101 Uses for Coconut Oil – A True, Whole Body-Mind Anti-Aging Solution & Skin Rejuvenator

101 Uses for Coconut Oil

****Reposters Note – Thank you to Katie – Wellness Mama for this excellent post, 101 Uses for Coconut Oil.

Coconut Oil is one of those choices that is sure to benefit everyone who chooses to add it to their diets. Coincidentally,  it is as good for us externally as internally. Add to that, it is an  excellent all natural tool for all sorts of little jobs around the home. It is truly astonishing how many (not so natural) products it can replace in your cupboard, medicine cabinets and around the home.

Our local Costco carries an excellent Organic Cold Pressed Virgin Coconut Oil 1.5 kg (54 oz) for around $16.00.***

I’ve said before that I am with coconut oil like the dad in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” is with windex… I use it for everything. Right now, I have a five gallon bucket of it sitting next to my desk because we use so much and I don’t have anywhere else to keep it…

Today, I’m sharing my top 101 (yes 101!!) uses for coconut oil:

Uses for Coconut Oil

1. In cooking as a great oil with a high smoke point. Great for baking, stir-frys or as a dairy free replacement to butter.
2. Taken supplementally for daily energy
3. As a coffee creamer when emulsified into coffee (The only way I’ll drink coffee)
4. On the skin as a basic lotion
5. In homemade lotion bars for soft, smooth skin
6. In homemade deodorant or deodorant bars
7. As an eye-makeup remover
8. As a cloth diaper safe diaper cream (just rub on baby’s bottom)
9. In making your own Remineralizing Toothpaste
10. To lighten age spots when rubbed directly on the skin
11. To prevent stretch marks during pregnancy
12. To support healthy thyroid function
13. In homemade Mayo without the high PUFA vegetable oils
14. To help increase sun tolerance and avoid burning
15. As a naturally SPF 4 sunscreen
16. In homemade lotion recipes
17. To get rid of cradle cap on baby- just massage in to head, leave on for a few minutes and gently rinse with a warm wash cloth
18. Topically to kill yeast or yeast infections
19. As a delicious tropical massage oil
20. It’s high Lauric acid and MCFA content helps boost metaboism
21. A tiny dab rubbed on your hands and then through hair will help get rid of friz
22. As an intensive nighttime facial moisturizer
23. Mixed with equal parts sugar for a smoothing body scrub (use in the shower)
24. Rubbed on lips as a natural chap stick
25. Topically, can help skin heal faster after injury or infection
26. Directly on the perineum to help heal after birth
27. As an incredibly intensive natural conditioner- Rub into dry hair, put a shower cap on and leave for several hours
28. On feet to fight athlete’s foot or tor fungus
29. In place of Lanolin cream on nursing nipples to sooth irritation (also great for baby!)
30. Can help sooth psoriasis or eczema
31. There is some evidence that regular ingestion of coconut oil can help prevent or reverse Alzheimers
32.  With apple cider vinegar as a natural treatment for lice that actually works
33. In natural Homemade Sunscreen
34. In healthy brain boosting snack for kids like Coconut Clusters
35. In a filling and energy boosting Brain Powder Smoothie
36. Rub coconut oil on the inside of your nose to help alleviate allergy symptoms
37. Nursing moms can take 3-4 tablespoons a day (and Vitamin D) to increase milk supply and nutrients
38. There is some evidence that coconut oil helps digestion and may even kill intestinal parasites or yeast
39. Mix a tablespoon with a tablespoon of chia seeds for an all-day energy boost (do NOT take this at night!)
40. Can help improve insulin levels
41. Oil pulling with coconut oil and a drop of oregano oil helps improve gum health
42. Can help improve cholesterol ratios
43. Blend a tablespoon into hot tea to help speed recovery from cold or flu
44. In Homemade Natural Bug-Off Lotion Bars
45. As a replacement for vegetable oils in any recipe
46. Better for high-temperature cooking than olive or vegetable oils
47. Can help reduce appearance of varicose veins
48. After initial heat is gone, can help speed healing of sunburn
49. Is an immediate source of energy when eaten and isn’t stored as fat
50. As a natural personal lubricant that won’t disturb vaginal flora
51. As a naturally antibacterial skin cream
52. In natural homemade diaper cream
53. As a natural shave cream and after shave lotion
54. When used consistently on skin it can help get rid of cellulite
55. To season cast iron skillets
56. It’s anti-inflammatory properties can help lessen arthritis
57. Can reduce the itch of mosquito bites
58. Can help resolve acne when used regularly
59. Can be rubbed into scalp daily to stimulate hair growth
60. I’ve used in kids ears to help speed ear infection healing
61. On split ends to de-frizz
62. A small amount can be rubbed into real leather to soften and condition (shiny leather only… test a small area first)
63. By itself as a great tanning oil
64. Mixed with salt to remove dry skin on feet
65. Can help speed weight loss when consumed daily
66. Can help improve sleep when taken daily
67. Can be used to speed healing of fungal infections when taken internally and used externally
68. A tablespoon melted into a cup of warm tea can help sooth a sore throat
69. To help sooth the itch of chicken pox or poison ivy
70. It has been shown to increase absorption of calcium and magnesium
71. Internally as part of the protocol to help remineralize teeth
72.  Some evidence shows that the beneficial fats in coconut oil can help with depression and anxiety
73. By itself as a natural deodorant
74. By itself or with baking soda as a naturally whitening toothpaste
75. For pets struggling with skin issues when used externally
76. Some evidence suggests that the beneficial fats in coconut oil are helpful for those with Autism
77. In homemade vapor rub
78. As a safe cooking oil for deep frying
79. A tablespoon taken before each meal can help improve digestion
80. Can be taken in warm ginger tea to sooth heartburn or nausea
81. As a completely natural baby lotion
82. On hands after doing dishes to avoid dry skin
83. Mixed with catnip, rosemary, or mint essential oils as a natural bug repellent
84. Can be used on mom’s nipple and baby’s mouth to help treat thrush
85. Many use it as an anti-aging facial moisturizer
86. Use to make coconut cream concentrate for a brain boosting snack
87. Can be used internally and externally to speed recovery from UTIs
88. When taken regularly, it can help fight candida
89. When taken regularly, it can boost hormone production
90. Can relieve the pain of hemorrhoids when used topically
91. Can boost circulation and help those who often feel cold
92. On cuticles to help nails grow
93. Rub into elbows daily to help alleviate dry, flaky elbows
94. Add to smoothies to give them a nutritional boost
95. Internally during pregnancy to help provide baby necessary fats for development (especially when taken with Fermented Cod Liver Oil)
96. In any recipes where vegetable oils are used
97. Whipped with shea butter for a soothing body balm
98. One reader swears by using coconut oil to treat yeast infection. She suggests soaking a tampon in it and inserting the tampon for a few hours.
99. Naturally clears up cold sores
100. Ingesting coconut oil daily can help with allergy symptoms
101. Ingesting coconut oil daily can increase mental alertness

You can also check out my recipe index or Start Here Page for many more recipes that use coconut oil!

 What Kind of Coconut Oil?

For external uses, expeller pressed or other types of refined coconut oil will work, but for internal use, an unrefined virgin coconut oil is best. My husband and I both take about 4 tablespoons a day and the kids get a couple tablespoons in food, smoothies, or hot herbal tea.

***REPOSTERS NOTE

Links to other  Coconut Oil posts from All About Wellness Solutions – A cornucopia of varied information

Coconut Oil Pulling Therapy – Excellent Detox & Wellness Rejuvenator

Homemade Toothpaste With Coconut Oil – Health & Heart Smart

Get Off Your Thyroid Medication And Start Consuming Coconut Oil

Why You Should Use COCONUT OIL – 9 Benefits For Skin, Body And Soul

10 health Benefits of Virgin Coconut Oil

80 Awesome Uses For COCONUT OIL, In Your Home and Your Health

13 Evidence-Based Medicinal Properties of Coconut Oil

80 Awesome Uses For COCONUT OIL, In Your Home and Your Health

from Holly Capron

Be sure to buy organic coconut oil – cold pressed. Most Walmart’s and Costco’s carry it on the aisle with the other cooking oils , also health food stores should have it as well.

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Personal Hygiene/Body:

1. Moisturizer – simply scoop some out of the jar and apply all over your body, including neck and face.
2. Eye cream – apply under the eyes to reduce puffiness, bags, and wrinkles. Use on the lids in the evening.
3. Preshave – coconut oil will prep skin for the pending damage caused by shaving.
4. Aftershave – coconut oil will help heal your skin after shaving without clogging pores.
5. Deodorant – coconut oil alone can be used as a deodorant, but even more effective in combination with cornstarch/arrowroot powder and baking soda!
6. Hair Conditioner/Deep Treatment – use as a leave in hair conditioner by applying a teaspoon of coconut oil to your ends and then running your fingers through your hair to distribute the rest! For a deeper treatment, rub in a tablespoon of coconut oil onto your dry scalp and gently work through to the ends. Put a shower cap on to prevent transfer onto bed linens and leave on overnight.
7. Hair Gel/Defrizzer – rub a little between your palms and either scrunch into hair (for curly hair) or finger comb in through from scalp to ends (for wavy/straight hair).
8. Toothpaste – there are numerous recipes out there but I just mix coconut oil and baking soda and dab a little of the mix on my toothbrush.
9. Make up remover – use a cotton swab and a dab of coconut oil and you would be amazed at how well it works!
10. Chapstick – just rub a little into lips and it not only acts as a softening agent but it also has an SPF of about 4 so you get a little protection!
11. Massage Oil – pretty simple; grab some and rub!
12. Lubricant – it is an all natural, perfectly safe personal lubricant. Not compatible with latex!
13. Sunscreen
14. Stretch Mark Cream – coconut oil is great at nourishing damaged skin. It may not be the magic stretch mark cure but it will help.
15. Nipple Cream – works great to nourish cracked, sore, or dry nipples. Apply to a cotton ball and leave on your nipples between feedings.
16. Diaper salve – very comforting on a rashy bum with no harsh chemicals. Also safe for cloth diapers.
17. Cradle cap – having issues with dry skin on your baby’s scalp? Coconut oil will not only nourish your baby’s skin, it also helps eliminate cradle cap. Just rub a teaspoon onto scalp daily.
18. Body scrub – mix coconut oil and sugar together and rub all over! Rinse off and your skin will be super soft! You can add in essential oils if you would like a specific smell.
19. Healing – when applied on scrapes and cuts, coconut oil forms a thin, chemical layer which protects the wound from outside dust, bacteria and virus. Coconut oil speeds up the healing process of bruises by repairing damaged tissues. Plus, it smells a heck-of-a-lot better than anything from the pharmacy.
20. Bug Bites – when applied directly to a bug bite, coconut oil can stop the itching and burning sensation as well as hasten the healing process.
21. Skin problems – coconut oil relieves skin problems such as psoriasis, dermatitis, and eczema.
22. Swimmers Ear – mix garlic oil and coconut oil and put a few drops in affected ear for about 10 minutes. Do this 2-3 times a day and it usually works within one or two days.

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General Health and Wellness:

23. Stress Relief – relieve mental fatigue by applying coconut oil to the head in a circular, massaging motion. The natural aroma of coconuts is extremely soothing thus helping to lower your stress level.
24. Digestion – the saturated fats in coconut oil have anti-bacterial properties that help control, parasites, and fungi that cause indigestion and other digestion related problems such as irritable bowel syndrome. The fat in coconut oil also aids in the absorption of vitamins, minerals and amino acids, making you healthier all around.
25. Fitness – coconut oil has been proven to stimulate your metabolism, improve thyroid function, and escalate energy levels, all of which help decrease your unwanted fat, while increasing muscle.
26. Nose bleeds – coconut oil can prevent nose bleeding that is caused by sensitivity to weather such as extreme hotness and extreme coldness. This condition happens when the nasal passages become dry because of cold or dry air resulting to burns and cracks in the mucus membranes so bleeding happens. To prevent this just put coconut oil in you nostrils. Coat your finger with coconut oil and then lie down and coat your finger inside your nose. Doing this will strengthen and protect the capillaries in the nasal passages. A Vitamin C supplement will also help prevent nose bleeding.
27. For breastfeeding moms, consuming 3 ½ tablespoons of coconut oil daily will enrich your milk supply.
28. Helps with weight loss & controlling cravings.
29. Helps keep blood sugar levels stable and/or helps with cravings in those with diabetes.

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Health Problems (that coconut oil is known for aiding, relieving, or even curing when taken internally):

30. Eczema – in addition to taking it internally, many have success applying it externally, some don’t
31. Skin problems
32. Toenail fungus
33. Hot flashes
34. Bleeding hemorrhoids (can also be applied externally twice a day)
35. HIV >>>ONLY to help by soothing sores
36. Head lice – use with anise oil
37. Improvements in menstruation regarding pain/cramps and heavy blood flow
38. Migraines (with regular use)
39. Mononucleosis
40. Parasites
41. Thrush
42. Relieve gallbladder pain
43. Has helped some people improve symptoms of an under-active thyroid gland, results have shown subsequent thyroid blood tests becoming normal
44. Energy boost
45. Flaky, dry skin
46. May relieve acid reflux and indigestion when taken with each meal
47. Adrenal fatigue
48. Alzheimer’s
49. H. pylori
50. Candida Albicans
51. Asthma, even in children
52. Autism
53. Cholesterol – improves HDL (‘good’ cholesterol) to LDL (‘bad’ cholesterol) ratio in people with high cholesterol
54. Chronic fatigue
55. Circulation/feeling cold all the time
56. Stronger immune system
57. Mental Clarity
58. Depression
59. Helps with inflammation in Crohn’s

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Health Problems (that coconut oil is known for aiding, relieving, or even curing when applied topically):

60. Athletes foot
61. Back pain/sore muscles
62. Canker sores
63. Acne
64. Cellulite
65. Herpes (applied topically and taken internally)
66. Genital warts (through topical application over 6 weeks, and coconut oil enemas twice a day depending on the location of the warts)
67. Circumcision healing –  I have read that coconut oil is a really great healer for this.

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Cooking:

68. Use 1 cup to 1 cup ratio when replacing other oils/butter in recipes with coconut oil.
69. Replacement for butter/lard/Crisco/PAM in it’s solid form – greasing pans, pie crusts, etc.
70. Replacement for various oils in liquid form – baking, cooking, sauteing, etc.
71. Nutritional supplement – melt and add to smoothies.

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Other Uses:

72. Insect repellent – mix coconut oil with peppermint oil extract and rub it all over exposed skin. Keeps insects off better than anything with Deet! Tons safer too.
73. Great for dogs and cats for general wellness. Just add a teaspoon to their water bowl daily.
74. Goo Gone – just mix equal parts coconut oil and baking soda into a paste. Apply to the “sticky” area and let it set for a minute. Then scrub off with an old toothbrush or the scrubby side of a sponge.
75. Chewing Gum in Hair Remover – just rub some coconut oil over the stuck chewing gum, leave in for about 30 minutes, then roll the gum between your fingertip. Voila! It’s out!
76. Polish Furniture – coconut oil with a little bit of lemon juice to polish wood furniture. However, I recommend you test it first on a very small, unobtrusive part of your furniture to make sure it works the way you’d like.
77. Polishing Bronze – all you have to do is rub a little oil into a cotton towel and then wipe down the statue. It cleans and helps deepen the color of your bronze.
78. Seasoning animal hide drums
79. Seasoning cookware
80. Moisturizing and cleaning leather products

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**Reposter’s Note  – I had heard a number of positive and negative comments about coconut, so a few month’s back I started researching and was astonished at what I have found.  It quite humbling that one natural thing that can be so useful and so beneficial.

That Coconut can help us replace so many chemicals, drugs and processed fats so effectively, is mind boggling.  Now I understand the controversy – a lot of companies stand to loose market share to a lowly fruit.  As consumers become more educated, they typically  make make changes in their purchases. There is nothing more vocal in today’s society than the use the wallet to choose.

I have replaced all of my cooking  and baking oils except butter with Coconut Oil.  I am thrilled with how well it works, It browns foods beautifully, handles high heat really well without burning, seems to keep baking moist longer, works as both a liquid or a solid. I keep it on my counter as it does not require refrigeration so it is always handy. For liquid form, I just stick my glass measuring cup in warm water and the coconut oil becomes liquid quite quickly. Because it stays solid, it is great to take camping etc.

It is super for burns – immediately put solid coconut oil on a burn – it melts and makes an oil barrier,  keeping air away from the burn. The pain quickly recedes and the blisters are much smaller and heal faster. Keep applying the coconut oil until burn is healed, it keeps scarring to a minimum if any.

Excellent moisturizer and hair conditioner. 1/4 tsp in your bath water for the last few minutes and your skin is silky smooth but hydrated. A tiny bit rubbed into hair after light towel drying does wonders for frizz and split ends.  Makes fine hair much more manageable.  It is something very safe that if  young children get into in the bathroom, it can’t hurt them.

I am finding that there are a lot of products that have chemicals that I am not replacing because i don’t need to.

Play with it, if you think it might work for something , try it out  – I am sure, like me – you will be more pleasantly surprised than you ever expected.

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Here are some  other posts you may find interesting.

Thyroid Medication – OUT, Coconut Oil IN.

The Coconut Oil Miracle

10 health Benefits of Virgin Coconut Oil

Get Off Your Thyroid Medication And Start Consuming Coconut Oil

Why You Should Use COCONUT OIL – 9 Benefits For Skin, Body And Soul

Benefits of Coconut Water

Coconut Oil Pulling Therapy – Excellent Detox & Wellness Rejuvenator

Coconut Articles  – feel free to  search this blog for other previous posts I may have missed.