Introduction
If ever there were a food that deserved to be brandished with the title of superfood, it’s coconut oil.
The health benefits of coconut oil are many and its other uses are just as innumerable, so let’s take a closer look at just what you can do with this versatile, healthy, and downright delicious super oil.
The Right Oil for the Job
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Before we get into too much detail, it is important that you make sure the coconut oil you purchase is virgin and cold-pressed. Heat and acid treatments that are sometimes used to extract oils can denature the fatty acids, breaking down their molecular chains and almost completely undermining any nutritional benefit they may have offered.
Ideally your tub or bottle of coconut oil will have be labelled with something along the lines of organic cold-pressed extra virgin coconut oil; then you’ll know you’re getting the most bang for your coconutty buck!
Nutrition
A Background in Backbones
We’ll need to lay down a teeny amount of scientific background to really set the scene for the nutritiousness of coconut oil.
Coconut oil has become well known for being rich in medium chain fatty acids / triglycerides or MCT. As opposed to short chain fatty acids which possess between 4 and 6 carbon atoms, and long chain fatty acids with their 14 – 18 carbon atoms, MCTs have a molecular backbone typically consisting of between 8 and 12 carbons. The reason we touch on this is because fats with longer carbon chains usually require bile salts to break down and emulsify them so that they can be absorbed. MCTs can be directly absorbed from the small intestine and moved to the liver for incredibly rapid utilization as energy. This makes coconut oil far easier to digest and it also means that it is far less likely to be stored as body fat.
Coconut oil is also a powerful agent in the shrinking of fat cells, as opposed to hydrogenated fats and oils which can cause fat cell swelling.
Staying Abreast With Lauric Acid
The primary MCT found in coconut oil is lauric acid, which is made up of 12 carbon atoms and is also found in, of all places, human breast milk. Of course you probably aren’t going to see fresh breast milk on supermarket shelves any time soon, so you’re better off sticking with the other kind of coconuts! Lauric acid is a powerful anti-microbial and immune boosting agent which has clearly demonstrated immune-strengthening effects in HIV patients.
The anti-microbial effects of lauric acid are instrumental in improving gut health as well. Remember, the intestines are the bacterial gateway to the rest of the body, so strengthening our defences there can have profound benefits when it comes to fighting viruses and other seasonal illnesses.
The Skinny On TEF
As many of you are probably already well aware, the phenomenon of the thermic effect of food or TEF is a term used to describe, in simple terms, the amount of energy the body has to expend in order to digest or metabolism a nutrient. The example typically given is that of protein which requires more energy (calories) to be absorbed by the body than, say, carbohydrates, which again use fewer calories to be absorbed than fat. One exception to this rule is, yes you guessed it, our good friends the MCTs.
A 1996 study discovered that a daily intake of between 15 and 30 grams of MCTs each day was enough to increase energy expenditure over a 24-hour period by as much as five percent. This equates to your body burning an additional 120 calories a day just from you opting for one fat source over another!
When combined with the other benefits we’ve mentioned so far, especially gut health, this suggests striking implications for obesity in the United States and across the entire globe.
In the interest of thoroughness it is important to note here that many studies investigating the health effects and other chemical properties of MCTs use pure MCT oil rather than coconut oil. This obviously doesn’t detract from the efficacy of coconut oil which is a potent whole food item arguably superior overall to MCT, but it is important to stay realistic and remember that there are no miracle foods, just some really, really good ones!
Curbing Cholesterol… and More!
Simply put, coconut oil is a powerful aid in improving blood cholesterol levels.
Dear enlightened reader, you’re probably aware of the hype and misinformation surrounding saturated fats, but did you know that they have been demonstrated to actually raise HDL or “good” cholesterol? When compared to soybean oil in a 2009 study consisting of 40 women, coconut oil was shown to reduce total and LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels, while at the same time increasing HDL.
Another study, this time conducted in 2006, demonstrated that coconut oil imparted an immediate improvement of brain function in Alzheimer’s patients. This is due to coconut oil’s ability to improve ketone production in the body, providing a continual source of energy to the brain and helping to generally fight against forms of dementia. Whichever way you look at it, if you are the proud owner of a human body then you most certainly ought to be putting coconut oil into it!
But what about putting coconut oil on your body?
Skincare and Cosmetics
The cosmetic application of coconut oil is incredibly varied, covering everything from moisturizing to massage, so let’s take a closer look at various parts of your body and how you can better care for them with this awesome oil.
For the Face
Unlike many oils and commercial skin products that can clog the pores and make spots and acne worse, coconut oil is actually quite effective at combating even the most severe cases of acne. Although you might not see immediate results a hundred percent of the time, it is definitely worth considering if you’ve tried a number of other remedies with little or no success.
Coconut oil also serves as a relatively powerful makeup remover, and can be used either directly with your cotton pads or you can let it sit on your skin for a while to allow your makeup to dissolve fully before wiping off.
Because of its potent effects against stretch marks and loose skin, coconut oil is also great at helping to prevent early wrinkles and crow’s feet, and can also be used to brighten up your under-eye area. (See: 10 Things You Can Do Every Day to Slow Aging.)
Perhaps one of the more simple applications of coconut oil on the face is as a straightforward lip balm. It is rapidly absorbed into the lips, forming a protective barrier and helping to moisturize dry and chapped lips.
For the Mouth
We already know that coconut oil is a tasty and incredibly nutritious food item, but what about not swallowing it?
Oil pulling is an effective way of freshening up even the most disgusting cases of halitosis (that’s bad breath for us layfolk), and with its antifungal and antibacterial, coconut oil is the ideal candidate for the procedure.
Try swishing and gargling with a small amount of coconut oil for 10 minutes or so, spit, rinse, and you won’t believe how much cleaner and generally fresher your tongue, teeth, and gums feel.
This pulling effect also has a powerful whitening effect on the teeth when used over the long-term, so if you’re not entirely satisfied with what your regular toothpaste is achieving you might like to think about throwing a little oil into the mix to really give your pearly whites an extra sparkly finish.
Another very handy use for coconut oil is to coat the inside and outer edges of the nostrils when suffering from allergies, especially seasonal hay fever. This may provide significant relief to a lot of people.
For the Hands
Those of us who regularly work with our hands or undergo a lot of exposure to cleaning products and other chemicals may suffer from dry, cracked skin on the hands, which definitely sounds like a job for; you guessed it, coconut oil!
Try massaging some of the oil into your hands and fingers a few times throughout the day to protect them from harsh weather and other undesirable conditions.
Similarly to the way it instantly absorbs into dry lips, cracked skin will soak up coconut oil like a sponge. What’s more, if your cuticles become cracked, you try gently rubbing some coconut oil into the base of your fingernails to fix them up in a jiffy.
For the Hair
By now many of you have probably heard about coconut oil hair treatments, but did you know it can also be used as an anti-dandruff agent?
Try rubbing some coconut oil into your scalp each night before going to bed and you should very quickly see your dandruff begin to dissipate as your dry scalp becomes more thoroughly moisturized.
Using coconut oil in this manner also enables it to double up as a leave-in conditioner; be sure to apply it to moist hair in the evening to allow for greater absorption.
If you or your children contract lice then one simple remedy is to combine equal parts coconut oil and apple cider vinegar. Leave the mixture to soak into the scalp for 10 – 20 minutes to get those suckers outta there!
For the Body
Whether you suffer from stretch marks, loose skin, dry skin, or all of the above, coconut oil is the perfect natural solution to all of these ailments. Furthermore, why not try using coconut oil instead of regular commercial brands of shaving foam and cream? The potent moisturizing properties of the oil will help to protect your skin against multiple razor blade strokes while also making the hairs more supple for a closer and generally cleaner shave.
You can also make your own no-frills deodorant by combining coconut oil with arrowroot powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and your favourite essential oils. Of course, you can also forego the essential oils to create a more or less unscented product.
Regardless of the condition of your skin at present, coconut oil is perfect for your daily moisturizing routine, and can be made even more effective when applied before bed so that it can work its magic through the night.
In the Home
Similar to its pulling effect in the mouth is coconut oil’s use for cleaning up small spots and stains around the house, especially on upholstery and carpeted areas.
Try mixing in a small amount of baking soda to make an even more effective cleaning solution.
At the end of the day, coconut oil is an oil, which means that you can use it to polish just about any surface in your home without fear of varnishes being stripped or any other such unpleasantness.
Coconut oil is particularly useful on metal fixtures such as showers and faucets, as well as patent leather which can be dramatically brought back to life by a quick rub down.
What’s more, any time you need to dissolve something such as chewing gum or some other food item, dab on a moderate amount of coconut oil and leave it to sit for a while before having at it; you should find sticky or caked on substances far easier to remove in this manner.
While you’re busy coming up with some tasty coconut-based recipes, you might also like to invest in a decent wok or pan, which can then be treated with multiple coats of coconut oil to add a unique finish to your meals and to boost the longevity of the metalwork and non-stick coating.
Conclusion
I like to keep a bottle of the stuff in my kitchen and another in the bathroom, and I suppose a third bottle kept under the kitchen sink probably wouldn’t go amiss either!
Whichever way you look at it, this humble brown fruit provides a truly coconutty cornucopia of uses, benefitting the home and the body, both inside and out.
Go and grab some today and begin reaping the benefits right away! [author_bio name=”yes” avatar=”yes”]
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