This is a comprehensive guide to the benefits of coconut oil and it’s where we tell you why it is so good for you. We tell you the best places to buy it from, what the best type is and also cover its use for hair, skin and weight loss.

As you are researching the health benefits of coconut oil, you may well find our pages about fish oil benefits useful as well. Also, please check our other pages on vitamins and minerals in food.

What is Coconut Oil?

Before we discuss the benefits, we need to be clear about what coconut oil actually is.

Coconut oil is not another name or term for coconut milk, which is the liquid that comes out from a coconut when you crack it open. It is in fact the edible oil that is extracted from the meat or kernel of matured coconuts.

So, you’ve heard lots of good things about the benefits of coconut oil, so much so that you have gone out of your way to do research online and that has led you here. What you really want to know is, is it good for you? Well it’s true to say that there are many positive things that coconut oil can do for you and your body.

Coconut oil is a natural substance that derives from a fruit, it has properties that can help your diet, your health, your hair, your skin and as already mentioned, it is natural, so there are a ton of reasons why it’s good for you.

These are all covered in the sections further on down the page.

As with anything that’s good for you though, it is always best in moderation. The American Heart Association recommends limiting eating large amounts due to the amount of saturated fat that it contains.

One thing to bear in mind is that there is nothing better than a product in it’s most natural form, and this is very true of coconut oil.

We now come to the main section of our page where we will list coconut oil benefits so that you can see the many positive effects that it can have on your body both internally and externally. We have gone into further detail on the benefits of coconut oil that relate to the hair and skin further down the page so please read on to make the most of the information that we have on offer.

• Coconut oil for skin – There are several health benefits of coconut oil that relate to the skin, these include it’s high vitamin E content which helps to repair and protect dry and damaged skin. See out section below all about the effects of coconut oil on the skin.
• Medicine – Another very common use of coconut oil is its use in various medicines to treat viruses and other illnesses.
• Nutritional benefits – Coconut oil even contains various nutrients that the body needs a regular dose of,  such as vitamin E, vitamin K and Iron. For more information on these essential nutrients check out the dedicated pages.
• Helps our body to absorb vitamins and minerals – Coconut oil aids the body in it’s ability to absorb certain minerals, a prime example of this is that it helps to absorb calcium and magnesium which are needed to keep our bones strong. There are several coconut uses in this respect as vitamins and minerals are literally responsible for our body carrying out everything that it does.

Where to buy coconut oil?

So now that you have learned about the health benefits of coconut oil and its many positive uses, you want to know where to buy it? Well, there are two obvious answers to this question, the first is online and the second is from your local store. The chances are that it is always going to be cheaper to buy online as internet prices, especially bulk prices, are cheaper than than those found on the high street.

However, it is worth checking both out before you part with your money in order to get the best deal. Buying online is quick and easy and it will be delivered to your door in a matter of days. Brands to look out for when you looking should include Nutiva and Barleans.

What is the best coconut oil?

Probably the most obvious question when it comes to the benefits of coconut oil, what is the best? Many people will tell you that virgin coconut oil is the best, in its finest form when it is pure, unrefined, raw, unadulterated and extracted from organic mature coconuts. All of these factors will promote a very healthy coconut oil, and these will always be promoted on the packaging or the information accompanying the product.

It is rumoured that coconut oil can have a positive effect on weight loss, but how true this is remains uncertain. It has saturated fat in and it is also what is known as a ‘medium-chain triglyceride’, where as other oils that are commonly used in the diet such as vegetable oil are ‘long-chain triglycerides’. The shorter the chain the more the fat will aid in boosting your metabolism.

Coconut oil is also believed to aid in the decrease of appetite during and after a meal, but whether this is the case for everyone is purely speculation.

So other than it being good for your metabolism and increasing thermogenesis (the rate at which you burn calories), there is no real evidence to say that eating coconut oil regularly is going to help you lose weight, and it certainly is not a get thin fast method. However, any way to boost your metabolism is a good way to help contribute towards a healthy body and if combined in a healthy diet and with sufficient exercise, weight loss is probable.

In this next section we are going to provide you with information on the health benefits of coconut oil for the hair.

Many people already know of the health benefits of coconut oil for the hair as it is widely believed to cleanse and nourish the hair and scalp. One of the main reasons for this is that coconut oil is natural and it has a unique chemical structure that can help fight against the loss of protein from the hair. This helps to keep the hair healthy from the follicle to the tip and in doing this can help prevent loss of hair and damaged hair. Without protein in hair it will become damaged and start to fall out and this can be difficult to reverse.

Some hair products may promote themselves as having coconut oil as an ingredient, but it is always wise to check how much because if it is barely anything then the effect will be somewhat diluted. This is why many people apply it directly on their hair and scalp in its purest form. The medium-chain triglycerides content means that they get to the root of the hair quickly, where they set to work. Also due to its natural structure the coconut oil will stick to the hair better and this will prevent it from just running or washing straight off.

The condition of hair is commonly said to improve following the use of coconut oil, making it more shiny and feel a lot softer. The Lauric acid it contains also helps prevent and keep dandruff away, so if you suffer with that, it’s definitely worth trying out coconut oil for the hair.

There are many things that are believed to be healthy for the skin, prime examples of these are vitamin E and also fish oil. However, coconut oil is also commonly used as an application to the skin to help moisturise and help treat dry and damaged skin. People that have eczema and psoriasis often use coconut oil on the skin as it can be easily absorbed, and unlike many lotions and creams it is not made up of primarily water.

As an oil, it will soften the skin, protects against damage and promotes healing. Many people believe that virgin coconut oil is the best product to use on their skin.

Although it will provide you with temporary relief to your skin problems, it can also help with long term healing and repair of skin cells. It is also said that it can help to reduce bruising, cellulite and stretch marks due to it’s positive effect on damaged tissue.

Indeed, you will find many people who swear that here is a wonderful and natural way to care for your hair and skin, to make it soft, radiant and healthy. There are no added chemicals in it, unlike the moisturisers and creams you buy off the shelf.