Coconut oil has reached stardom in recent years, and with good reason. It’s delicious, it’s healthy and when sourced from a good supplier, it is ethically tip-top too. But did you know it’s not all about coconut oil for cooking? Coconut oil benefits are wide ranging. They start in the kitchen, but they wend their way across all of your life. Here we list all of our favourite ways of using organic coconut oil so that you can really reap the benefits.

But yes, we’ll start in the kitchen…

Coconut oil for cooking

Coconut oil used in cooking enables you to be a domestic goddess and look after your physical health.

1.    High temperature cooking

Are you desperate for that salty crust on your halloumi fries, or looking to whip up a vegan stir-fry of epic proportions? Organic coconut oil has been refined just enough to allow you to cook at high temperatures, and it won’t impart a coconutty flavour either, making it excellent for use in non-coconut recipes.

2.    Gut microbiome[CB1] 

As we’ve said before, staggeringly your gut microbiome weighs more than your brain. It’s a pretty important part of who you are, and particularly your health. Many people believe that minimally processed foods, such as our organic extra virgin coconut oil, retain the nutrients and enzymes needed to keep your microbiome in excellent condition.

3.    It makes for seriously moist baking

Have you tried our Double Chocolate Banana Loaf? If not, you are seriously missing out on a treat. You’ll never get a totally healthy cake, but this comes pretty darn close. The coconut oil makes it decadently moist. Go on, you know you want to.

4.    Healthy fats

One of our favourite coconut oil benefits is that it contains healthy fatty acids. Rich in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), coconut oil may help to raise the levels of good cholesterol in your blood. MCTs are a quick source of energy, processed easily by your liver, aiding weight loss and helping you feel fuller for longer. Coconut oil can help to increase your levels of good cholesterol.

5.    Solid or liquid

Because coconut oil is solid at room temperature it stores longer than many oils and can be used in baking recipes or for things such as greasing pans. However, with a little heat it becomes liquid, meaning it can be used to replace vegetable oil in many recipes.

6.    Antimicrobial wonder

Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid. Lauric acid and the monolaurin it produces once digested, attack harmful pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and fungi. An example is how lauric acid kills off Candida albicans – a well-known source for nasty yeast infections in humans. That’s another reason to use it in cooking; sending it directly where it needs to go.

7.    It balances things out

What’s more, the lauric acid content makes coconut oil good for balancing out those pesky female hormones. One study revealed it was particularly beneficial in arming women against the hormonal difficulties of menopause.

Outside of the kitchen

Coconut oil benefits are very much not limited to the kitchen alone. We have learned that organic coconut oil for cooking is just one way to get the benefits. There are plenty of other options too.

1.    Mouthwash – yes really

Back to the concept of lauric acid attacking harmful pathogens, and having anti-microbial properties, coconut oil made into a mouthwash can help to tackle the causes of mouth infections. The process is called oil pulling. It should help to reduce bad breath too as a result.

2.    Moisturiser

Those suffering with dry skin and eczema who are looking for an all-natural solution can turn their attention to coconut oil. It’s been shown to lock the moisture into your skin and reduce eczema symptoms.

3.    Hair treatment and conditioning

Dry and damaged hair is begging for some coconut oil. Again, it will help to lock in moisture and ensure you have lustrous gorgeous locks. Some hair types will find that it works as an excellent leave-in conditioner too. Evidence shows coconut oil really is great for your hair. It actually works to prevent hair damage and protein loss. It gets inside the hair shaft and you can use it both before and after washing your hair.

4.    Sun screen

You won’t want to be out in summer’s midday sun, but as a mild all-natural sun screen, you can try using coconut oil. There’s some evidence to show that it amazingly blocks out around a fifth of the UV rays from the sun.

5.    Lip balm

If you’ve not used coconut oil as a lip balm yet, you’re missing out. Pop some in a reusable tin and you’ll always have it to hand. Easy to use, you can go for the neutral tasting regular coconut oil, or the coconutty extra virgin coconut oil. You won’t look back and you can say goodbye to chapped lips.

How to choose which coconut oil to use

Not all coconut oils are created equally. Many aren’t pure for a start. To reap the coconut oil benefits, you need to choose wisely. Once you’ve chosen a brand you can trust, like The Coconut Company, then you will want to choose between two main types of coconut oil:

·       Organic coconut oil: Organic coconut oil is lightly refined and more affordable. The refining process removes the coconut flavour and smell. The result is very neutral smelling and tasting oil that can be used in many ways.

·       Organic extra virgin coconut oil: The organic extra virgin coconut oil is unrefined and retains some of its coconut smell and flavour, lending itself to coconut recipes, creamy curries, oriental flavours and those who just adore the delicious coconut taste and aroma. It’s thought that the unrefined nature of the extra virgin oil makes it richer in antioxidant polyphenols.

Use coconut oil in a range of different ways, outside of the kitchen, as well as part of a healthy balanced diet, and you’ll reap the benefits.