Benefits of Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is composed mostly of saturated fats. In fact, they represent 90 percent of the total composition. And although it's often thought that they are harmful to health, the truth is that they report many benefits to the body.

Coconut oil is a product that has so many uses. We can use it in desserts, shakes or cereal bars. We can also benefit from it in other ways too, and we are going to tell you about this below. Keep reading to discover all the benefits of coconut oil.

The composition of coconut oil

In addition to saturated fats, coconut oil is composed of unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins K and E and iron. The main characteristic of coconut oil is its multiple uses. Below we’ll show you all of the ways that we can benefit from this fantastic product.

Hair conditioner

Coconut oil is a perfect product to maintain capillary health. In addition, regular use of products that have a coconut base makes the hair brighter, stronger and healthier. Although it’s a very fatty product, its effect on the hair is fantastic. Some of the ways to use it are as follows:

1. Half an hour before taking a shower, apply two tablespoons of coconut oil to your hair. It doesn’t need to be wet. Spread it all over the hair making sure it reaches all areas. When you have applied it, wrap the hair in a towel. After half an hour, you can rinse your hair and wash it as you usually do.
2. It’s also very useful to avoid frizz. Once you have combed your hair and before leaving home, moisten your hands with a little coconut oil. You don’t need to rinse it since it acts in the same way as the lacquer, sealing the hair.

Body lotion

Surely you’ve seen in both supermarkets and specialty stores, that many creams are made from coconut. This is because its oil has antibiotic and antimicrobial properties that prevent the appearance of wrinkles and spots.

In addition, being such a fatty product means it easily penetrates the skin and reaches the lower layers. It’s also recommended for those people who have sensitive, irritated or inflamed skin.

Here’s one way to make a homemade coconut body cream: add three parts of coconut oil to one part cocoa butter. Stir both ingredients together and it’s ready for use.

Exfoliating

Coconut oil can also be used as a natural exfoliant. Below, we are going to tell you exactly how to make this exfoliant. In addition to cleaning the skin, it also helps to regenerate it.

1. Wash your face with warm water and soap. In this way the skin is cleaned and, thanks to the hot water, the pores will open.
2. Fill a cup with sugar and add two tablespoons of coconut oil.
3. Lightly massage the mixture into the face.
4. Leave on for 10 minutes.
5. After that time, remove the exfoliant with a cotton swab and wash again with warm water.

Cooking ingredient

This oil can also be used in the kitchen. If you keep a jar of this oil in your kitchen and you start to use it frequently, you’ll soon notice the benefits. Some of the ways to consume it are as follows:

• Add a teaspoon of oil to herbal tea, tea or coffee. Its taste is very pleasant and it’s a very simple way to include this beneficial food in our daily diet.
• Ideal for stir-fries. Although this use for coconut oil isn’t very well known, we recommend that you try it. By using coconut oil, fried foods are much more crispy and tasty.
• Dressing salads. Another way to eat coconut oil is through salads. Instead of using olive oil, add a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil.

In addition to these three proposals, you can include coconut oil in sautéed vegetables, shakes or cereal bars. At the same time, the range of options offered by this food is very broad, so there’s no excuse for not using it!

Read it in Fit People

6 Healthy Fats that Help Build Muscle

Although fats in food are usually thought of  as a negative thing, you don't have to give up fats altogether. Learn more about healthy fats in this...