Firstly… I would like to apologise for not being as regular with my posts! It’s assessment term at college and everything’s gone a little bit crazy!
But today I’d like to tell you about a product that I simply love!
Coconut Oil!
There are so many people jumping on the coconut oil bandwagon everyday as it really is a fabulous product with literally hundreds of uses!
The first and most obvious use for coconut oil is obviously cooking. About a month ago I decided to swap my olive oil for coconut oil and I don’t ever want to go back! My coconut oil has lasted so long as you literally need the tiniest little bit in your frying pan! Unlike other cooking oils, coconut oil does not affect your cholesterol in the slightest! It also has a low GI (Glycemic Index) which means it will leave you feeling fuller for longer as it causes a steady rise of glucose in your system rather than an insulin surge making you crave fatty/sweet foods!
Coconut Oil is also gluten and dairy free which is great news for anyone who suffers from an intolerance or an allergy to these products!
A lot of people have asked me if the oil affects the flavour of your food. I would have to say it honestly depends on what you’re cooking and how much oil you are using. For example, when I am frying chicken I can’t taste the oil at all, whereas if i’m cooking spinach there is a very slight sweetness to it! So it really is down to the contributing factors…
Coconut Oil also has a lot of other uses. I personally use it to –
- Moisturise my skin. Take a tiny bit of oil and let it melt in your hand then apply over your face. This is a great way to get a lot of moisture into your skin quickly. However I would definitely recommend this as a night time treatment as it makes you pretty shiny!
- Lip Balm. I suffer terribly from getting chapped lips in the winter and always have done since childhood. Apply a tiny bit of coconut oil to your lips and it will keep them hydrated all day! Another good tip is to find and empty lip balm container and fill it with coconut oil, this way you can always have some on you!
- Hair Treatment. Winter ruins hair. It’s a fact. However if you melt down the oil in your palm and run it through the ends of your hair it creates an intense moisturising hair mask. It is best to try this out over night and then wash your hair in the morning as this way the oil has a number of hours to soak into the damaged hair fibres.
These are just a few of many uses for this amazing oil! It can also be used as an all over body moisturiser or you can mix it with brown sugar to create a natural body scrub! As it has such a great moisturising effect on skin it can also be used to help lessen the appearance of stretch marks and scarring! It is also helps to prevent and get rid of cellulite!
I am currently using Organic Coconut Oil from Grape Tree.
Grape Tree Organic Cold Pressed Virgin Coconut Oil 500ml £6.95 or 2 for £10
Happy coconut cooking!
Martha x
Martha Taylor 