What is your favorite use?

Huffington Post in Canada recently published an article discussing the many ways coconut oil can make your life better and we couldn’t agree more! Check out the 17 ideas below and what we think about them:

1. Oil Pulling – I recently started oil pulling and am hoping to see all of the great benefits everyone has been talking about! Whiter teeth, better breath, less tooth sensitivity, and the list goes on. I will keep you updated on my success!
2. Moisturizer – “Coconut oil works better on the skin than some commercial moisturizers because many major brands use petroleum-based chemicals that can suffocate the skin, says celebrity nutritionist Kimberly Snyder. The oil strengthens tissues and removes excessive dead cells on the skin’s surface that can make it dry and rough.”
3. Stimulating hair growth – “Coconut oil can help hair grow long, strong and healthy.” It also makes your hair super soft and shiny. Just rub a little coconut oil in your hair at least an hour before shampooing (some leave it in their hair all night), then shampoo twice to make sure all coconut oil has been washed out.
4. Coffee Creamer – “First, you make a cup of coffee, then pour half into a blender or a frother. Add one to two tablespoons of coconut oil, milk, and five to seven scoops of Stevia. Then froth and blend.”
5. Salad Dressing – “Coconut oil can also make a good salad dressing. Epicurious has a recipe for a sweet maple and coconut dressing that combines coconut and olive oil, maple syrup, dijon mustard, sesame seeds and more.” You can also try Susan Dopart’s Coconut Balsamic Dressing. Just always be sure to make the coconut oil with another liquid ingredient, like olive oil or balsamic vinegar to help avoid the coconut oil hardening on your salad. Remember: coconut oil changed from a liquid to a solid state below 76 degrees.
6. It’s Better Than Butter – You can replace butter with coconut oil in all of your recipes at a 1:1 ratio. If the recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of butter, use 1 tablespoon of coconut oil instead. Check out our blog post on why natural butter isn’t even better than EVCO.
7. In Smoothies – This is one place where I always use coconut oil! I love it in my smoothies! We have a ton of options for smoothie ideas on our blog. Try our energy-boosting kale smoothie, minty mango coconut smoothie, or our patriotic smoothie.
8. In the Bath – It’s not only great in the bath, you can also use EVCO and create your own homemade spa day ending with a bath. Check out our ideas here!
9. For Eczema – “The National Eczema Association in the United States has seen coconut oil work effectively to treat the skin condition. Heidi Carolan from England reported a massive improvement in her son’s skin after using coconut oil and soap nuts. She said the oil is lovely on his skin and easy to apply without much touching or rubbing, which can further irritate the condition.”
10. Cuticle Oil – “Problems with hangnails? Try coconut oil! It helps to soften cuticles and moisturize hands, says dermatologist and author Dr. Ava Shamban.”
11. In Curries – Coconut oil adds a great flavor to curries! Try our curried vegetables!
12. For Baking Cookes – Coconut oil is a great addition to cookies instead of butter. It makes them super moist and delicious! We have lots of great cookie options on our blog. Try our vegan Tagalong cookies, chocolate chunk cookies, or our pumpkin sugar cookies.
13. Frying Eggs – Coat the bottom of your skillet with EVCO, then crack and fry a couple eggs. It also makes great scrambled eggs and omelets too. You can also try our soy-free cooking spray if you don’t want to use a spoonful of oil.
14. Add to Oatmeal – “Coconut oil adds a “buttery richness” to oatmeal, writes Anjali Malhotra at the Perfect Morsel blog. It tastes great AND it’s healthy.”
15. On Popcorn – “Who needs butter on your popcorn when you can use a healthier alternative? You can either heat coconut oil on your stove (being careful, of course) and pop kernels in it, or air pop your kernels and toss them in two tablespoons of coconut oil.” Try our DIY microwave popcorn. Just throw some kernels in a paper lunch bag, fold up, and microwave on the popcorn setting until you hear the kernel popping slow down. Don’t forget to drizzle a couple tablespoons of coconut oil on top.
16. Sunscreen – “Coconut oil was the original sunscreen, says the Coconut Research Center. It doesn’t block UV rays like other sunscreens do: it lets in beneficial UV rays, the kind that allow for some natural vitamin D. For those coming out of winter with very pale skin, though, we’d suggest getting some SPF on you as well.” It also makes a great after-sun moisturizer. Rub a little coconut oil on your skin to help reduce pain and peeling after sunburns.
17. For Stretch Marks – Coconut oil is a great moisturizer to rub on your belly during pregnancy. It helps to reduce stretch marks and keeps your skin super soft. Check out Beyonce’s and Gwyneth Paltrow’s pregnancy secret here!

What is your favorite way to use coconut oil?!

–          Jen