The Down Low on Coconut Oil

No matter what kind of healthy eating you are doing coconut oil is a surprisingly versatile and healthy fat. I know that you have seen posts about it everywhere and kind of skimmed over a few things but I promise this is one product that is worth spending a few bucks to try! Looking at that $8 jar on the shelf and thinking that I am crazy right?

-What if I told you that coconut oil can help ease epilepsy symptoms?

-Doesn’t lose vitamins and minerals even when cooked at higher heats like most foods

-Helps kill yeast in the gut

-Naturally helps support optimal thyroid function

-Has high lauric acid so it helps boost metabolism

-Can help improve insulin levels

-It’s an anti-inflammatory so it helps with joint pain

-Improves cholesterol so it’s heart healthy!

-Ingested daily it helps with allergies, digestion and eczema

-Helps heal cold sores naturally

-Great moisturizer and when used daily help with acne

-Intense hair conditioner

-Can be used on dogs and cats to help their skin, coat and get rid of fleas

-Blend in a drink to make it creamy and keep you full longer. (hello bullet proof coffee!!!!)

-Improves memory and brain function

-When used for oil pulling it can help heal gums and protect teeth better than toothpaste

 

I could seriously go on forever about how great coconut oil is and what all it can do for you (I’m not kidding, this isn’t even half of the full list!) but I feel that it’s very important to point out that not all coconut oils are created equal. When I first started using coconut oil I would just buy the cheapest stuff possible and honestly it tasted kind of gross. It worked as a good replacement in basic cooking but for things like oil pulling and lighter tasting foods I wanted to find something that really had great flavor. After searching I decided on Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil by Sky Organics . It’s actually creamy instead of oily feeling and the taste is incredible!

The two most common labels that you will find on coconut oil would be refined and virgin. Refined means that the oil is made from dried coconut. It’s been stem refined and is able to be heated up to 400F. Refined is the cheaper of the coconut oils and has a very neutral flavor.

Virgin coconut oil is made from fresh coconut and has a definite coconut taste to it. It’s only able to be heated up to 350F  and is completely unrefined. Both are good choices and in my opinion both have their place. For those who are trying to not use anything too processed I would suggest not buying any that are in a spray can. Coconut oil fluctuates from a solid to a liquid at room temperature so how processed does it have to be to stay in liquid form? It will be a solid white when it’s cool and a clear liquid when it’s warm so no worries if it changes color in the container.

What are your favorite uses for coconut oil?