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1. It’s The Perfect Addition To Any Smoothie
Coconut oil is the perfect addition to almost any smoothie you can make.
By adding a spoonful or two of coconut oil to your smoothie, you will enrich your drink with healthy fats and enjoy all the benefits coconut oil provides – fighting bad cholesterol, and helping you stay healthy.
Moreover, coconut oil is not only a healthy addition to smoothies but also a tasty one – the subtle taste of coconut oil compliments almost any kind of fruit. Together with all of this, it will also improve the texture of your smoothies.
2. A Healthy and Vegan Coffee Creamer
Coconut oil is the perfect substitute for the standard coffee creamer. Adding a spoonful of coconut oil to your cup of joe will make it creamy and rich without diluting the flavor. And don’t worry, it won’t make your coffee taste greasy and it won’t taste like coconut.
The subtle taste of coconut oil is really the perfect addition to coffee. For those who want to avoid dairy for any reason, it can be hard to find a good substitute, as many non-dairy creamer substitutes contain palm oil and artificial sweeteners.
Luckily, you can say goodbye to all of this by switching to coconut oi!
3. The Perfect Oil For Frying and Sauteing
As we have already mentioned, coconut makes one of the healthiest oils, and coincidentally, it’s also great for cooking at high heat.
When used in cooking processes that require high temperatures, like frying, deep frying, and sauteing, some oils, like olive oil for example, can oxidize – which is not good for you. What you want is an oil that remains stable at high temperatures – and coconut oil is one of the best options for this.
For cooking at high temperatures and for the healthest options always make sure to you use a quality pan. Check out our review of the best cookware sets.
4. It Acts As A Natural Non-Stick Coating
The safety of various non-stick coatings can be questionable at times, especially if they get damaged. For a healthy and safe alternative, you can use a little bit of coconut oil.
Making eggs on a stainless steel skillet? They will probably stick if you don’t use anything, but with a drop of coconut oil, they will slide right off.
Coconut oil also works great for seasoning cast iron and carbon steel skillets, creating a durable non-stick coating over time if maintained properly.
5. Say Goodbye To Butter!
Like butter on toast… Or maybe better? Another great use for coconut oil in the kitchen is putting it on your morning toast instead of butter.
It works just as well, if not better. Coconut at room temperature has the perfect consistency to be used as a spread, and when you put it on warm toast it will melt slightly, resulting in a beautiful breakfast.
For an extra hint of the sweet coconut taste, use unrefined coconut oil.
6. You Can Use It To Make Healthy, Fragrant Popcorn
Coconut oil is also great for making popcorn. You can not only use it as a topping, but you can also use it to pop the kernels in it.
Popping your corn in coconut oil gives amazing results, and fills the room with a beautiful smell. For more of a coconutty taste, use unrefined oil, but if you are aiming for a neutral-tasting popcorn opt for refined coconut oil.
7. It’s Perfect For Baking Too
Yes, it’s true, you can use coconut oil for baking too! It works great as a substitute for butter, but you can also use it instead of any other kind of vegetable oil.
Whenever a recipe calls for butter or oil, you can just easily substitute it for the same amount of coconut oil. It’s a super easy switch that will make your sweets healthier and less fattening.
8. Healthy Energy Boost
What do you do when you need a little pick-me-up in the afternoon, but you want to avoid coffee and sugar? Turn to coconut oil!
Combine it with some chia seeds, and you’ll have an energy booster that is not only quick and easy to make, but also good for your health. Just mix together equal parts of coconut oil and chia seeds and enjoy the goodness as is or spread the mixture on some toast.
9. You Can Use It To Make Homemade Crunchy Granola
Most commercially available cereal and granola options have extremely high sugar content.
However, with a little creativity and some coconut oil, you can make your own healthy granola.
To make your own granola, combine plain oats with basically any addition you like – chopped almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, raisins or other dried fruit, honey, and cinnamon all work great.
Add some warm coconut oil, combine everything together, and bake on low to medium heat for 30 minutes. Voila!
10. Coconut Oil and Chocolate Go Amazingly Well Together
Do you like chocolate covered desserts? Enjoy dipping fruit in chocolate fondue? Who doesn’t?
However, these recipes often require adding milk, butter, or oil, which might be a no-go for some people.
If you want a healthy version, try slowly melting some dark chocolate with a tablespoon of coconut oil. It can’t get any healthier than that, and you’ll be amazed with how well it tastes!
11. Coconut Oil Increases The Amount Of Calories You Burn
When people want to lose weight or just make their diet more healthy in general, the rule of thumb is usually to avoid fat and oils.
However, coconut oil is different than most other oils that might be used in cooking. The difference is in the kind of fatty acids it contains – while coconut oil consists mainly of medium chain fatty acids (MCTs), other oils contain primarily long-chain fatty acids.
The thing with MCTs is that they take more energy to digest, which actually increases the number of calories you burn when you consume coconut oil.
12. Eating Coconut Oil Can Boost The Good Cholesterol
While high levels of the LDL cholesterol (also known as “bad cholesterols”) are definitely not a good thing, the “good” HDL cholesterol actually helps flush out the bad cholesterol and decreases the risk of heart disease.
According to some studies, consuming coconut oil on a regular basis helps increase the levels of good HDL cholesterol in your blood!
13. Coconut Oil Can Boost Your Immune System
Coconut oil is one of the best natural weapons for fighting harmful microorganism. Thanks to the high contents of lauric acid, it has antibacterial, antifungal, and even antiviral properties, so it can be of great help in fighting common issues such as candida and bacterial infections.
Not only this, but coconut oil can also boost the white blood cell count, thus helping those with weakened immune systems.
14. It Helps Reduce Hunger
Coconut oil is nutritious and filling and as such, it can also help reduce our appetite. After consuming coconut oil people tend to feel less hungry, and this is because of the medium chain fatty acids which are known to increase the feeling of fullness.
15. Coconut Oil Can Accelerate Burning Of Abdominal Fat
We have already mentioned that coconut oil can be helpful for losing weight, but we didn’t tell you another great thing about it – it can help shed specifically the fat around the waist and on the tummy.
A study has shown that women who consume coconut oil on a regular basis tend to shed more abdominal fat than women who have consumed the same amount of soybean oil.
16. It Helps With Athlete’s Foot And Ringworm
We have already talked about how antibacterial and antifungal properties of coconut oil can help our immune system, but we haven’t mentioned that it also works if applied to the skin to treat fungal skin infections.
Especially when combined with tea tree oil, coconut oil can be quite effective for treating common conditions such as athlete’s foot and ringworm.
17. It’s Great For Treating Scratches And Skin Irritations
Coconut oil softens and moisturizes the skin while also keeping it safe from infections. Because of this, it is the perfect natural remedy for minor scratches, scuffs, and all kinds of skin irritation.
Just apply it to the affected area as cream and repeat until healed.
18. Coconut Oil Can Help Balance Blood Sugar Levels
Coconut oil cannot cure diabetes by itself, but it seems to be able to help balance blood sugar levels, at least to an extent.
The medium-chain fatty acids contained in coconut oil tend to encourage the secretion of insulin from the pancreas which can improve the overall condition of people with diabetes.
19. It Might Slow Down The Effects of Alzheimer’s
According to some reports, coconut oil can help slow down the development of Alzheimer’s and alleviate the symptoms.
While this is still a debated topic, one thing is for sure – coconut oil is not bad for you, so it doesn’t hurt to try. For those who would like to learn more about this, Dr. Mary Newport, a pediatrician, has wrote a book about her experience with coconut oil and Alzheimer’s called What If There Was A Cure?
20. Oil Pulling
Oil pulling is one of the most common uses for coconut oil in holistic medicine. The practice of oil pulling comes from ancient Ayurvedic medicine, and its purpose is improving the overall oral health.
Oil pulling is done by swishing approximately 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in your mouth in the morning. This should be done for approximately 15 minutes, after which you should spit out the oil instead of swallowing it.
Swishing coconut oil in this way removes toxins from your mouth, prevents bacteria from developing and helps remove plaque. This technique is especially useful for people who suffer from gingivitis.
21. It’s The Perfect Natural Skin Moisturizer
Countless people swear by coconut oil as a replacement for commercial moisturizers full of mystery ingredients. But is it really true?
Well, there are many reasons why it makes sense. First of all, the antimicrobial properties of coconut oil will keep your skin clean and healthy.
Moreover, coconut oil has a calming effect, so it helps fight redness and inflammation. You can use it for both your face and your body, and it’s super easy to apply.
You can use coconut oil at room temperature. Even though it’s solid, you just need to melt it in your hands for a minute, and then you can gently spread it over your skin.
And don’t worry – your skin will absorb the oil quickly and it won’t leave you looking greasy.
22. It Can Help Fight Wrinkles
Since it’s a great moisturizer, coconut oil can also be used as a gentle solution for fighting wrinkles. All you need to do is just dab a little bit of the oil on your problematic areas (around the eyes, forehead, etc.).
For best results, use coconut oil in the evenings and wake up with a fresh face!
23. Chemical-Free Makeup Remover
Yes, you can definitely use coconut oil to remove makeup. It is not just a feasible solution in a pinch when you run out of makeup remover.
It actually does a really good job. It even removes water-resistant makeup, since coconut oil dissolves the water-resistant molecules.
Not only this, but it will moisturize your skin at the same time. To remove makeup, warm a bit of coconut oil by rubbing it between your fingers and apply around your eyes (or on your whole face).
Then, just use a cotton ball and watch the oil and the makeup come right off. Repeat if necessary.
24. It Helps Fight Stubborn Cellulite
No one is exactly sure why cellulite occurs, though it seems to go hand in hand with the modern lifestyle.
Whatever the reason, one thing is for sure – no one really likes it.
Thankfully, coconut oil comes to the rescue. One of the great things about coconut oil is that it works great as a base for a variety of homemade natural cosmetics.
For a cellulite fighting cream, combine coconut oil and a couple of drops of grapefruit essential oil.
Warm the oil up a little bit, apply to the problem areas, and rub energetically in a circular motion.
25. It Helps Prevent And Reduces Stretch Marks
By moisturizing and softening your skin, coconut oil can also help prevent stretch marks. It will not magically erase them, though, as such a thing is not really possible.
For best results, start applying coconut oil to your stomach early in the pregnancy. It will make the skin more elastic, thus preventing stretch marks from appearing.
It will also help make already existing marks less apparent and help the skin heal.
26. It’s A Great Alternative To Shaving Creams
Coconut oil is a great alternative to shaving creams. It not only allows the shaving to go smoothly, but it also protects your skin and helps prevent razor burn and ingrown hairs.
To use it as a shaving cream spread a generous amount of coconut oil across the area you are going to shave and rinse thoroughly with warm water after you are done.
Your skin will feel amazingly smooth and soft!
27. Coconut Oil Protects Your Skin From Sun Damage
When applied to the skin, coconut oil blocks UVA and UVB rays to an extent. While it is not as strong as sunscreen with a high SPF factor, it is probably the best natural skin protector when it comes to sun damage. Moreover, if you do get a sunburn, coconut oil will soothe and calm the skin.
28. It’s Probably The Best Natural Hair Conditioner
Coconut oil really works wonders when used as a hair conditioner, especially for dry and curly hair. It can help heal split ends and defrizz your hair.
You can use it before shampooing to prevent any residue remaining, but you can also put it in your hair in the evening.
By morning, your hair will absorb all of the oil, and no, your hair will not remain greasy. Coconut oil is also helpful for detangling hair.
Finally, by applying coconut oil on your hair before swimming, you’ll have a layer of protection against damage caused by chlorine or salt.
29. It Helps Fight Dry Scalp And Dandruff
When you use coconut oil as a conditioner, you should apply it to the whole length of your hair. However, if you apply it to your scalp, it can also help fight dandruff or dry scalp issues.
As coconut oil has antimicrobial properties and also moisturizes your skin, it’s the perfect remedy for dandruff.
Apply a dollop of oil in the evening, massage it in, and rinse off thoroughly in the morning.
30. You Can Use Coconut Oil To Make A Natural Toothpaste
Cosmetic uses of coconut oil are really endless, especially if you mix it with another ingredient or two.
Coconut oil toothpaste is another great example of that. To make your own coconut oil toothpaste, all you need to do is mix the same amount of coconut oil and baking soda together (it’s easier if you warm up the coconut oil a little bit).
You can also add a couple of drops of peppermint or eucalyptus essential oil, some stevia and/or bentonite clay for added benefits and better taste.
31. You Can Make A Beautiful Homemade Soap From Coconut Oil
Making homemade soap from coconut oil is super easy, and depending on the recipe you use you can make a beautiful foaming soap for bathing or laundry soap.
What you need for the basic version is just coconut oil, water, and lye, but you can also get creative and add fragrant essential oils, charcoal, clay, or other ingredients.
32. You Can Use It To Make A Natural Bug Repellent
Coconut oil is the perfect carrier oil to mix with various essential oils that ward off bugs.
Not only this, but coconut oil by itself has been shown to be an effective insect repellent, and it might even be as effective as DEET based repellents you can buy, only without harmful chemicals.
To make your own coconut oil insect repellent, mix coconut oil with essential oils (or herbs) of your choice, such as lavender, neem, cinnamon, or lemon eucalyptus.
33. It’s The Perfect Carrier Oil For Essential Oil Diffusers
Do you love scented candles? Would you like a DIY alternative that lets you choose your own scents? Well, coconut oil is perfect for this too.
Get a simple essential oil diffuser, combine a bit of coconut oil with the essential oils of your choice, and witness your home get filled with a beautiful scent.
34. A Natural Furniture Polish
Coconut oil is also a great natural solution for polishing wood and other surfaces. Polishing any wooden surfaces with coconut oil will keep them shiny and help even out any scuffs or marks.
Just use a soft cloth and rub a small amount of coconut oil into the wood in circular motions. You can also do this with granite counter tops. As an added benefit, the coconut oil will help prevent dust from gathering on the polished surface.
35. You Can Use It As A Leather Cream
Coconut oil is good for your skin, but it can have similar effects on leather. You can use coconut oil on all kinds of leather objects, including furniture, bags, and jackets.
Treating leather with coconut oil will keep it soft and shiny and prevent it from drying out.
However, you should still keep in mind that you always need to be careful when trying out new treatments for your leather pieces – so test out the coconut oil on a small concealed area before applying it to the whole thing.
In a similar way, you can also use coconut oil to clean your dashboard and other smooth surfaces inside your car.
36. It’s Great For Shining Your Shoes
We already mentioned that coconut oil is good for leather, but you might be happy to learn that it also makes fabulous shoe polish.
As coconut oil is transparent, it will work on shoes of any color, from leather boots to patent heels. Rub a bit of coconut oil in, leave it for a couple of minutes, and then polish with a soft cloth to keep your shoes looking refreshed.
37. Natural Leaf Shine
Yes, coconut oil can be beneficial to your plants too! You can use it to keep your house plants looking shiny and ward off dust.
While there are many leaf shine products available, they are actually not very good for the health of plants, even though they keep them looking shiny.
Coconut oil, on the other hand, has gentle moisturizing properties. Just spread a little bit of it on the leaves and stems of your plants to keep them looking fresh and remove dust.
38. Coconut Oil Can Help Remove Stains
Coconut oil can be helpful in removing all kinds of stains, including stains on furniture, carpets, fabric, and even walls.
For a universal stain remover, mix equal parts of coconut oil and baking soda. Apply to the stain, let it sit for a minute, and then rub gently.
Pure coconut oil can be also quite effective for removing crayon marks from walls.
39. It’s The Perfect WD40 Substitute
Does your door keep squeaking? Dap a bit of coconut oil to the hinges to release the tension. Have a zipper that is stuck? Use some coconut oil to help it slide.
Need to refresh an old bike chain? Coconut oil helps with this also. In general, you can use coconut oil for anything around the house that needs some lubrication.
40. Coconut Oil Helps Remove Gum and Adhesives
If you have kids, you might know the nightmare it is to find a piece of gum stuck on your couch.
In any case, when a piece of gum is stuck to anything, it can be hard to remove. Coconut oil can help get the gum unstuck and help it slide off.
The worst case of gum problems is probably having a piece of gum stuck in your or your kid’s hair, but, luckily, coconut oil helps with this also.
Applying some coconut oil to the spot will help remove the gum and untangle the hair.
Pets
Coconut Oil For Dogs
We all probably know that not everything we eat is good for our pets, and not everything that is good for us is good for dogs.
However, this is not the case with coconut oil. In fact, coconut oil has been shown to be safe for our four-legged friends, even when consumed in large quantities.
Not only this, but coconut oil also has a variety of benefits for dogs.
41. Skin
Yes, dogs can eat coconut oil, but it can also be very beneficial to apply a bit of the oil on their skin.
As it gently hydrates the skin, coconut oil will make your pet’s coat more sleek and glossy, and it will make them smell better.
Coconut oil also has a calming effect on the skin, so it can be used to treat conditions such as allergies, dermatitis, and eczema. It also helps protect the dogs from fleas and ticks, and thanks to the antimicrobial properties, it can be used to fight fungal infections.
Best of all, since dogs can eat coconut oil, you don’t have to worry if they start to lick themselves after you apply the stuff on their body.
42. Digestive
Consuming coconut oil on a regular basis can also help improve your dog’s digestive system and alleviate symptoms caused by various disorders. It even helps to get rid of parasites and it can make your dog’s breath smell better.
43. Immune
We have already mentioned that coconut oil has antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties thanks to the high lauric acid contents.
Just like in humans, these features work together with the dog’s natural immune system to help prevent disease. It might even help reduce the risk of cancer.
44. Metabolic
Coconut oil is also beneficial for dogs’ metabolism. Since it’s rich in fatty acids, eating coconut oil gives our four-legged friends a boost of energy while also helping them lose weight.
Not only this, but it also boosts dogs’ cognitive functions, so it’s good for their brain too.
Coconut oil also helps balance insulin levels in dogs, which can be extremely important for dogs suffering from diabetes. One thing to keep in mind, though, is to always start with small amounts if your dog hasn’t eaten coconut oil before.
Most dogs actually enjoy eating coconut oil, but there are always exceptions, and some dogs might be allergic to coconut oil.
45. Bones
Another benefit of coconut oil for dogs concerns their bones. The nutrients present in coconut oil can help strengthen dogs’ bones, especially in young dogs.
When it comes to older dogs, coconut oil can help reduce all kinds of inflammation and ease issues caused by arthritis.
46. Eyes, Ears and Mouth
The dogs’ eyes and ears are the parts of the body that are most prone to infection. Luckily, coconut oil can help here too.
If your dog is having an itchy infection of the ear or eye, you can apply coconut oil to the affected area to help ease the inflammation and clear out the infection.
Additionally, coconut oil can be used to clean the dog’s teeth which also helps with bad breath.
Coconut Oil For Cats
Coconut oil is basically a super-food for dogs, but can cats eat it? Yes, coconut oil is safe for cats and, more than that – it has an array of positive effects on our feline friends too.
One thing should be kept in mind, though, it is not really recommended to give coconut oil to cats every day, although it will not harm them.
For best results, it should be introduced occasionally or when particular problems occur.
47. Skin
Just like with dogs, coconut oil can be used as a natural pest-control method in cats too. Here are more traditional pest control ways and how to get rid of months in your house.
When coconut oil is applied to their skin, the high-fat contents of the oil will suffocate fleas and/or ticks.
Due to it’s calming and antimicrobial effects, coconut oil will also help soothe the existing bites on your pet’s skin.
Therefore, it’s a great alternative for chemical-based pest protection. Moreover, coconut oil helps treat skin issues in cats in general, including dermatitis, fungal infections, and dry skin issues.
Finally, coconut oil can be of great help for treating all kinds of allergic reactions.
48. Oral
Another wonderful aspect of coconut oil for cats is the fact that it can be extremely beneficial for their oral health. Inflammation of the gums, or gingivitis, is a very common issue in both cats and dogs (not that different from humans, one might say).
Rubbing some coconut oil on the cat’s gums daily can help ease oral health issues. Doing this will also help prevent gingivitis.
49. Hairballs
Coconut oil is also of great help for cats that have issues with hairballs. Although it might look a little disgusting, it is normal for cats to vomit hairballs occasionally.
It is a part of their regular grooming routine, as almost all cats like to spend a lot of time licking their fur.
However, sometimes the hairballs can get too big or get stuck which can cause some serious discomfort for the cat.
Applying coconut oil to a cat’s fur will make it healthier, so it’s likely that the cat will start shedding fewer hairs – therefore reducing the occurrence of hairballs.
Moreover, coconut oil also serves as a lubricant, thus making it easier for the cat to pass the hairballs.
50. Bacteria
Thanks to lauric acid, coconut oil has the power to kill many bacteria and fungi that cause infections. Cats, especially those that live outdoors, can easily get bacterial infections.
They also often come home with skin abrasions or scratches, which puts them at even more risk from getting an external bacterial infection.
Coconut oil helps cure bacterial infections in cats when eaten, but also when applied topically if the issue is on the skin.
51. Digestive
As we have mentioned, cats don’t mind eating a little bit of coconut oil. As a matter of fact, consuming a teaspoon of coconut oil can actually aid their digestion.
Coconut oil is rich in medium chain fatty acids and as such it is easy to digest for cats. This also helps stimulate their metabolism and helps their bodies absorb more vitamins and nutrients.
Finally, thanks to the antimicrobial properties, coconut oil can help with all kinds of inflammations of the intestinal tract in cats.
52. Paws
There is one final thing where coconut oil can help cats and it’s the paws! Owners of cats with sensitive paws know how hard it can be for the little guys.
The soft pads on the paws of cats are very easy to damage or scratch. Putting a bit of coconut oil on the wound can help ease discomfort and also prevent infections from developing.
