In the vast world of natural remedies and health boosters, coconut oil shines as a versatile and potent ally. Its unique composition of fatty acids and nutrients makes it an excellent choice for anyone looking to enhance their health and beauty regimen naturally.
Let’s explore the myriad ways in which coconut oil can benefit your hair, face, skin, and even your mouth, offering a holistic approach to wellness and self-care.
It helps in burning fat
Eating a spoonful of coconut oil daily will help you speed up your metabolism, making it easier for your body to burn fat and eventually lose weight. It is especially helpful to burn belly fat.
Since it is thermogenic (generating a high amount of heat to stimulate metabolism that leads to weight loss), it helps increase energy consumption, leading to burning fat.
So, if you’ve been struggling to lose that pesky lower belly fat, coconut oil can be your answer to it.
It can kill harmful bacteria
Much like apple cider vinegar, coconut oil too has anti-microbial properties that kill bad bacteria.
This particularly is effective to kill germs that cause infections and even fight bad breath.
So, take a spoonful of coconut oil and swirl it around in your mouth just before you head for a date, so there are no complains.
It helps in easing digestion
This is a boon for people who suffer from digestive disorders like stomach ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Ulcerative Colitis and even proctitis. These are all caused when the gastrointestinal system doesn’t function properly.
Coconut oil contains Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) that enhance the immune system to fight bacteria that cause these infections. Consuming coconut oil also reduces inflammation in the gut that is caused due to a sensitive stomach or even eating wrong.
Lustrous Locks and Radiant Skin
Coconut oil has long been revered for its ability to nurture and revitalize hair.
Applying a small amount to your hair can help moisturize dry strands, reduce breakage, and add a healthy shine that speaks of vitality and care. Its ability to penetrate the hair shaft more deeply than other oils makes it particularly effective for conditioning and strengthening from within.
When it comes to skin care, coconut oil is equally impressive.
Its moisturizing properties are a boon for dry, flaky skin, offering relief and hydration without the harsh chemicals found in many commercial products. For those with sensitive or irritated skin, coconut oil’s natural anti-inflammatory qualities can help soothe and heal, promoting a complexion that is both clear and glowing.
A Gentle Touch for the Face and Mouth
Incorporating coconut oil into your facial care routine can transform the way you think about beauty products. Its antimicrobial properties make it a gentle, natural alternative for cleansing, capable of removing dirt and makeup while maintaining the skin’s delicate balance.
As a moisturizer, it helps to lock in hydration, leaving your face feeling soft and supple.
The benefits of coconut oil extend even to oral health. Oil pulling, an ancient practice involving swishing oil in the mouth, has been adopted by many as a way to support dental health.
Coconut oil is a popular choice for this practice, thanks to its pleasant taste and antibacterial properties. Regular oil pulling can help reduce plaque buildup, freshen breath, and promote healthier gums.
Embracing Nature’s Bounty
The beauty of coconut oil lies in its simplicity and effectiveness.
As we seek ways to care for ourselves gently and naturally, it stands out as a reminder of nature’s generosity. Incorporating coconut oil into your daily routine is more than a step towards healthier hair, skin, and teeth; it’s an embrace of a more holistic approach to wellness, one that nurtures both body and spirit.
So, why not discover the wonders of coconut oil for yourself? Your journey towards natural health and beauty might just find its perfect companion.
How to Eat Coconut Oil, and How Much Per Day?
Coconut oil is a plant-based oil derived from coconuts. Despite coming from a plant, it’s uniquely high in saturated fats. As such, there’s great debate and controversy as to whether it benefits health.
How much coconut oil per day?
Coconut oil can be a nutritious addition to your diet and should be treated like any other fat or oil.
Despite purported health benefits of coconut oil, such as weight loss, healthier skin and hair, and increased metabolism, there’s little research that proves these claims. As a result, there is no standard recommended dose of coconut oil for the treatment or prevention of disease (3Trusted Source).
Instead, it’s recommended to keep your total saturated fat intake from all food sources, including coconut oil, to under 10% of your total daily calories. This would be around 200 calories from saturated fat per day based on a typical 2,000 calorie diet (3Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source).
Since one tablespoon (14 grams) of coconut oil equals around 117 calories, it’s best to limit yourself to around two tablespoons (28 grams) a day. Keep in mind that this leaves little room for other saturated fat sources, such as butter or shortening
How to eat coconut oil
There are several ways to include this oil into your diet.
Use it for cooking
Pure coconut oil has a smoke point of around 350°F (175°C), making it suitable for medium-heat cooking and baking. Highly refined versions may reach slightly higher temperatures but still are not suitable for cooking beyond 400°F (204°C) (8Trusted Source).
What’s more, almost 90% of the fatty acids found in coconut oil are saturated fats, which causes it to be semi-solid at room temperature. This makes it less ideal for salad dressings or sauces but an excellent choice for stove-top cooking or baking (9Trusted Source).
Here are several cooking ideas:
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- Sautéing or stir-frying: Use 1–2 tablespoons of this oil to cook vegetables, eggs, meat or fish.
- Popcorn: Drizzle melted coconut oil on air-popped popcorn or try it in this stove-top popcorn recipe.
- Baking: Use it to coat poultry or meat before rubbing with seasonings.
Use it in recipes
Coconut oil can be substituted for oil or butter in a 1:1 ratio in most recipes.
Be sure to let cold ingredients like eggs or milk come to room temperature before blending it in, so it mixes in smoothly instead of clumping.
It’s best to melt it and add to smoothies, and protein shakes gradually.
Here are a few recipes that use coconut oil:
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- sautéed zucchini, squash and onions
- coconut chicken Thai curry
- strawberry andcoconut oil smoothie
- Add to coffee or tea
Storage
Due to coconut oil’s high saturated fat content, it’s semi-solid at room temperature and melts at 76°F (24°C). Therefore, it’s best to store it in a cupboard, rather than the refrigerator, to keep it pliable (1Trusted Source0Trusted Source).
During the colder months or if stored in the refrigerator, it may become very solid and difficult to scoop out of the container. This can be remedied by whipping it with an electric mixer or in a blender.