Coconut oil is pretty versatile too! As it is solid at room temperature, it can be used as an ingredient in baking and cooking as a replacement for vegetable oil or butter in recipes, as well as a cooking aid. You can also use it for greasing baking pans – so it’s definitely worth having in your cupboard. Salam RA, Darmstadt GL, Bhutta ZA. Effect of emollient therapy on clinical outcomes in preterm neonates in Pakistan: a randomised controlled trial. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2015 May;100(3):F210-5. View abstract. Coconut oil is an effective skin moisturiser. When consumed orally or used as a treatment oil externally on the body, users report notable differences in the overall health and appearance of the skin. This is due to the levels of medium chain fatty acids fats and omega 3 fatty acids, which have been proven to maintain not only the skin but also improve the health of the heart. So now you know all the ways you can use coconut oil and the benefits it may possess, you probably want to know which coconut oil is best.

Deol, P., et al. (2015). Soybean oil is more obesogenic and diabetogenic than coconut oil and fructose in mouse: Potential role for the liver. So if I were to choose a simple soap recipe that you can make at home it would absolutely without a doubt be 100% coconut oil soap. I love this stuff, not least because you can make it from just 3 ingredients, one of those being water. If I am honest if I had my way I would teach just coconut oil soap making on my courses but I feel my students gain a better understanding of the process when we use a variety of ingredients. In Sanskrit, the coconut palm tree is known by the name “kalpavriksha” which means “tree that gives all that is necessary for living” and reflects how vital it is for treatments and the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle. Tholstrup, T., et al. (2004). Effects of medium-chain fatty acids and oleic acid on blood lipids, lipoproteins, glucose, insulin, and lipid transfer protein activities.Coconut oil is 100% fat, 80-90% of which is saturated fat. This gives it a firm texture at cold or room temperatures. Fat is made up of smaller molecules called fatty acids, and there are several types of saturated fatty acids in coconut oil. The predominant type is lauric acid (47%), with myristic and palmitic acids present in smaller amounts, which have been shown in research to raise harmful LDL levels. Also present in trace amounts are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. If you know anything about me at all you will know that one of my favourite phrases is 'Soap Making Made Easy' Sun treatment, in a similar way as people use aloe vera, coconut oil is also high in natural antioxidants and provides strong skin healing properties.

In fact, studies on MCT’s weight loss potential even call for caution when interpreting results because larger and higher-quality studies are still needed ( 2, 3).

What is Coconut Oil?

First, let’s get the low-down on this tropical treat. Coconut oil is a saturated fat rich in the fatty acid (triglyceride) lauric acid – and this is the component that makes it such a hair hero. Helps to prevent hair damage Teuber SS, Peterson WR. Systemic allergic reaction to coconut (Cocos nucifera) in 2 subjects with hypersensitivity to tree nut and demonstration of cross-reactivity to legumin-like seed storage proteins: new coconut and walnut food allergens. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999;103:1180-5. View abstract. George SA, Bilsland DJ, Wainwright NJ, Ferguson J. Failure of coconut oil to accelerate psoriasis clearance in narrow-band UVB phototherapy or photochemotherapy. Br J Dermatol 1993;128:301-5. View abstract. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2 Feranil AB, Duazo PL, Kuzawa CW, Adair LS. Coconut oil is associated with a beneficial lipid profile in pre-menopausal women in the Philippines. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2011;20:190-5. View abstract.

Kumar PD. The role of coconut and coconut oil in coronary heart disease in Kerala, south India. Trop Doct 1997;27:215-7. View abstract. Apply as a conditioner.It is recommended that everybody use a hair conditioner after shampooing to decrease friction, minimise frizz and detangle the hair. 15Coconut oil makes a great conditioner to help prevent breakage and strengthen hair shafts. Use it as an alternative to your regular conditioner or add a few drops to your normal conditioner. Partially hydrogenated oil contains trans-fats which are linked to weight gain and obesity and so this type of coconut oil is not usually used. Dehghanpour A, Seyedhashemi M, Zare Bidaki A, Mousavi Z, Emtiazy M, Shakiba M. Coconut oil rubbing as an easy and safe way to improve symptoms in primary nocturnal enuresis: A randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled clinical trial. Avicenna J Phytomed. 2022;12(5):449-56. View abstract.Gavazzoni dias MF. Hair cosmetics: an overview. Int J Trichology. 2015;7(1):2-15. doi:10.4103/0974-7753.153450 In June 2017, the American Heart Association (AHA) issued new advice against using saturated fats, including coconut oil, after looking at the findings of over 100 research studies. Incorrect interpretation of a study? There are several types of coconut oil, each distinguished by the way they have been processed and their intended final use. Every type has different benefits depending on how you want to use it. Be sure to let cold ingredients like eggs or milk come to room temperature before blending it in, so it mixes in smoothly instead of clumping.