The Wonderful Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

The Health Benefits:

Coconuts possess many health benefits due to its fibre and nutritional content, the oil makes it a truly remarkable superfood for all to enjoy.

Once mistakenly believed to be unhealthy because of its high saturated fat content, it is now recognised that the fat in coconut oil is unique and different from most other fats, and possesses many health giving properties.

The difference is in the fat molecule. All fats and oils are composed of molecules called fatty acids. Coconut oil is composed predominately of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), also known as medium-chain triglycerides (MCT).

The vast majority of fats and oils in our diets, whether they are saturated or unsaturated or come from animals or plants, are composed of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA). Some 98 to 100% of all the fatty acids you consume are LCFA.

MCFA are very different from LCFA. MCFA have a positive effect on cholesterol, helping to lower the risk of both atherosclerosis and heart disease.

What are the uses of Coconut Oil?:

• Cooking: Can be used to replace any cooking oil, butter or spread. It has a very subtle taste that will not affect the flavour of your food like many other cooking fats. The nutritional benefits of using coconut oil as part of your diet are endless and will help to improve your health overall when used as part of a balanced diet.
• Is suitable for most cooking types including frying, roasting or baking.
• Body Moisturiser: Makes a beneficial alternative to regular body oils, creams, moisturisers and lotions. When applied to damp skin the oil is quickly absorbed leaving the skin healthy, smooth and moisturised.
• Hair Care: Can be used as a natural hair conditioner that leaves your hair full of shine, improves the health of the scalp and replaces natural oils that may have been stripped by regular use of hair products. 
• Make-Up Remover: Apply a little oil to your fingertips and gently massage over the eye contour area. Remove residual oil and cosmetics with damp cotton wool.
• Weight Loss: Has been known to speed up your metabolism as it is digested quickly to the liver and is processed directly as energy as opposed to being stored as fat.
• Has been known to help the soothing of nappy rash and improvements to treat cradle cap.

Coconut trees are palms that grow in the Tropics up to 30 metres high. They are known as the “tree of life” because of their huge variety of uses. The coconut palm is also known as the tree which grants all wishes – the nuts form an essential part of Hindu weddings and other ceremonies symbolising complete usefulness, selfless service, prosperity and generosity.

The raw cold-pressed variety is unrefined, less chemically altered and thought to have greater health benefits.

The soothing and antimicrobial properties of coconut oil justify its widespread use in medicinal preparations. The oil is used in many household products, soaps, cosmetics and shampoos. This is mainly because the fatty acids in coconut oil make good creams, detergents and moisturisers.

It also seems to have anti-inflammatory properties in relieving skin conditions such as Eczema & Psoriasis.

We stock a huge range of coconut products that can be seen here.