Coconut Oil

[feline01]

Along the same lines as the tea tree oil thread, what are everyone's favorite uses for coconut oil?

My hair was really dry last week and I massaged some coconut oil into my scalp and hair (kept reading about this in some Indian fiction novels). I slept with the coconut oil in and after I showered the next morning, my hair has been really, really soft since then. I also had some wicked cracked skin on my hands and overnight, the coconut oil got rid of it.

Any other uses, tips, advice?

[PinkFluffyCloud]

I used to use it on animals who had flea allergies, or who had suffered from Ringworm. It seemed to soothe the skin and help the hair re-grow.
I must get some for my own hands (er, not for hair re-growth, but to soothe ).

[foxytina_69]

ive been using it as a facial moisturizer twice a day, and its been making my skin very soft, but my skin is so sensitive, so we'll see what happens.

its great for dry scalps and hair. and it also would be great for putting on your feet and then putting on socks overnight. its great for moisturizing.

[foxytina_69]

heres a link to coconut oil testimonies:

http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/skin_health.htm

[Wildflower]

i just love how coconut smells. and tastes.

[jennyL]

I've been using it to cleanse and moisturize my skin for about 2-3 months now. I love coconut so it's perfect for me. The other day I ran out and used my old moisturizer, jamiesons vitamin e cream...and it stung my skin a lot. I also use almond oil on my face.

[claireyveg]

Don't some people cook with it? Is it good to cook with?

[coconut]

I bought some coconut oil a while ago for cooking. But since it's solid at room temperature I can't get it out of the bottle! On hot days the oil sometimes becomes liquid only to turn hard again when the temperature cools. I would buy a jar of the virgin stuff but it's £15 and I don't know if it's worth it.

[tabitha]

I got coconut oil from Holland and Barrett for £9.99. Ive been using it as an all over body moisturizer and on my face at night. Its brilliant. Im really pleased with it. Considering its oil, it goes into your skin really easily.

My friend cooks with it and says its fantastic, but I dont know if I fancy that.

[insubordination]

I cook with it and eat it. There is no problems cooking with it. Just replace other oils/fats with it, even in baking. I put in on my porridge too.

It genuinely makes me feel good, it happened from about the second day I started taking it. I think it helps with bodily infections too.

It's a lot cheaper in Australia. Maybe because a lot of it comes from Fiji. It does annoy me when it's solid. It's fine in summer.

I also use it on my scalp as I have been losing a lot of hair due to a thyroid problem. It is starting to grow back now (only it's dark brown and not my natural blonde!!!). Of course this growth could be also due to the nettle tea I put on it. Not sure which.

Also, I have lost weight since I've started taking it. A fair amount actually. Again, I'm not sure whether the oil is responsible but I think it is.

I like using it on my body but not on my face. It seemed to cause pimples. However, I bought a 99% virgin coconut face cream and that has made my skin look great.

I haven't seen any effects on my cholesterol yet but I will re-check in 6 months. I take about 3 tablespoons daily.

[Mr Flibble]

i just love how coconut smells. and tastes.

Steady on there, this is the health forum not the 'which members do you fancy' thread!

[tabitha]

Im so blonde. It took me ages to get that!

[absentmindedfan]

Coconut oil is one of the few saturated fats in the vegan diet, so bear that in mind when eating it as saturated fats are associated with the various diseases all the fat sweaty omnis die young of eg heart disease.

[Limey]

I have a question for those of you using it as a moisturizer on your face and body: are you buying regular coconut oil from the store or are you getting some that is made especially for the body, containing coconut oil?

I can't imagine ever putting oil on my face. I knew a woman who put olive oil all over her body and face. She looked great, but I feel like it would just bring about lots of breakouts and wouldn't get absorbed into my skin. Never actually tried, though.

[tabitha]

Ive got pure coconut oil Limey and it absorbs quite well into my skin (probably because Im so haggard).

[Limey]

Oh yeah, you're so dreadful looking.

Did you just get it from a grocery/health food store? Hmm, I might have to go search for some today, or this week. I've seen it in the grocery store, but never paid much attention to it.

[insubordination]

I've read that virgin saturated fats aren't bad for you. It's only when they're hydrogenated, they're lethal.

[grrrnola]

i've read that saturated fats aren't what cause heart disease and cholesterol problems. cholesterol is fine--different people ahve different cholesterol levels. the problems associated with heart disease and stroke are when these fats get clogged up in the arteries. when you drink chlorinated water and use chlorinated water, the chlorine causes arteriosclerosis, which damages the veins and arteries, which allows saturated fats to get stuck in them. saturated fats are fine, it's the other things we do to our bodies that cause saturated fat to be a problem.

i think i'm gonna try the coconut oil thing. there are all kinds though... raw, not raw, refined, unrefined, virgin, not virgin... and they all taste/smell/cost differently.. i imagine that unrefined virgin raw coconut oil is best, organic of course, but i'm sure that'll cost a lot. but if it's for your health then it's worth it, right?

[DianeVegan]

Coconut oil is a medium chain saturated fats, different from animal based saturated fats. There are a few theories as to why this is good for us, such as that these types of fat actually lower cholesterol levels and stay liquid at body temperature. I don't know why they're "good" for us but I would still keep them to a minimum unless I were living as the indigenous peoples whom our anecdotes are based upon. People who traditionally used a lot of coconut or palm oil did not also have canola, corn, olive and soy oil at their disposal. Perhaps the combination of all these is not too healthy. There's so much conflicting information, IMO.

As to atherosclerosis being caused by chlorinated water - I would like to know (seriously) where that information comes from. Many theories abound about the cause of atherosclerosis, the most common now being that there is an initial assault to the lining of the vessel and then an inflammatory response that allows lipids (fats) and calcium to attach and form a blockage. But that's really simplifying it. There's a lot more involved and we've only scratched the surface in 2006. I would think that if we all just stick to a whole foods diet very rich in fresh fruits and vegetables then we are doing the best we can since we can't always control our water or air supply (unfortunately).

(P.S. - Arteriosclerosis is a smooth muscle disease which means that your arteries are stiff and hard due to things such as hypertension or connective tissue disorders - not plaques. Atherosclerosis is a hardening of atheromas, ie something that collects on the layer of artery that is exposed to blood. It's confusing, I know.)

[Damon]

I've read that virgin saturated fats aren't bad for you. It's only when they're hydrogenated, they're lethal.

I didn't think that you could hydrogenate a saturated fat??

[Tigerlily]

I think you can? I was reading labels of a sugary cereal and one of the ingredients were hydrogenated coconut oil.

[insubordination]

In Australia, hydrogenated coconut oil is called 'Copha' and is sold like but is much harder than butter . It's used for cooking sweets such as chocolate crackles or coconut ice and other cooking I guess. I think it is called 'copra' in some countries.

[dreamoroses]

I have a question for those of you using it as a moisturizer on your face and body: are you buying regular coconut oil from the store or are you getting some that is made especially for the body, containing coconut oil?

I can't imagine ever putting oil on my face. I knew a woman who put olive oil all over her body and face. She looked great, but I feel like it would just bring about lots of breakouts and wouldn't get absorbed into my skin. Never actually tried, though.

I guess is depends on your skin type. If i use too much oil during hot weather i am more likely to break out, but i've never broken out during cold weather whilst using oil on my face.

[SandraD]

coconut oil on my face would be blackhead city

[Kirska]

Coconut oil! It's very, very similar to sebum, says science, so it's a great moisturizer. Plus, when broken down in the body (digested), it has a load of great, positive health benefits. Gotta love coco-oils.

[grrrnola]

I have a question for those of you using it as a moisturizer on your face and body: are you buying regular coconut oil from the store or are you getting some that is made especially for the body, containing coconut oil?

I can't imagine ever putting oil on my face. I knew a woman who put olive oil all over her body and face. She looked great, but I feel like it would just bring about lots of breakouts and wouldn't get absorbed into my skin. Never actually tried, though.

the same stuff i eat i put on my face/body. if you find coconut oil for the body it is probably because it is refined and not good enough quality to be food grade. i go along with the general "if you're not gonna eat it don't put it on your skin" theory since it's all absorbed into your body anyway.

acne is from the inside out. eat lots of veggies and avoid grain, dairy (which isn't a problem if you're vegan), espcially refined grain, and don't skimp on your omega-3s. i like it!

[twinkle]

I've got "KTC pure coconut oil" in my fridge, it doesn't mention anything about hydrogenation on the ingredients list it just says "100% pure coconut oil". Now what? Do I use it as the Moisturise part of Cleanse-Tone-Moisturise, or apply it then wipe off the excess, like a cleanser...?

[insubordination]

I would use it on the body and hair more than the face. It's a fantastic antiseptic too. Quite amazing.

I don't think acne is from the inside out. I only ever get pimples in humid weather.

[grrrnola]

I've got "KTC pure coconut oil" in my fridge, it doesn't mention anything about hydrogenation on the ingredients list it just says "100% pure coconut oil". Now what? Do I use it as the Moisturise part of Cleanse-Tone-Moisturise, or apply it then wipe off the excess, like a cleanser...?

"pure" means that it is refined. do not eat refined oils if you're looking out for your health (including vegetable oil, canola, soybean, etc.). the only oils i eat and use on my body are extra virgin olive oil and extra virgin coconut oil, both organic. i read that "extra" in "extra virgin" for coconut oil doesn't mean much of a difference. in fact i've tried virgin coconut oil that is better quality than extra virgin, so i don't think it matters when you go off that. for olive oil it does. i use both these on my body and in my food, the olive oil never heated.

coconut oil is nice and light. gives everything a lil coconut taste, which is yummy i think. just don't use too much because then it'll be too strong.

as for your coconut oil, who knows, it might be hydrogenated, might not, but "pure" means refined. it's a lower quality, in fact probably the lowest quality oil that people would sell in its pure form. of course lesser grades go into food production, and are oftentimes hydrogenated.

[grrrnola]

I don't think acne is from the inside out. I only ever get pimples in humid weather.

it definitely is. i've done lots of research on it, and i know the signs of my body. it happens when i eat greasy foods, too much wheat, sugar or salt or drink too much alcohol. when you put bad things in your body, your body manifests itself either in pain or in other symptoms, often resulting in the health of the organs. your skin is the largest organ. if you have toxins your body's gonna try and push them out, and the best way is through the skin. some people are prone to acne, wehther it be an immune system thing or genetic thing, or something else entirely, i'm not sure, but i know that you can definitely help your cause if not get rid of it completely by simply eating an abundance of healthy organic veggies and avoiding grains and dairy and the other things i mentioned to be causes in my case.

i'm speaking from my experience. plus, it couldn't hurt to improve your diet for other reasons. good luck with the fight against acne!

[vegantoypoodle]

hi.

i want to share my poem about coconut oil and veganism.

thank you.

ORGANIC COLD-PRESSED VIRGIN COCONUT OIL

Coconut oil is the only oil that can be heated and remain non-toxic in its unrefined state.

Coconut oil stimulates the thyroid which promotes an appetite

that is socially responsible and not out of control.

In the 1970's people started to say to eat less fats

which caused people to eat more carbohydrates

in the form of bread, cake, soda, and other low-fat foods.

There is no such thing as an obese wild animal.

There is also no such thing in the wild habitats as bread, cake, soda, refined sugar,

muffins, or any kind of baked goods. A diet high in fat and protein and raw vegan foods

will make you feel better, look better, and also reduce pain and suffering in the world.

Eating meat or dairy for one year is equivalent to dumping 500 pounds of toxic shit

into the ocean, choosing to inflict severe pain onto hundreds of animals, both human

and non-human, and voting 20 times for the presidential candidate

you talk shit about for over 200 hours every year.

Since we are alive right now and not killing ourselves

our philosophy of life must be that life is worth living.

I know that all meaning is arbitrary. All goals are arbitrary.

But conscious existence is impossible without meaning and goals

however temporary or inconstant those meanings and goals are.

To think beyond what I just said

will make a person go insane.

Therefore I think like the answer to a math question

that the correct thing for me to do sometimes

is to lecture you about eating meat and dairy.

[sandra]

What an interesting poem vegantoypoodle..........you've raised a lot of good points!

[BlackCats]

I learnt a few things from it, I might look for coconut oil when I go shopping now, you've convinced me.

[insubordination]

Coconut oil has helped me a lot. I'm never sure how much to take but it certainly seems to help with internal and external inflammation.

[aubergine]

I like the poem

[auntierozzi]

I just bought some coconut oil today inspired by your poem.

[Klutz]

I buy coconut oil by the two-gallon tub and haul it back to Korea in my checked luggage.

[Mahk]

Um, er...I feel obliged to point out that coconut oil, (one of the tropical oils) has the highest saturated fat content of any fat that I know of. This is very bad for you and clogs your arteries! I don't mind it in a sun burn ointment, but it's about the last oil I would ever buy for eating. It has more saturated fat than beef fat, chicken fat, or pork lard! This from PCRM:

Animal products also contain saturated fat, which causes the liver to produce more cholesterol. Unsaturated fats do not have this effect. Saturated fats are easy to spot because they are solid at room temperature, whereas unsaturated fats are liquid. Beef, chicken, and most other animal products contain substantial amounts of saturated fat. This is another good reason for avoiding such products.

A few vegetable oils are also high in saturated fats. These are known as tropical oils: palm oil, palm kernel oil, and coconut oil. Hydrogenated oils are also high in saturated fat.

While liquid vegetable oils are much better than animal fats and tropical oils, all fats and oils are natural mixtures of saturated and unsaturated fats. Therefore, none of them will do your coronary arteries any good, and should be kept to a minimum.

The following chart shows the percentages of saturated fat in different kinds of fat:

[Sorry folks, I couldn't cut and paste the chart here, you'll have to click on my link after this quote to see it, just scroll down to about mid page to find it. Coconut is the highest with 87%!]

While the saturated part of oil is what increases your cholesterol level, the unsaturated parts have health problems of their own. These include a tendency to increase free-radical production, impair the immune system, and increase body weight.

Go Vegan
As suggested above, basing one’s diet on plant foods—grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits—is the best way to keep saturated fat intake low and to avoid cholesterol completely. A vegan diet is free of all animal products and yields the lowest risk of heart disease. One study showed that people who adopt a vegetarian diet reduce their saturated fat intake by 26 percent and achieve a significant drop in cholesterol levels in just six weeks.

Link to PCRM. This site, by the way, is a wealth of information about diet/health and is obviously pro-vegan. They are also under constant attack from front groups of the meat/dairy/tobacco industry and you can learn more about that here.

Vegantoypoodle, thanks for the poem though. I also use organic, cold pressed, virgin oil, but mines olive.

[Klutz]

I've read this on many different websites:

The Japanese military occupied the Philippines and other South Pacific islands, where bloody battles were being fought.
The supply of coconut oil was effectively cut off from the United States.
Although coconut oil had been popular both as a cooking oil and ingredient in numerous food products, the occupation continued to interrupt the supply for several long years as the war slowly dragged on.
Enter good old American ingenuity (in this case, not so good for your health).
Manufacturers began to develop alternative sources of cooking oils, and the polyunsaturated oils phase was born. By the time the war was over, there was a lot of money at stake in the promotion of these polyunsaturated vegetable oils.
By the end of the 1950s, public opinion had turned totally against saturated fats like butter (and coconut oil). Saturated fats were blamed for raising cholesterol, and cholesterol was now viewed as the evil enemy, the culprit responsible for the steep rise in heart disease.
Butter, eggs and coconut oil were out.
The new vegetable oils were in ... and erroneously viewed as "heart-healthy."
Coconut oil continued to be demonized by the vegetable oil industry throughout the ensuing decades. Adding insult to injury, the soybean industry began to condemn the use of tropical oils, particularly coconut oil.
And I'm sure you realize the reason why -- competition ... and millions and millions of dollars.
Unfortunately, the tropical oil industry, centered in poorer nations like the Philippines and Indonesia, could not afford to counter the negative propaganda spread by rich American industrial conglomerates.
Science and good health took a back seat to profits, as they have on more than one occasion ...

The truth about coconut oil is obvious to anyone who has studied the health of those who live in traditional tropical cultures, where coconut has been a nutritious diet staple for thousands of years.

Back in the 1930s, Dr. Weston Price, a dentist, traveled throughout the South Pacific, examining traditional diets and their effect on dental and overall health. He found that those eating diets high in coconut products were healthy and trim, despite the high fat concentration in their diet.
Similarly, in 1981, researchers studied populations of two Polynesian atolls. Coconut was the chief source of caloric energy in both groups. The results, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, demonstrated that both populations exhibited positive vascular health. There was no evidence that the high saturated fat intake had a harmful effect in these populations.

More here: http://www.mercola.com/forms/coconut_oil.htm

[veganlinda]

I use solid coconut oil in my cooking. Just add a little towards the end of cooking curries, chillies and rice .... adds that certain something

[Mahk]

Klutz, thought you should know, this Dr. Mercola you link to, who is 100% anti-vegan, is considered by many fellow vegan forum members, including myself, to be both a nut-case, quack, and probably a front man for the meat and dairy industry. We have an entire thread on his lunacy here. Read it to the very end (it's just over one page) especially the comments from forum member "spo". Mercola has received warning letters from the FDA (here) as to some of the false health claims he's made, including specifically about the coconut oil he'd like to sell you.

I would assume all your other sources are also getting their info from him, directly or indirectly, if not, do they state their sources?

I think Dr. Weston Price, a dentist, can be considered in the same league, both his camp and Mercola's often link to each other in an attempt to legitimize their false claims. More on him here.

I read one doctor who called them "the butter and meat diet doctors". Yikes!

[insubordination]

I'm sure most vegans know it has saturated fat. However, it doesn't go rancid at high temperatures and is great for cooking.

I also know that when I first started taking (orally) it a year or two ago, it helped me feel better instantly (pretty much overnight). A SDA nutritionist recommended it as I was feeling weak and lethargic and sleeping my life away. I'd even cut back to working only 4 days per week because of how I felt. I didn't know it then but I had a severe wisdom teeth infection at that time.

It also helped me lose about 15kg (before petering off). I have maintained that loss. I also have thyroid problems and believe it assisted.

Pacific Islanders eat it in abundance and only became fat after the western diet was introduced. Still, if you don't want to eat it, you should try it on your hair and skin and external wounds/chafing. Works wonders as the lauric acid is a natural antiseptic. I have found it wards off sore throats and eliminates mucus.

I have bi-annual blood tests and neither my triglycerides nor my cholesterol increased as a result of coconut oil. However, my C-reactive protein dropped considerably (it's a sign of inflammation).

I recommended CO to friends and family but none have had the results I experienced.

[frank language]

Coconut oil is high in lauric acid and other medium-chain fatty acids.

I'm not as inclined to be as phobic of coconut oil as I once was, because damn, it's good. There are a lot more important things to worry about.

[Mahk]

I personally never take medical advice from anyone trying to sell me their product or promoting their book about the "miracle" product. Also, websites that have various names like "Consumer research freedom of information health center" sets off warning bells and red flags for me as to their legitimacy.

Those healthy Polynesians gobbling up coconut oil could be in good shape for any number of reasons. Fat intake is just one of many factors. This doctor addresses some of those reasons in this Q. and A.

[Klutz]

To get what I posted, I did a search on "coconut oil benefits" and randomly clicked on a link. I've read it in MANY places. Not word for word, but similar.

The thing is....it makes sense to me.

And no, I couldn't have possibly even told you the name of the person who owned the website I linked to. It just had more of the same of what I've read in MANY places from MANY people and happened to be the one that I randomly clicked on. That's all.

But, you can do your own search. Google away~! ^_^

[Maisiepaisie]

I've heard that coconut oil is good for weightloss and makes you feel amazing so I searched and found this article. I'll definately be buying coconut oil

[Korn]

Coconut Oil and Alzheimer’s Disease

[cobweb]

^ that's great, I love Coconut Oil, and I have problems with mental fogginess. Time to buy a big jar methinks!.

[littlemiss]

I wouldn't say this will work for everyone but when I had chronic fatigue I read that CO could help so I started adding it to my diet, after a few months I started to improve. After a while I would run out or just forget to add it, my husband could always tell if I left it off about a week as my energy would drop away and my pain would creep back so I really feel it was this that helped me but I know others it didnt work for, maybe it just had something my body needed at the time.
I've also used it for skin infections combined with tea tree oil and on my hair but now I dont use shampoo so its far too heavy and caused major hair disaster last time I tried ha ha.
I never noticed the difference in my cooking but I hated the smell, also its solid most of the year here so can only really be used as a cooking oil.

[jasonstacey]

Coconut oil is helpful in lots of ways. It can be applied on the dry scalps on the head, it can be used for cooking our daily meal, it can be used for massaging the body etc. Coconut oil is high on nutrition and thus it increases the energy level and metabolism rate of our body. Coconut oil also has a very good shelf life as it doesn't get spoiled for a long period of time.