Moms Aware Logo

Connect With Us

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Watch momsAWARE on YouTube

Share Us With Others

momsAWARE Badge

This content may include affiliate links. Purchases through these links earn us a referral fee at no extra cost to you.

Twenty-Five Uses for Coconut Oil

Coconut Trees In the Philippines, the coconut tree is known as the "Tree of Life" because of its many uses. Its roots, trunks, and husks are used for construction materials, paper pulp, brushes, and much more. Coconut oil is derived from the copra, which is the dried coconut meat.

Virgin coconut oil contains abundant medium-chain fatty acids, which are more easily digested than long-chain fatty acids. Coconut oil also contains lauric acid, which is found in breast milk and has proven antifungal and antimicrobial properties.

Coconut oil contains saturated fat, which is the most stable of all fats, and as a result coconut oil does not go rancid when heated and does not form dangerous free radicals that can cause a multitude of ills.

Coconut oil, therefore, is wonderful to cook with and to eat. But that's not all! Here are 25 ways to incorporate coconut oil into your daily life.

  1. Hair conditioner. Apply to dry hair and leave in until the next wash. Coconut oil helps reduce protein loss in hair. See this article for more.
  2. Hair gel. Rub a small amount of coconut oil on hands and apply as a styling agent.
  3. Deodorant. Place under arms to help with body odor.
  4. Shaving cream. Apply before shaving.
  5. Oil pulling. An effective method of detoxification that involves swishing and rinsing coconut oil (or another oil) in your mouth. See this article for details.
  6. Bath oil. Add several tablespoons to bath water for added moisturizing.
  7. Rashes. Coconut oil can have a soothing and healing effect on skin eruptions and rashes. It makes a great moisturizer in general for the skin!
  8. Makeup remover. Use coconut oil to remove mascara, blush, eye liner, eye shadow, and lipstick!
  9. Burns. In 2008, the Indian Journal of Pharmacology concluded that coconut oil "is an effective burn wound healing agent." See this article for more.
  10. Healthy "candy." Combine 1 c. coconut oil, 1/8 c. cacao powder, 1 tsp. vanilla, and several drops English Toffee liquid stevia. Combine and heat until blended/melted. Pour into candy mold or mini muffin tins. Freeze. For more dessert ideas, visit the Tropical Traditions website.
  11. Cutting board conditioner. Wipe on clean cutting board weekly.
  12. Bug bites. Apply on affected area. Reduces skin irritation, swelling, and itching.
  13. Eye cream. Use by itself or combine with cocoa butter (2 tablespoons grated cocoa butter heated gently with 3 tablespoons coconut oil).
  14. Goo Gone. Mix equal parts coconut oil and baking soda for a non-toxic version.
  15. Yeast infections. Can be used internally to alleviate symptoms. See this article for more.
  16. Leather moisturizer. After cleaning the leather with a damp, clean cloth, wipe with coconut oil to condition and soften the leather.
  17. Massage oil/carrier oil. Fractionated coconut oil is ideal. A fraction of the whole oil is used, creating a stable, colorless, odorless oil that is light and easily penetrable. Fractionated coconut oil is available from a variety of sources, including Amazon.
  18. Diaper rash. Coconut oil is soothing for baby, not only for diaper rash but also for cradle cap. When a diaper rash is specifically caused by Candida yeast, studies have shown that coconut oil causes the Candida yeast cell's nucleus to explode!
  19. Cuticle/nail massage. Gently massage several drops into cuticle area.
  20. Nosebleeds. If prone to nosebleeds, coat the inside of your nostrils regularly to prevent future nosebleeds.
  21. Pet boost. Add a spoonful to your dog's or cat's food as an immune booster.
  22. Lip balm. Keep coconut oil handy in a small container to soothe lips.
  23. Insect repellent. Combine coconut oil with neem oil for an effective and moisturizing repellent.
  24. Toothpaste. Combine equal parts coconut oil and baking soda in a small jar. Add peppermint essential oil and use daily to brush teeth.
  25. Vapor rub. Add peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils to several tablespoons of coconut oil for a Vick's alternative.

Quotes

"The entire time we lived in our (mold-infested) house the kitchen sponge would get musty smelling within 3-4 days. It was so strange. I had to buy a pack of sponges nearly every week."

– Anonymous

"Both of my sons went downhill quickly and coughed for months... They both lost their ability to read, had profound vision disturbances, and had phenomenal gastric issues."

– Lee

"I started finding myself sitting on the floor in rooms of my house and not remembering how I got there, what I was doing before, or how long I had been there."

– Brenda

"I've been living in a mold-infested home for 13 months... I was going CRAZY! Finally figured it out... Just a few days of recovering in a mold-free home and I feel AMAZING!!!"

– Lauren

"...at age 35 or 36 I started to become allergic to everything, and I got asthma at age 36... I went to doctor after doctor after doctor and was desperate for help, but nobody could help me."

– Mia

"I'm new at this, but today I cleaned my bathroom with baking soda and vinegar. It's much better not having those strong chemical smells afterwards."

– Anonymous

"In my moldy home if I left the wet clothes in the washer they would get musty very quickly and I'd have to re-wash... Sometimes I'd run a load, go to work, and they'd be musty when I returned that evening."

– Anonymous

"I knew it was mold, but doctors kept telling me I had anxiety. I was sitting in my office and could not remember who I was talking to, or what we were talking about."

– Brenda

"We were having a lot of health problems and had been to the doctor countless times... we had large circles of slimy greenish-black mold on the bathroom ceiling, where it had caved in a few months before."

– C.

"We had some water leaks in our home... we never thought we needed to clean out and remove the floor, the ceiling, or the drywall... my two small children and I have remained constantly sick for years in this home."

– Mia

"My daughter has had many blood samples taken to test for everything imaginable and her doctor just seems puzzled. Everything comes back normal."

– Anonymous

"Our family has been out of our home for 9 months due to mold... I am so scared and weak from all of this. We have lost friends; family members don't understand."

– Anonymous

"My daughter started having digestive problems... heart palpitations... coughing episodes... muscle/joint pain... asthma/allergies... Her doctor finally advised me to check for mold in our home."

– Anonymous

"My symptoms persisted and eventually turned into lethargy and depression. At the age of 26, I required a nap every evening after work."

– Jennifer

"I have been sick for almost 6 months now and doctors were not able to figure out why. I finally put it all together after going away for vacation for a week and suddenly my symptoms were going away."

– Anonymous

"I was skeptical at first that these (natural cleaning) products would work, but they work better than the stuff I buy at the store! We will soon be moving to the personal care products as well!"

– Jennifer

"I had been struggling with headaches, head fog, breathing difficulties (unable to get a full breath), constant scalp tingling, migraines, nausea, feeling spacey/detached, and severe itchy skin."

– Anonymous

"The ERMI mold test as well as your helpful articles and Toxic Talk Tuesday programs have helped us avoid a terrible mistake in purchasing a new home."

– Angela

"We all suffered from headaches, hormonal body temperature fluctuations, brain fog, fatigue, difficulty breathing, thrush, rashes, and yeast infections... we vacated our home two weeks ago."

– Anonymous

This site is dedicated to a true friend and mother — Barbara Dell Kessel (1929-2009)