Lisa's Tips For Using Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is full of many nutrients and wonderful health benefits.  It’s a rich source of lauric acid, the medium-chain fatty acid (the good fat people!).  It can boost your immune system, improve your skin, and help you body burn fat.

When buying coconut oil be sure it’s raw (unrefined), virgin and organic. There are many culinary and beauty uses for coconut oil, so keep two separate jars......I keep one in my bathroom for skin care and one in the kitchen for cooking.

If you haven’t already started using coconut oil, there are many ways that you can get this nutrient packed powerhouse into your diet and beauty routine.

1. Cooking: Coconut oil is a stable oil that doesn’t break down easily at high temperatures like other oils do. It doesn’t go rancid easily and has amazing nutritional properties.
2. Skin Lotion: Coconut oil is absolutely my favorite body lotion.  It makes skin incredibly silky, healthy and radiant.  Leave a jar in the shower and put it on right before you towel off.  If you want to get really creative, add a couple drops of your favorite essential oil for scent.
3. Add to your Smoothies: It’s sweet and nutty taste makes coconut oil a great addition to smoothies. It creates a wonderfully creamy texture and makes smoothies rich and smooth.  It also adds a bounty of nutrients and a big dose of healthy fats.
4. Bake With It:  These Chocolate Quinoa Krispy Treats are a favorite at my house, and I feel good knowing my family is getting immune and brain boosting lauric acid!
5. Eye Make Up Remover: This trick changed my life!  Coconut oil is an excellent eye-make up remover that has been reported to help remove wrinkles and restore elasticity to the skin.
6. Hair Conditioner: It also helps strengthen hair and add shine.
7. For Shaving: It moisturizes legs and leaves the skin silky soft!
8. In Coffee or Tea: As strange as this might sounds, melting a teaspoon of coconut oil in a hot beverage is an easy way to get extra coconut in for the health benefits. I usually add a little to some green tea or coffee in the morning.  It is surprisingly good!