Coconut oil is incredible. It can be used for a variety of different things, but my favorite thing to do with it is put it on my skin! It’s an awesome lotion that I use on my entire body including my face daily. Though it seems a bit counter-intuitive, coconut oil can promote clear skin because it is a natural anti-bacterial. And you don’t have to stop there. Try putting coconut oil in your hair as a hair mask for 20-30 minutes. Nature’s conditioner is fabulous.
When it comes to consuming coconut oil, the health benefits are vast. Coconut oil’s fatty acid profile consists of about 92% saturated fat, making it very stable and safe to store at room temperature. Because of its natural stability, it’s a great alternative to butter and shortening for medium heat baking and sauteing.
Coconut oil boosts energy levels, raises good cholesterol, and balances out blood sugar without the weight gain, cholesterol, and other health risks that come from other saturated or trans fats. Coconut oil doesn’t stop there. It’s antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, and antiviral. It also aids in the absorption of vitamins and minerals.
Because it is a medium chain fatty acids, it can actually help the body burn fat. It has a saturated fat called lauric acid, a type of MCT. It has been shown that lauric acid increases the good HDL cholesterol in the blood to help improve cholesterol ratio levels. Coconut oil lowers cholesterol by promoting its conversion to pregnenolone, a molecule that is a precursor to many of the hormones our bodies need. Coconut can also help restore normal thyroid function which in turn can reduce cholesterol. I tell all of my clients who are trying to loose weight to take 1 T of coconut oil daily.
A few different ways to use coconut oil:
Massage oil for the skin
Athletes foot
Hair mask
Take 1 T daily for weight loss
Stretch marks
Dandruff
Face cleanser/moisturizer
Cook food at high heat
Wrinkles
