From North to south, coconut oil is a must have item in almost all Indian households and luckily, we have been enjoying its amazing benefits since our childhoods in one way or another. Whether it was getting a hair oiling session from our mothers, eating delicious South Indian food, warming babies or treating minor ailments.
You will hardly find any oil as versatile and popular as coconut oil for it has more than hundred uses with unbelievable health benefits for people of all ages. This shows why it is an essential part of Ayurvedic medicine, hygiene, cooking, pet care, skincare industries, and more
Here we have listed top 10 uses of coconut oils for those who are looking for natural ways to use in their approach to living healthy and holistically.
Before you jump to the list, note that we are talking about cold pressed/virgin/unrefined coconut oil that is extracted at room temperature and retains all its nutrients as there is no extreme processing or addition of chemicals.
Beauty Inspired…
1. Ideal Moisturizer for Skin
Coconut oil is one of a few natural remedies you can trust when it comes to directly applying anything on your skin. Use it to moisturize your arms, legs, elbows and even your face during dry winter months as it deeply sinks in to hydrate the skin and protect its barrier.
It is not recommended for people with very oily skin.
According to research, this wonderful oil blocked 20% of harmful UV rays when studied on humans. It has an SPF rating of 4 so it can also work as a natural sunscreen if you have to go outside for a short period of time. Applying it regularly is also highly effective to prevent discoloration caused by exposure to sun.
2. Natural Eye Cream
Whether you hate staring at your puffy eyes and dark circles first thing in the morning or struggle with dry eyes, virgin coconut oil has got you covered! It is the best natural eye cream. Apply a little amount on your eyelids and under eyes before sleeping if you wish to wake up without puffy eyes. It also forms a protective layer around delicate under eye skin which can easily get wrinkled due to lack of moisture.
Moreover, you can also use it to effectively remove eye makeup in a gentle manner and avoid premature wrinkles.
3. Exfoliate & Protect Lips
Chapped lips are uncomfortable and it is hard to resist the urge to bite them due to build up of dead cells. If you love an all-natural approach, mix a teaspoon of coconut oil with raw sugar or brown sugar to gently exfoliate your dry lips.
For luscious and healthy looking lips, replace your chap stick and lip gloss with this oil and feel the difference.
4. Stimulate Hair Growth
Our ancient tradition of getting hair oiling and massages in India has its own charm and there are good reasons why our mothers preferred cold pressed coconut oils before taking a bath. It nourishes scalp, tames frizz, controls dandruff, speeds up hair growth and strengthens hair by penetrating deeper in the hair shaft to reduce breakage.
Simply use it as a hair mask or add more powerful ingredients like honey or egg to the recipe. Work it through your locks and massage your scalp to boost blood circulation.
5. Heal Cuticles
Do you have painful hangnails or often deal with dry, brittle and ragged cuticles? Well, coconut oil has a good track record to heal cuticles and boost nail health by reducing infections around them. Again only applying virgin or cold pressed coconut oil is the way to go. Their main nutrients responsible for antifungal and anti-aging properties remain untouched during extraction.
Wellness Inspired….
1. Relieve Constipation
Make organic unrefined coconut oil an essential part of your diet to get rid of constipation. It has a laxative effect due to the presence of medium chain fatty acids. They quickly soften stools while increasing metabolic activities of cells lining your colon. It is an easy and effective home remedy for children suffering from this condition.
2. Treat Sunburns, Stings and Bites
You can use this amazing oil for sunburns as it works like a charm for soothing painful itch and healing the dry skin. The best way to do it is to pair the oil with aloe vera and apply when the burn has cooled down.
Due to its anti-inflammatory property, coconut oil is safe and ideal for treating bee stings, bug bites and mosquito bites to instantly relieve itching and pain.
3. Fight Sugar cravings
Constantly giving into cravings for sugar can lead to unwanted weight gain and even obesity. If you are conscious about maintaining your ideal weight and staying healthy, try a teaspoonful of coconut oil to energize yourself in a healthy manner when you are craving something sweet.
Eating food cooked in the coconut oil will make you feel satiated and you will avoid consuming more calories that could lead to weight gain.
4. Improve Your Oral Health
You can turn into your natural and All in One mouthwash to take care of oral hygiene. Swishing regularly with the oil will protect your plaque and tooth decay as it is known to destroy common bacteria like streptococcus mutans. If you have a toothache, canker sores or even cold sores, dab a little on the affected area to reduce pain and promote healing. Remember oil pulling?
5. Aromatherapy
With a pleasant and calming smell, it is a perfect oil to use for aromatherapy so you can release stress and relax yourself.
