Coconut Oil Uses

Recently on Facebook, I asked as to how do people use coconut oil. I was absolutely blown away by the response and the ideas. It seems coconut oil is one of those foods that can be used for hundreds of ailments, reasons and resources, not only by eating this wonderful ancient food but also by using this oil externally on all parts of the body. Following are all the ideas of uses for coconut oil that we received on our Changing Habits Facebook page.

USES FOR CHANGING HABITS COCONUT OIL

INTERNAL USES

Coconut Oil in Cooking

Coconut oil can be used as a replacement for butter when baking, or use half butter and half coconut oil. I love oven baked potatoes (red or white) smothered in coconut oil, seaweed salt and herbs and then baked for around 1 hour depending on the size of the potato.

If I’m making a slice, I’ll often replace copha or butter with the coconut oil, it’s not as hard as the copha but is far better for you and if you keep it refrigerated in the summer the slice will remain together and firm.

When I make chocolate, I like to add coconut oil to make a softer chocolate, the very small downside of this is you must keep these chocolates in the fridge. For recipes using coconut and chocolate I recommend you look at the recipe book 53 Shades of Chocolate on my website.

You can also click on the recipes tab to see more recipes

Use in place of milk for your coffee and make bullet proof coffee

Drinks

Bullet Proof Coffee

Ingredients

1 cup/230ml of good quality black freshly brewed coffee 1 tbs of unsalted organic butter 2 tbs Changing Habits Coconut Oil

Method - Thermomix

1. Place coffee in thermomix, if not already 60C, heat until it reaches 60C. 2. Place butter and oil in thermomix and beat 10 sec | speed 10

Method - Non-Thermomix

Place ingredients in a blender or stick machine and blend well

Smoothie

Stop food cravings

If you have a sweet tooth after lunch or dinner just take a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil to curb the feeling. Give yourself 10 minutes for the body to figure out that you’ve eaten it before you delve into the sweet bowl.

Coconut Oil Pulling

The health practice of Oil pulling comes from Ayurvedic medicine.

The benefits of oil pulling have been reported to do the following:

- clears skin - decreases migraines - clears sinuses - decreases allergies - improves PMT symptoms - creates healthy pink gums - helps with gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) - decreases dental caries - whiter teeth - improves sleep

How you do it

The best time to oil pull is first thing in the morning for maximum benefit.

Take 1tbs Changing Habits Coconut Oil (you can build up to this amount) and one drop of essential peppermint oil or oregano essential oil

Place into mouth and swirl and swish methodically and slowly so that the oil reaches the entire area of the mouth.

Build up to doing this for 10 minutes - the longer you do the swishing, the thinner the oil gets and the more foamy. Spit the oil out and rinse with water, brush with tooth paste and tooth brush immediately after.

Tooth Paste

Ingredients

1/4 cup of Changing Habits Coconut Oil 1/4 cup baking soda 3 drops of liquid stevia 3 drops of twenty8’s peppermint oil

Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly store in a small glass jar in your bathroom. Pour a small amount on your toothbrush and start brushing.

Appetite Suppressant

Take 1 tbs of coconut oil before each meal if you have a tendency to overeat

EXTERNAL USES

Fungal Infections

Place on nails for fungal infections - simply get a cotton bud or q-tip and dip into the coconut oil then moisten each toenail or fingernail infected with the fungus, repeat each morning and night until fungus has disappeared.

Makeup Remover

For eyes (water proof mascara - especially) and face makeup. Simply rub coconut oil over face and eyes, wipe of with a tissue then use a warm wash cloth to take of the excess.

Moisturiser

 Blend with an essential oil for moisturiser - 3 drops of essential oil for each application Night moisturiser - I blend with lavender or Twenty8’s instant calm click here for Twenty8

Day moisturiser - I blend with twenty8’s Energy and Vitality click here for Twenty8

Oil Scrub

 4 grated or ground Changing Habits Cacao Melts 4 TBS Changing Habits Rapadura Sugar 4 TBS Changing Habits Coconut Oil 4 drops of peppermint oil

Combine all ingredients into a bowl, wet your body in the shower, turn the shower off and scrub your body with the mixture. Rinse thoroughly with warm shower. I recommend you give your shower a good rinse otherwise the ants love this stuff and come running.

Sunscreen

 2 TBS Changing Habits Coconut Oil (SPF factor 4-6) 1 TBS Shea butter or cacao butter 1/2 tsp sesame oil (SPF factor 2) 2 tsp non-nano zinc oxide (SPF factor 15) - you can purchase this at a pharmacy in powder form 4 drops of either lavender or frankinsence from the twenty8 range Method Warm the first three ingredients, then beat in the zinc oxide Place in a dark glass jar, in the summer keep in the fridge - will last 6 months. This has an SPF factor of around 20.

You can also use this wonderful mixture for nappy rash, it acts as a barrier cream.

Deodorant

 1/4 cup arrowroot 1/4 cup baking soda 5 tbs Changing Habits Coconut Oil 4 drops of essential oil - sandalwood

Warm your coconut oil then mix thoroughly all ingredients into the oil. Once mixed, pour into a suitable container and keep in your bathroom. If you live in a cold climate then you could almost use it as a stick, but as most homes are at around 25C, I suggest that you dip your fingers in the deodorant, melt in your hands by rubbing your hands together and then wipe onto your underarms.

Foot scrub

 Use the essential oil peppermint 4 tbs seaweed salt refined down in the thermomix or a grinder although this is not necessary 2 tbs coconut oil 5 drops of twenty8’s essential peppermint oil

Mix all ingredients and use as a foot scrub

Itchy Eyes

Put a dab of organic coconut oil in itchy eyes. You will have blurred vision for a couple of minutes but this will pass quickly!

Shaving oil/cream

 The best shaving cream is actually shaving oil. Moisten legs of face. Apply a generous amount of coconut oil onto the skin surface you want to shave. Make sure you have covered the skin surface to be shaved enough for your razor to glide smoothly over it. Shave as normal then rinse with warm water. Best of all, you won’t have to grab some lotion because your legs and face won’t feel dry from the shaving foam and you can see where you are shaving as it is clear.

Aftershave

 Make your own! Coconut oil and the essential oil - sandalwood If you need an after shave - make up your own with a drop a sandalwood and a scoop of coconut oil, moisten your face with a fresh fragrance and nourishing aftershave. Make your own hair tonic and tame your hair Coconut oil is wonderful for taming hair and just making it look smooth, you can use it straight from the jar or add a little essential oil to make your hair not only look good but smell good too.

Neutralises

Neutralizes the smell of onions and garlic - simply wash you hands with coconut oil and rinse with warm water.

Nits

 With twenty8’s immune boost, Rinse your hair with apple cider vinegar and then place coconut in the oil to ward off more infestations and create an anti parasitic environment.

Decongestant

 Mix coconut oil with a few drops of peppermint oil rub just under the nose and on the chest for a natural decongestant

Sunburn Relief

 After sunburn rinse with a little apple cider vinegar then finish with some soothing coconut oil on your skin

Athletes Foot

 Use as an external and internal application, by eating 3 tbs coconut oil every day as well as applying the oil to your feet when possible

Skin Conditions

 Psoriasis dermatitis and eczema or any skin condition coconut oil will help sooth, however it is also important to look at diet - if you have psoriasis it would be prudent to stay away from all gluten and wheat especially, and follow the Changing Habits diet and lifestyle suggestions

Jock Itch

 Rub onto the affected area as often as you need to. The anti fungal properties of the coconut oil will keep flare ups at bay. Remember a good healthy diet based on real foods will also help - follow the Changing Habits principals.

Pregnancy and Breast Feeding

 Great for preventing stretch marks. While pregnant, rub coconut oil onto your stomach every day and right up until the baby stops breast feeding. If you have cracked nipples from lactation, sooth and heal with coconut oil. Rub on breast after breast feeding.

Nappy Rash and Wipes

 Coconut oil is also great for nappy rash and you can make up your own baby wipes with coconut oil. As a young Mum, I never used any of the baby wipes as most of them were laced with chemicals which I wasn’t prepared to put onto my child’s skin. Don’t be swayed by advertising and marketing and the baby bounty bag that you get at a hospital - most of the products are chemicals rather than natural ingredients. A good rule of thumb is if you can’t eat it, then don’t put it on your baby’s skin.

MORE, MORE, MORE!

 Wound Healer – apply to area Thrush – use as an external and internal application Vaginal dryness – most natural lubricant of any on the market
Back to blog