Six Practical Ways to Use Coconut Oil

_{Coconut oil is incredibly popular — and for good reason. Coconut oil is versatile and can be used to cook, relieve dry skin, and much more.}

Practical ways to use coconut oil - pictured small jar of coconut oil and broken coconut

Six Practical Ways to Use Coconut Oil

Do you have a tub of coconut oil sitting in your pantry taking up space? Not everyone quite understands all the benefits of what is contained in that little jar.

Coconut oil is truly an amazing superfood. Not only does it taste good, but it has a multitude of benefits for the body on the inside and out. You can use it to cook, soothe dry skin, and much more. If you haven’t been using this type of oil, it is time to rethink and pull that little jar back out to the front of the pantry.

Many of these tricks using this kind of healthy oil will help save money from buying unnecessary products. It will also help you to eliminate toxic chemicals from products in your home. Let’s talk about some of the ways that you can use coconut oil in the kitchen, around the house, and even on your body!

coconut oi uses and benefits - pictured small glass jar filled with coconut oil

Cold Sore Treatment and Prevention

Did you know that coconut oil is full of medium-chain triglycerides that have antifungal, anti-viral, and antibiotic properties? This makes it perfect for treating and preventing cold sores. Just put a dab of oil on a q-tip or cotton ball and apply it to the area as soon as you feel a cold sore starting to form.

Adding this healthy oil to your diet can also help to keep you from developing cold sores in the future.

Recommended Product – Viva Naturals Organic Coconut Oil

Makeup Remover

Coconut oil is very soothing to your skin and also helps to moisturize and soften it, which makes it a great choice as a makeup remover. Most over-the-counter products are oil-based.

Now there is no need to buy expensive makeup removers at the store. Instead, you can do the same thing by using a small amount of coconut oil. Simply warm a quarter teaspoon on your hands until it becomes liquid.

Apply to your face, using a cotton ball to remove makeup. Then wash off using your favorite facial cleanser. Repeat as necessary until all of your makeup has been removed. Removing all oil from your face is important as it clogs pores.

Recommended Product – Nutiva, Organic Coconut Oil

coconut oi for cooking - melted coconut oil in sauté pain

Cooking with Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is very versatile for cooking and good for you. When this oil is at room temperature, it is in a solid form, making it handy for baking. You can also use it to grease pans before cooking in them.

This type of oil has a high smoke point, making it perfect for frying and stir-frying. Try making stovetop popcorn with coconut, it has a great flavor and healthy fat! Here is a great Coconut Oil Popcorn recipe.

Recommended Product – Spectrum Culinary, Organic Coconut Oil, Refined

DIY Insect Repellent

You can use coconut oil to make a natural DIY insect repellent to keep those pesky mosquitoes away during the summer. Most insect repellents are made with DEET! while effective, are toxic to your body and the environment. You can make your own.

Mix a tablespoon of liquid oil (warm up from solid form) with a couple of drops of peppermint, citronella, eucalyptus, rosemary, and tea tree essential oils and rub them into exposed areas of skin. It is super safe and very effective.

Recommended Product – California Gold Nutrition- Cold Pressed Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

Shoe Shine

Do you have a pair of leather shoes that have seen better days? No need for a shoeshine kit, just whip out this type of oil and a rag. Place a small amount of healthy oil on the shoes and use your rag to shine them up and clean them. All the oil penetrates just a few minutes before buffing off.

You’ll have those shoes looking brand new in no time.

Recommended Product – NOW Foods, Real Food, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

Relieve Skin Irritation and Eczema

Coconut oil makes a wonderful moisturizer for your legs, arms, and elbows. Research even shows that this natural oil can improve dermatitis and other skin disorders. This type of oil contains triglycerides (fatty acids). Which makes for an excellent moisturizer.

This is because when coconut oil is cold pressed, meaning the oil is removed without the use of heat, the process is thought to retain more of the oil’s nutrients compared to other processing methods. As mentioned before, its properties are antifungal, anti-viral, and antibiotic properties.

Recommended Product – Nature’s Way, Organic Coconut Oil, Extra Virgin

Lastly…

Don’t you just love it when you can find multiple uses for something that you already have around the house? These are not the only ways that you can use this type of oil either. There are lots of ways to use it around your home, on your body, and in your kitchen.