minimal processing methods such as freeze-drying. The facility is certified organic.
• GMO Status?  Navitas Naturals products are Non-GMO Project Verified! That means they’ve met the rigorous standards of the Non-GMO Project- an independent non-profit reviewer that ensures products are made according to best practices for GMO avoidance. Organic Facility. Under current FDA regulations, no GMOs are allowed in organic foods.
• Certified Kosher: "Most of our products are certified kosher through Earth Kosher. You can find more information at www.earthkosher.com."

Read the labels for your particular allergens at:  http://navitasnaturals.com

This week's PRODUCT LOVE: Barney Butter (Bare).

This week's PRODUCT LOVE: Barney Butter (Bare). I LOVE this stuff. It's certified gluten-free, made in a peanut-free facility, non-GMO certified, and is blended so there is no oily separation AND no added sugar. It helps to keep baking w/ almond butter much more consistent. Love it. Keep up the good work, Barney peops.

(It also "bares" the name of my cat, Barney :))