Thread: Coconut Oil Uses and Benefits

For the last 60 years, coconut oil was thought to be detrimental to our health due to its saturated fat content. It was associated with high cholesterol, obesity, and heart disease. However, studies done on Pacific Island populations, who get up to 60% of their calories from fully saturated coconut oil ,have shown that the rates of cardiovascular disease are almost non-existent.
Truth is, not all saturated fats are created equal. Those that occur naturally, are generally safe and beneficial, while those obtained from adding hydrogen to vegetable and seed oils to increase processed foods shelf life are not. These artificially manipulated vegetable oils contain trans fats and long chain fatty acids which are difficult for our body to break down and then become stored as fat.
Almost half of the fat in coconut oil is lauric acid,which your body converts into monolaurin, a powerful anti-viral, anti-protozoa, and anti-bacterial substance. Coconut oil is also rich in medium chain fatty acids, which are quickly burned by your liver for energy, boosting your metabolism and helping the body use fat for energy instead of storing it.
TOPICAL USES OF COCONUT OIL

• Moisturizer
• Hair conditioner
• Hair de-frizzer
• Deodorant
• Chap stick
• Diaper cream
• Sunburn relief
• Make up remover
• Decreases the appearance of cellulite
• Reduces acne
• Eye cream
• Pre-shave and after-shave
• Toothpaste (mixed with baking soda)
• Nipple cream (breastfeeding)
• Massage oil
• Sunscreen
• Exfoliator (mixed with coarse sea salt or sugar)
• Cradle cap remover
• Helps fade age spots
• Helps heal bruises
• Healing scrapes and cuts
• Relieves psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis
• Stops bug bites from itching
• Relieves swimmers ears (mixed with garlic oil)
• Helps cure toenail fungus ( take internally as well)
• Helps with hemorrhoids
• Helps athlete’s foot
• Helps with canker sores

INTERNAL USES OF COCONUT OIL (when ingested)

• Aids the absorption of vitamins, minerals and amino acids
• Aids digestion; its antibacterial properties help control parasites and fungi
• Stimulates metabolism
• Improves thyroid function
• Increases energy levels
• Decreases unwanted body fat
• Enriches breast milk
• Helps weight loss
• Controls cravings
• Helps keep blood sugar levels stable
• Helps relieve thrush
• Helps with asthma
• Relieves migraines
• Relieves hot flashes
• Prevents and improves Alzheimer’s
• Improves flaky skin
• Improves candida albicans
• Improves circulation
• Helps with depression
• Helps with adrenal fatigue
• Improves cholesterol levels
• Strengthens immune system

OTHER USES OF COCONUT OIL:

• Removes gum from hair
• Furniture polish (mixed with lemon juice)
• Bronze polish
• Leather conditioner
• Seasoning cookware

Pretty amazing stuff i shall have to use it more

You'll know Mary,.. Does it have to be the expensive stuff or sims the £1.50 stuff in the Asian aisle at tesco any good?

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You need pure, cold-pressed and unrefined oil which is expensive.The cheap stuff is refined.It may be alright for putting on hair etc but for cooking it wouldn't be.
I have a 800g pot for £15 and it lasts ages and I use it most days if I'm frying off meats.

Holland and Barrett did have an offer on buy 1 pot for £15 get the second for a 1p.It's only small 400g pots but I haven't used it yet.Actually I haven't even looked at what the difference is between that one and the other one I get at same price.

This is the one I use.

The Holland and Barrett one tastes amazing - best fresh coconut flavour, which is why I initially preferred it to others, even before I knew about the unrefined kind being the one to go for. Where do you get your Biona one from please, and does it have a good coconut flavour even when used for cooking?

This is what I'm currently using but was about £7 and is under 300ml so will def look online next time

It's really coconutty but that biona will work out cheaper x

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Originally Posted by woodmouse

The Holland and Barrett one tastes amazing - best fresh coconut flavour, which is why I initially preferred it to others, even before I knew about the unrefined kind being the one to go for. Where do you get your Biona one from please, and does it have a good coconut flavour even when used for cooking?

I will open the H&B one later to taste the difference.

I get mine from Healthy Supplies.I'm sure there are other places you can find it cheaper at but I order almond flour etc from them at the same time.

Originally Posted by cavegirl13

I get mine from Healthy Supplies.I'm sure there are other places you can find it cheaper at but I order almond flour etc from them at the same time.

Thank you. I did a check on Google and found various sources - should have thought of doing that earlier as I usually Google everything!

Hey Mary

Need ur advice again! Coconut flour... Difference in buying Cheap or expensive? Pride of India sell 800g for under £4.... Whereas Tianjin stuff is £6 x

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I buy Tiana 500g I think it's about £6 in Holland and Barrett.

Just done a coconut oil tasting test with the Biona and the Perdectly Pure one.
To me they taste the same but Biona smells more coconutty.

The sainsbury "groovy foods" one is cold pressed and is £6.99..

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I love coconut oil, use it in cooking and on my skin.

However I found there were some foods that I didn't want to have the coconut taste so did some research.... Turns out that Expellar Pressed oil has no coconut taste and is absolutely fine cos its not used any chemicals or heat in the extraction process - don't muddle with refined oil.

Bit about it here:

Expeller pressed vs cold pressed coconut oil | Mark's Daily Apple Health and Fitness Forum page

The cheapest Expellar pressed I've found is online from VitaminsUk.com, the make is Jarrow Formulas, black tub, brownish label!

H x