10 Uses for Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a very versatile household product.  It can be used in the kitchen, bathroom, and around the house. It can help you save money by replacing expensive products that you can make at home with coconut oil as the base and can be found at any grocery store!

Coconut oil is gaining more and more popularity, recently. People are discovering not only the health benefits to it, but also how versatile it truly is. You can cook with it, use it around the house, use it in healthcare, beauty – you name it! Consider buying a jar of extra-virgin coconut oil for cooking and a bottle of fractionated coconut oil for making your own beauty products!

So what can you do with coconut oil besides cook with it? Here are 10 ways to use it that may surprise you!

10 Uses for Coconut Oil

1. Use it alone as a completely natural lotion. This works great even for babies as coconut oil has been shown to really soothe even the most sensitive skin.
2. Rub it into cuticles to promote healthy nails.
3. Coconut oil has a very low melting point and while it looks solid when you see it in the jar, it will quickly become a liquid just with room or body temperature. This makes it ideal for use in your hair to condition it. Just run some through your hair, cover it with a shower cap or plastic wrap and leave it in for an hour or two. Remove it by gently rinsing under lukewarm water. Do this weekly and you will see some great results.
4. If you are experiencing nausea, coconut oil can help aid digestion.
5. Use it anywhere you would an oil for lubrication of squeaky hinges.
6. It blocks about 20% of the sun’s UV rays, according to this study.
7. If you have sensitive skin, use it as a shave balm or as the base for a homemade shaving cream.
8. Brush your teeth with it. Mix coconut oil and baking soda together and you have a great tasting toothpaste. Because coconut oil is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-microbial, it can naturally create a clean mouth and healthy gums. Just use equal parts coconut oil and baking soda. For flavor, try adding some cinnamon essential oil.
9. If you play a string instrument like the guitar, use it to lubricate your strings.
10. If you have a nice wooden cutting board that needs conditioning, or just wood furniture that does as well, coconut oil works great as a polish and wood conditioner.

You will probably be surprised to know that according to Authority Nutrition, places in the world where people eat the most coconut are the healthiest. This is because although coconut oil contains high levels of saturated fat, these fatty acids are known to help raise the good cholesterol level, HDL.

What are some of your favorite uses for coconut oil?

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