I'm sure you're thinking coconut oil is a fat and you should stay away from it, but in fact it's very healthy for you! It's been used throughout Asia for thousands of years and is just recently gaining popularity in America. Research has found that in tropical climates the people who regularly cook with coconut oil have lesser instances of heart disease. Here are some of the wonderful things it does.

• Assists your body in how it handles your blood sugar control and improve its insulin use
• Assists your body to digest fat-soluble vitamins
• Fights off yeast problems in your body and helps you to create a resistance against colds 
• Helps to lower your cholesterol levels
• Applied to your skin it makes it soft, hydrated and helps with wrinkles
• When applied directly to your hair either as a leave in conditioner or a deep conditioner in the shower, it moisturizes your hair
• Use it to remove waterproof mascara and eye makeup, it won't irritate your eyes (yes I've tried this!)
• Use it to moisturize your skin, especially if you have KP or "chicken skin", eczema or use it to moisturize your heels
• Stop breaking nails
• Helps your thyroid by increasing your metabolism and energy levels
• For a normal, healthy average sized dog, you can give them a tablespoon daily as a treat, they get all the health benefits from it as well. But it's especially good if they suffer from allergies or skin issues
• Use as a diaper rash cream
• Condition a wooden cutting board

There was a cow experiment in the 1940s where farmers wanted to fatten their cattle and came up with the idea to feed them coconut oil. Well instead of gaining weight the cattle lost weight!

The people of the Yucatan consume a large amount of coconut oil and its been found that they have a faster metabolic rate! There are numerous studies that support this finding. It assists your thyroid in doing its job. If you add virgin coconut oil to your diet, it will help your body burn fat better.

I cook with coconut oil, I find it has a higher cooking point so foods cook faster than with olive oil. I add 1/8 ts of oil or 1/2 ts coconut milk to my shakeology to make it taste more tropical! You can use it in place of oil when baking. You can spread it on toast instead of butter. Just one teaspoon will give you an energy boost! Now different brands vary in flavor, I prefer Spectrum Virgin coconut oil.

The last time I went to India I remember all the hotels having a small container of coconut oil in the bathroom next to the shampoo, they use it regularly in their hair. I use it as a deep conditioner on my hair.

As you can see coconut oil has a multitude of uses and is simply amazing so think of it as a good fat that helps you burn energy! If you're a coffee drinker you can put a little bit in your cup every morning. I put it in my shakeology.

If you want to read more about coconuts, I wrote a post about the benefits of coconut water here.