Coconut oil holds a place near and dear to our hearts here at All Good. It’s a cornerstone ingredient in many of our products and we aren’t sure what we would do without it! See what we mean by checking out the All Good Coconut Collection.
Over the years, Coconut Oil has been hailed as a superfood and has attained somewhat of a celebrity status in the world of skincare — and the possibilities of how to use coconut oil are ever-expanding. So you may be wondering… what makes it so special?
Unlike most other oils, coconut oil is a solid at room temperature, so it looks and has the consistency of white wax. Above room temperature, it melts easily into liquid oil form.
It also has a high-fat content — 87% of its fat is saturated — which for decades led to coconut oil being vilified. Its superfood status was only achieved once scientists were able to recognize that coconut oil is, in fact, a good fat.
The uses for coconut oil are plenty, as this ingredient contains numerous nutrients and unique characteristics that are beneficial to the health of your skin, heart, and more. And, best of all, there’s a myriad of ways in which you can use coconut oil to take advantage of such benefits. Did you know that All Good lotions, sunscreen lotions, sunscreen butters, and sunsticks all use coconut oil as a key ingredient?
But what can you use coconut oil for? The usefulness of coconut oil is far-reaching. With some good ideas, we hope you can swiftly and confidently integrate this All Good family favorite superfood (and super-ingredient) into your daily routine, for the health of you and your loved ones, by knowing some of the best uses for coconut oil.
These benefits only apply to organic extra virgin coconut oil or unrefined coconut oil. This is because organic, unrefined coconut oil is extracted from fresh coconut meat, usually through a process called “wet-milling” or involving fermentation. Refined coconut oil, on the other hand, is produced using dried coconut in a much more industrialized way that involves chemical distillation, bleaching, deodorizing, and hydrogenating, which can turn coconut oil’s good fat into the bad fat known as “trans-fat”.
In short, uses for coconut oil have accelerated to a center stage position in the health and superfood world. It is important to be mindful of where you obtain it! Maybe you should consider finding a company that’s not just the best in the world, but also the best for the world. 😉
14 USES & BENEFITS OF COCONUT OIL
1 | Skin protection and care
One of the most common uses for coconut oil, this ingredient contains sun-protecting qualities equivalent to an SPF 7 and has the ability to block up to 20% of the UV rays that your skin is exposed to. While this is not to the level to give adequate sun-protection on its own, it still helps to decrease the risk of sunburn, wrinkles, premature aging, and skin cancer.
In addition to offering a modest level of sun protection, coconut oil is immensely good for your skin. It is a natural moisturizer that soothes and improves dry skin, especially on the arms, legs, and elbows.
It is as good as, if not better than, any mineral oil. You can add a few drops of essential oils like lemon or lavender to give it a pleasant scent. It is chock-full of vitamin E (also an antioxidant) and essential amino acids like lauric acid and caprylic acid that nourish your skin and immune system by forming a barrier against bad bugs and airborne contaminants, while fortifying and maintaining the good bacteria and microbes on your skin.
2 | Body scrub and body oil
Given its natural moisturizing ability, coconut oil makes an excellent body scrub or body oil. Simply mix it with equal parts sugar to make a scrub that you can use in the shower, or apply it in its virgin form afterward to lock in the moisture of a refreshing wash with the added benefits of coconut oil itself.
3 | Massage oil
Adding a few drops of essential oil of your choosing — lavender and peppermint are especially recommended — to coconut oil makes it an ideal massage oil for your body. Apply with pressure after physical exercise over muscles that are sore, or likely to become sore. This will help to heal those muscles and give the added benefit of stimulating relaxation.
4 | Lip balm
One of the increasingly popular uses of coconut oil is as an ingredient of quality lip balms. Not just because of its solid and moisturizing consistency, but also because of its SPF factor. Commercially available lip balms often contain a dizzying list of unhealthy or potentially toxic ingredients, which is particularly worrisome when lip balm is applied practically on your mouth. Coconut oil, on the other hand, is all-natural and simultaneously moisturizes and protects your lips without putting your health at risk.
5 | Antibacterial and antifungal
Coconut oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties that promote your immune system without the harmful effects of chemical-based antibacterial products. The main antibacterial agent in coconut oil is lauric acid, which is closely related to monolaurin, a known bacteria-killer. As a result, simply incorporating coconut oil into your diet or skin care routine will boost your body’s ability to fight off and prevent bacteria or fungus based illnesses and infections.
6 | Cuticle oil
Thanks to coconut oil’s antifungal properties, it makes for a great cuticle oil to combat cracked and peeling cuticles or nails. Simply apply some to your nails and nail beds to let your nails grow quickly in a healthy and protected manner.
7 | Haircare
Coconut oil’s bacteria and fungus fighting capabilities make it an incredible product for hair care, and it has been used for thousands of years in that way. It can be used as a conditioner, both as a deep-conditioner or leave-in conditioner, as well as a hair mask. It moisturizes your hair and scalp, tames excessive frizz, reduces dandruff, and stimulates hair growth.
Take up to a tablespoon of coconut oil and hold it in the palm of your hand until it melts, then work it into your hair. Mixed with a bit of apple cider vinegar and applied on the scalp and through the hair, coconut oil is also a great natural remedy for lice.
8 | Gum and teeth health
One of the many good uses for coconut oil is for your oral health, again thanks to its antibacterial properties and antifungal properties. Simply taking 1-2 teaspoons and swishing it around in your mouth for 10-20 minutes (don’t swallow!), in a process called “oil-pulling”, does wonders in detoxifying your mouth, removing plaque and bad breath, and reducing tooth decay and gum diseases like gingivitis. Oil-pulling can also reduce inflammation and combat the common oral fungus candida albicans.
You can also easily make a natural, homemade toothpaste by mixing coconut oil with some baking soda.
9 | Giving you good cholesterol
Virgin coconut oil is known to be full of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. There are two kinds of cholesterol: HDL cholesterol, which is the good cholesterol that enhances heart health and reduces the risk of heart disease, and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, which is the bad cholesterol that does the very opposite. A 2013 study published in the journal Food Science and Biotechnology found that coconut oil raised the levels of HDL in the body while lowering LDL.
10 | Brain health
Coconut oil contains something called medium-chain triglycerides (MCT). Several studies have found that MCTs are extremely good for your brain, because your liver breaks them down into ketones that are then used by your brain as a source of energy. As a good source for MCT, coconut oil can alleviate the symptoms or onset of brain-linked disorders such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, and even epilepsy.
11 | Healthy dieting
The MCTs and medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil boost your metabolism and the number of calories burned. So, coconut oil offers a healthy and natural method of weight loss. Moreover, it’s easy to incorporate coconut oil into your daily diet. For example, you can put a teaspoon or two of coconut oil into any kind of fruit smoothie that you enjoy.
In addition, uses for coconut oil include being used like any other cooking oil, without losing any of its health benefits. In fact, coconut oil is better and healthier than either olive oil or vegetable oil, even under high temperatures.
It is thermally stable, unlike olive oil, and its antioxidants aren’t lost when heated. If anything, they increase: antioxidant activity in heated coconut oil was found to be 80-87%, while it was at most 70% in its unheated form.
12 | Deodorant
Coconut oil is a wonderful natural deodorant; its germ-killer power also helps to kill body odor. You can apply it on its own, or mix it with baking soda and essential oils to make a more tactile paste.
13 | Stretch marks
In increasing the suppleness, elasticity, and hydration level of the skin, coconut oil is a more-than-serviceable stretch-marks-reducer. For maximum impact, rub it all over your stomach during and after pregnancy.
14 | Make up remover
Removing eye makeup can be a frustrating and painful experience, because of the sting and irritation that conventional makeup remover usually gives you. Coconut oil, however, doesn’t sting and quickly liquefies eye makeup with just a drop or two. Apply on to the eye make-up area and rub gently. Wipe off the remaining residue with a warm cloth. As an added bonus, you’ll have your eyelids and the skin around your eyes moisturized and cleansed by the oil. Coconut oil is equally capable of being a makeup remover for non eye-related makeup.
CONCLUSION: HOW DO YOU USE COCONUT OIL?
There are many uses of coconut oil, so if you think there is anything missing from our list, email us and let us know! We love to hear from members of our All Good community!
Looking to add more coconut oil to your life? Try any one of our 3 delicious All Good Coconut Oil Skin Food flavors. Click any image below to shop.
