Coconut Oil Uses: 100+ Cures & Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What happens if I eat a spoonful of coconut oil everyday? ›

Coconut oil is high in saturated fat, which the American Heart Association says can raise your cholesterol levels and your risk of heart disease. If you include coconut oil in your diet, it's best to do so in moderation.

Coconut oil is an increasingly popular cooking oil. Many people praise it for its health benefits, including antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, improved skin and oral health, and weight loss potential.

Wu notes that it's generally not recommended to use coconut oil on your face because it's highly comedogenic (in other words, it's a pore clogger). So, while it can help with hydration, it won't do much to prevent acne — in fact, it may even cause it.

Coconut oil is used in cooking but can also be applied to the skin or hair. It's rich in saturated fat and medium-chain fatty acids, especially lauric acid.

Allergy to coconut oil or related plants: Coconut might cause serious allergic reactions in people who are allergic to coconut oil, coconut palm pollen, components of coconut, or other members of the Arecaceae plant family. High cholesterol: There is concern that eating coconuts might increase cholesterol levels.

Instead of butter or olive oil, use coconut oil for making your favorite recipes, like smoothies or even desserts. You can also use coconut oil as salad dressings. Ingesting coconut oil 20 minutes prior to mealtime may increase feelings of fullness, curb your appetite and help lose weight.

“Truth be told, coconut oil does not contain any whitening properties, but when people use coconut oil on their teeth, they begin paying more attention to their oral hygiene by thoroughly examining their teeth and gums and brushing more often, leading to healthier gums and whiter teeth.” In that way, Patterson says ...

Hydrated skin from coconut oil is known to ward off wrinkles, mimicing sebum. In a study conducted by Japanese researchers – oily skin takes much longer to get wrinkles as compared to dry skin. So not only does coconut oil help your skin feel its best - it also works hard prevent wrinkles before they strike.

Coconut oil will not act to diminish wrinkles alone just by rubbing it on your face and waiting. Natural healing does not work like that. You might see an improvement in your skin being more moisturized less dry and some reduction in fine lines in a couple weeks of regular use.

Coconut oil has become increasingly popular among people following the high-fat, very-low-carb ketogenic diet. Adding it to your coffee can help you reach or maintain ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body uses ketones — molecules produced from fat breakdown — as fuel instead of glucose, a type of sugar ( 1 ).

What are the healing properties of coconut oil? ›

You can add coconut oil into your day-to-day diet, or apply it onto your knee joints using a light coat. You can also use it as massage oil with other ingredients such as camphor or essential oil. By massaging your knee using coconut oil, it will help to improve blood circulation.

As of 2023, the leading country in coconut oil consumption was the Philippines. That year, the Philippines consumed about 695 thousand metric tons of coconut oil. The second largest consumer of coconut oil was the EU-27, which consumed over 600 thousand metric tons.

Coconut oil is generally considered safe to apply to your skin and hair ( 13 ). However, using too much could cause a buildup of oil on your hair and scalp. This could make your hair greasy and dull, especially if you have very fine hair.

It is used to relieve dandruff, restore luster to dry and damaged hair, tame frizz, and protect hair against styling damage. It is safe to use on most hair types. Coconut oil is packed with fatty acids (especially lauric acid ) that can improve hair health.

"One of my favorite natural lubricants is extra virgin coconut oil," said Dr. Landa. "It is moisturizing and lubricating and doesn't ball up like a lot of lubes you can buy." Coconut oil's consistency is also a draw.