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You may have heard of coconut oil, but have you used it before? Coconut oil offers an impressive list of health benefits when added to your diet that after reading this article you’ll want to buy it by the truckload. The best part is it tastes delicious. So let’s find out how you can use it. What is Coconut Oil?The health benefits of coconut oil Coconut oil is an oil that has been derived from the meat or kernel of mature coconuts. It’s appearing everywhere these days but it’s nothing new – natives in tropical countries have been using it for centuries. It’s actually a superfood because it offers your body so many amazing benefits. It kills bacteria and viruses, it’s a source of high quality fats, it has a low GI and can be used for cooking as it can withstand higher heat temperatures than olive oil. You can even use it for other uses such as a natural moisturiser, maintain healthy hair and more. Incredible right? Some even say it’s a cure-all and although I don’t know whether this is true, there are still plenty of other reasons why you should consider including it in your diet. The Benefits of Coconut Oil A key component in coconut oil is lauric acid – almost 50 per cent. Once in the body, it’s converted into called monolaurin which is highly toxic to bacteria, viruses and other micro-organisms. Here are some of the other top benefits that coconut oil yields: Skin care - Coconut oil effectively moisturises your skin while protecting it. It targets free radicals and also protects against the sun (protecting against 20% of the UV rays). It contains vitamin E which is great for burns and abrasions. Antioxidants in coconut oil also provide anti-aging properties. Weight loss - Coconut oil can speed up your metabolism. It’s rich in medium-chain fatty acids which are easily digested then converted into energy instead of storing as fat. It boosts your thyroid function and in turn boosts your metabolism. Heart health - Coconut oil helps maintain a healthy heart by lowering your cholesterol levels. Remedy for pneumonia - Provides faster and more complete relief from pneumonia complications. It is a great alternative to traditional antibiotics as it has no side effects. Oral health - Using a technique called oil pulling, coconut oil helps draw out toxins in your mouth and helps maintain healthy gums and teeth. Coconut oil is also known to protect against cancer, improve acid reflux, reduce inflammation in your joints, strengthen your liver and so much more. All of these benefits give coconut oil it’s superfood heavy weight title. How Can I Use Coconut Oil? There are so many ways to incorporate coconut oil into your diet. Here are some tips on how to include it in your life. Oil pulling - Swishing coconut oil around your mouth for 15 mins will ‘pull’ out bacteria, viruses and has a detoxifying effect. Deodorant - Normal deodorants and antiperspirants are full of toxins. These toxins are absorbed into your blood stream and damage your organs. Coconut oil is a great natural alternative – it’s effective, smells great, non greasy and most importantly you can eat it. Don’t put anything on your skin you wouldn’t be able to eat! Baked Goods - Coconut oil is a great vegetable oil substitute or alternative to dairy. It adds beautiful flavour and sweetness to food. Stir-Frying - Coconut oil is great for sautéing due to it’s high smoke point. You can use it for meat or vegetables and will give off a lovely coconut flavour. It’s perfect for vegans too. Fresh - You can add coconut oil to your tea or smoothie or just eat it straight from the jar. Sauces - You can use coconut oil to make any sauce including gravy. Coconut oil is great in curries as well. Moisturiser - Moisturisers are full of chemicals that seep into your body and add to your toxic load. Coconut oil is the perfect natural moisturiser for your skin and hair. Always buy organic or virgin and avoid hydrogenated coconut oil. With so many benefits and uses it’s hard not to incorporate coconut oil into your daily regime. Start by using it in small amounts where you can and eventually you’ll find a way to use it for everything! For more natural health tips visit our blog at: http://www.alkalife.com.au/blog
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