Coconuts offer so many benifits inluding health, beauty and nutrtional. Here are some of my favorite things to use coconuts for.
Food:
-Drinking coconut water is not only delicious and refreshing, but it has important vitamins and minerals and electrolytes. It alkalizes your system, aids with digestion, helps with diabetes and it is antibacterial and antifungal. (note pink coconut water actually is more nutient rich)
-Cooking with coconut oil is benificial as well. Coconut oil happens to be abundant in lauric acid, a type of saturated fatty acid that -- although it does raise cholesterol levels -- mainly increases HDL, the healthy type of cholesterol that you want to be high. The chain length of saturated fats is another indicator of healthfulness. Coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides, which are used directly for energy by your body.
Beauty:
-One of my favorite things is using coconut oil as a deep or leave in conditioner. Simply apply to hair after washing tuck into a bun and sleep. The next morning you will have managable soft hair.
-Using coconut oil as a lotion or lipgloss is also great! It contains plenty of vitamin E to aid in my recovery of skin damage such as burns, cuts, scars, etc.
Health:
-Coconut oil has the trifecta of anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-microbial properties, including lipids, lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid. Daily consumption can significantly boost your immunity. By simply replacing butter and cooking oils with coconut oil, you can easily help your body fend off invaders. If a cold or flu does take hold, coconut oil can shorten the duration and soften the overall effects, as it acts like a natural antibiotic.
-Coconut oil has also been shown to aid in weight loss. Coconut oils fats have positive effects on the metabolism. The medium chain triglycerides in coconut oil have been shown to increase 24 hour energy expenditure by as much as 5%, potentially leading to significant weight loss over the long term.
All in all coconut oil is a great thing to add to your food and beauty routines! It is not only benificial but affordable!