Today we’re talking all things coconut oil! This is another great item that can be used for a multitude of things in your daily life. I love talking about inexpensive and widely helpful products to help you improve your health without breaking the bank! So get ready for another product that can be added to your daily routine for weight loss, skin and hair benefits.
What Are the Health Benefits of Coconut Oil?
Coconut oil has many benefits including:
- Weight loss
- Skin moisturizer
- Collagen production
- Improves skin elasticity
- Hair moisturizer
First, let’s discuss what makes coconut oil such a good product for us. Coconut oil is so good for us because of what it’s made of. As we know, it is fat but we have two types of fats: saturated and unsaturated.
Typically, unsaturated fats are considered the “good fats” because they contain essential fatty acids which are critical for life but cannot be made by the body and must be consumed. Conversely, saturated fats are “bad fats” because they are high in LDL’s which are said to clog arteries.
Coconut oil is in the saturated fat family which throws the big question, how could it be good for me? Well, there is no hard evidence suggesting that saturated fats are the cause of the rising heart disease population we have in this country. But even if saturated fats were the enemy, coconut oil is a special kind of saturated fat giving it immunity to those claims.
Coconut oil is made up of medium-chain triglycerides(MCT) which just means they have fewer fatty acid chains than other saturated fats. Because of this structural difference, they are easier to break down and be used in the body.
Can Coconut Oil Help Me Lose Weight?
Yes, coconut oil can help you lose weight because of its thermogenic effect on the body. When coconut oil enters the body and is broken down, it is sent directly to the liver instead of the typical digestion process.
This allows our body to use them much quicker than most fats and avoid them being stored as body fat. Due to MCT oil being broken down faster they act more like carbohydrates but they do not cause a spike in insulin levels which is much better for the body. Anyone that suffers from diabetes can benefit from this.
MCT’s have also been shown to cause thermogenesis in the body which directly relates to fat burning. Not to mention, they help you feel fuller longer so you aren’t tempted to eat as much when you are trying to lose weight.
What’s the Best Way to Cook with Coconut Oil?
So, how can coconut oil be used in your diet daily? Lucky for us, coconut oil is great for cooking due to its high smoke point. You can substitute butter or olive oil for coconut oil and it will go great with whatever you’re cooking.
You can roast vegetables with it, eat it on toast, add it to your smoothie, use it in a stir fry or add it to your popcorn instead of butter. The options are limitless with coconut oil! And if you’re wondering, it’s great for baking as well! Cookies, brownies, and cakes will all have a little extra taste in them with the help of some coconut oil.
Check out my keto chocolate chip cookies with coconut oil for some inspiration.
I do want to point out that while coconut oil is a great fat to be incorporated into your diet, it is not to be used in excess. After all, it is still fat and the calories add up quickly. Plus, you don’t need to eat all that much to reap the benefits!
A good dose of coconut oil is 2-4 tablespoons a day. So that’s an easy swap of butter for a meal or two to get in some coconut oil and all the benefits from it.
How Can I use Coconut Oil to Moisturize My Skin?
If you can imagine, this stuff is also great for your body. There are hundreds of uses for this product in your beauty routine if weight loss is not your top priority.
Coconut oil is excellent for the skin because it’s moisturizes, improves skin elasticity and collagen production. And if you were wanting something that helps with anti-aging (duh- who wouldn’t want anti-aging benefits) coconut oil has got them! It’s packed with vitamin A and E to slow the aging process down and protect our skin.
Coconut oil can be used almost any way you’d like on the skin. From a moisturizer, body scrub, deodorant, lip balm, makeup remover, or massage oil- you can make this for whatever you are needing.
It is also good for babies if you want to make your own diaper rash cream (stay tuned, I will be making one when my little one arrives!) This works well due to its antibacterial properties. As if it didn’t have enough benefits already!
Using Coconut Oil as a Hair Treatment
The last benefit I will point out is that it’s also good for hair care. Again, because of its good old composition, it can help moisturize dry, frizzy hair. If you have frizzy hair like me, you can use it as an overnight leave-in conditioner, put a little bit on your hands to tame those stubborn fly-aways or ends if they are looking pretty dry. A little goes a long way here so don’t overdo it or you’ll go from a frizzy disaster to a greasy one.
How Will You Use Coconut Oil?
I hope this was helpful for you to decide that coconut oil is an amazing product that should be incorporated into your daily life whether it be for nutrition or beauty reasons. There are hundreds of ways coconut oil can be used in your day-to-day life and I love that it is so inexpensive and multipurpose.
Let me know what way you are most excited to use coconut oil in the comments below! Have you been using coconut oil for a while now? What are some other ways you use it in your daily routine?