I can’t decide if I was early or late to the coconut oil party. 6 years ago when I was learning Indian Head Massage, coconut oil was my oil of choice (more of that later.)
However while others have been using it in cooking for the last year or two, I have been hanging back. Early or late, I don’t know.
Whatever the answer, I am well and truly at the party now. In the kitchen with the cool kids, so to speak. I use it for everything now. Consequently I am writing this short summary of why it is so good for you, and how you can use it.
First lets have a look at what happens when you use coconut oil internally.
Coconut oil is one of the best oils to use when cooking. It is a saturated fat, BUT it is made up of medium chain triglycerides which go straight to the liver. There they are used as a quick source of energy or turned into ketone bodies. These are believed to have a therapeutic effect on brain disorders such as Alzheimers and epilepsy.
The medium chain triglycerides can increase energy expenditure compared to the same amount of calories from longer chain fats.This means consumption of coconut oil helps you burn energy more effectively than other fats, which can help with weight loss.
Some studies have shown that coconut oil can have a beneficial impact on cholesterol levels which could lead to a reduced risk of heart disease.
It is important to remember to use organic virgin oil when cooking with coconut oil.
There are also a few ways to use coconut oil externally.
When I gave Indian Head Massages, I used to use coconut oil all the time, as it left people’s hair beautifully glossy and shiny. It is best to massage into the scalp and then spread through the hair, and is especially effective as a conditioner if left in over night.
It is also good to use coconut oil as moisturiser, as it is fairly light and easy to absorb. I also use it as the base of a home made body scrub, as it adds a very silky finish to the skin. The recipe for the coconut oil scrub is in another blog. Coconut oil benefits for skin are well known.
While you can buy coconut oil in liquid form as a massage carrier oil, it is more common to see it sold in jars in the supermarket. The oil within is solid which is fine for a lot of cooking purposes as you can scrape the amount you need out with a spoon. If you need it in liquid form, just stand the jarin a pot of hot water for a short while, and the oil will melt quickly.
If you need any advice on health issues and you live in the Bristol area, please call Kate on 0117 950 662 or 07811 619860.
