Life as is..: healthy me

Let's talk about Coconut oil

Hi guys welcome to back to my blog; today we are going to be discussing Coconut oil, why you should be using it and ways to use it. So as you may or may not know, I was in The Caribbean Island during the summer of 2015, one thing which I found very popular there was Coconut – coconut oil, coconut water, coconut snacks – they had Coconut everything.

Prior to my trip, I have heard of Coconut oil from natural hair Gurus, but I was always too lazy to take it serious – except for that one time that I bought this liquid coconut oil from EBay and used it whenever I remembered.

Upon my return to Ireland, I decided to do some research on Coconut oil and after finding out how good it is, I gave it a try and I love coconut oil.

So what is so special about Coconut oil?

Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted from the kernel of mature coconuts harvested from the coconut palm. It has various applications as food or in cosmetics. Because of its high saturated fat content, it is slow to oxidize and, thus slow to rancid (Can last up to six months at 24 °C without going bad).

There are many more benefits of Coconut oil, but that is just a few

My favourite Uses of Coconut oil

Skin care

Coconut oil is excellent massage oil for the skin as well. It acts as an effective moisturizer on all types of skin, including dry skin. Coconut oil therefore is a safe solution for preventing dryness and flaking of skin - I use coconut oil on my skin daily, either by directly rubbing it all over my body and I sometimes mix it with Johnson’s Baby Lotion (I do this because sometimes I don’t like the feel of just the oil on my skin).

It also helps in treating various skin problems including psoriasis, dermatitis, ring worms, eczema and other skin conditions

Hair care: - My favorite way of using Coconut oil.

It is one of the best natural nutrients for your hair. It helps in healthy growth of hair and gives your hair a shiny quality. It is also highly effective in reducing protein loss (Reason why we do the protein hair treatment- blog coming soon) which can lead to various unattractive or unhealthy qualities in your hair

Coconut oil I is an excellent conditioner and helps the re-growth process of damaged hair. It also provides the essential proteins required for nourishing and healing damaged hair.

By regularly massaging your head with coconut oil, you can ensure that your scalp is free of dandruff

How do I use it?

I apply coconut oil to my scalp each night and massage it for 3-4 mins, sometimes longer, playing close attention to my edges (My problem area)

3. Dental care

Calcium is an important component of our teeth. Since coconut oil facilitates absorption of calcium by the body, it helps in developing strong teeth. Coconut oil also stops tooth decay- it is also said to whiten your teeth.

How do I use this?

I do an oil pull most mornings (Blog coming soon)

Types of Coconut Oil

There are different varieties of Coconut oil, with each one having different function and uses. There are primarily 6 varieties of coconut oil that you will find on the market. These are pure coconut oil, refined coconut oil, organic coconut oil, virgin coconut oil, organic virgin coconut oil and extra virgin coconut oil.

Let’s focus on two varieties

Virgin Coconut Oil: derived from the milk obtained from fresh coconut meat. Care is taken to use no or as little heat as possible in the extraction of this oil. The oil has remarkable anti-microbial properties. This is one of the most respected and trusted varieties of coconut oil.

Organic Coconut Oil: The coconut oil that has been extracted from coconuts obtained from coconut palms raised only on organic manure and no synthetic fertilizers or insecticides. The production of organic coconut oil is also completed without involving any chemical in its extraction or processing. This is another well-respected variety of coconut oil. Organic coconut oil forms an integral part of a number of organic cosmetic products such as organic soaps, organic skin creams and lotions, organic snacks and thousands of other similar products.

So which one should I use for what?

It really depends on what you need it for. Furthermore, before you buy coconut oil, you should keep in mind that for edible and therapeutic uses, refined coconut oil is the best as it is hygienic and clean. Unrefined coconut oil is good for external applications like hair care and skin care.

Q&A

Can I use coconut oil for cooking?

Yes, in most of the tropical coastal regions, people use coconut oil for cooking.

2. I don’t like the taste of coconut oil. What should I do?

Try using coconut oil in a variety of different recipes – e.g. I use coconut milk in making my Avocado smoothie and you can barely taste the coconut oil (Recipe coming soon)

However, if you get nauseated after eating coconut oil, don’t force yourself to eat it. As can happen with any food item, your body may be allergic to coconut oil and it is best not to consume it.

3. Where can I buy from?

Coconut oil is easily available in most grocery stores; I get my coconut oil from Tesco.

4. Which brand to buy?

Forget brand; just buy the one that suits you. I have bought the refined and unrefined coconut oil from Tesco; I use them all for different purposes.

I use the KTC for oil pulling as it has no scent and Organic coco well for my hair

5. How much to pay?

This is a really difficult question to answer. The price of coconut oil depends on many factors, however in Ireland, I am sure it ranges from €1.99 to €15+ depending on where you buy.

**Note ** When buying coconut oil make sure to check the ingredients list! There should be nothing else in the ingredients other than coconut oil, if not please RETURN it!. Organic coconut oil should ALWAYS have a scent, if not it has been processed (Processed/refined coconut oil is not bad, but to get the full 100% benefit, I recommend going organic – for your hair)

Thank for taking the time to read this Blog, I hope this will be of some help to you. Your comments are welcome! Don’t forget to share this information with your friends. Thanks!

Till Next time

Stay natural X

Please note always follow instructions as directed by your doctor or nutritionist, I am not a professional and please follow all advice given with Caution. Thank you.