It smells like summer vacation, tastes scrumptious, and leaves your skin gently glistening and feeling smooth.
Coconuts and other nutritious fats have been demonized in the past, but in recent years their benefits and uses for health and beauty have been making headlines. Coconut oil is really one of nature’s wonders because of its nourishing qualities and the wide variety of uses it can serve. According to WebMD, “Coconut oil is high in a saturated fat called medium chain triglycerides. These fats work differently than other types of saturated fat in the body.” Such fats are immediately usable, stand up to high cooking temperatures, and have reportedly helped relieve many health problems. Coconut oil has been used internally to treat and prevent many illnesses, including dry skin, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, chronic fatigue, IBS, weight management, and thyroid disorders. As a beauty treatment, the oil can be used to moisturize skin, deep condition hair, and prevent wrinkles. Plus, it makes an excellent makeup remover or shaving gel.
Think you might want to try coconut oil? Just make sure that if you fork out the money for it you’re getting the real deal. Don’t let the price tag fool you. All the delicious nutrients in it that make coconut oil so good for you are killed or removed if you buy the cheaper odorless, refined oil. What you want is the un-messed-with original. Look for words like extra virgin, cold-pressed, unbleached, and unrefined for the most benefits per dollar. Those fancy words basically mean the oil was minimally processed at low temperatures so nothing important was lost or damaged. When you’re using it on your skin, you need to know that, while its amazing in other ways, for some people coconut oil can encourage breakouts. Try testing it on a small patch of skin for a few days if you’re worried about it. Also, keep in mind that the oil is solid like butter at temperatures below 75 degrees, but above 76 degrees it turns into a clear oil. If liquid is what you want, you may need to warm the oil on low in a pan or set the jar in a dish of hot water for a few minutes.
Check out the sources below for more information.
All is Well Health and Inspirations 