1. Use it as milk in your morning coffee

Instead of dairy AND non-dairy milk (which is usually filled with chemicals unless you make it yourself), use 1 two 2 tbsp coconut oil in your morning coffee. Put it in a blender and it will look and taste creamy! Secret revealed! I also add coconut water to my coffee to make it more hydrating and sweeter!

2. Put it in your hair after the shower

If you go to the store and research the most expensive hair salon quality product, most of them will highlight that they include ‘coconut oil’. Coconut oil is a top ingredient in salon quality products, as it is extremely nourishing and beneficial for hair growth and shine, among other benefits. Ususally the coconut oil indicated in these products is minimal, or even only an essence or extract of the real thing. Use coconut oil in your hair and bypass the other chemical ingredients that will strip your hair of its maximum healthy state. You’ll also bypass spending way more than you need on hair products. Take it form me. I used to be a hairdresser. Use coconut oil. It smells good too, which is totes important.

3. Cook with it

Coconut oil is a medium chain saturated fat and can stand high heat temperatures. Forget what you’ve heard about extra virgin olive oil being the healthiest cooking oil. It’s not. Coconut oil is the new olive oil. Grapeseed oil is safe to cook with also. Oils change their molecular structure during high heat which can shift their implication in your body and make them harmful to your health. Coconut wins the game.

4. Use it as body lotion

One of my favorite (and accurate) phrases: ‘what goes on you goes in you’. Skip the chemical and paraben filled lotion, and nourish your skin with coconut oil. You can add essential oils if you want to create a different scent. I literally slather coconut oil on my entire body after the shower, including my hair (refer to number 2)

5. Use it as sunscreen

People have been known to fall out of their sun chairs when I tell them that coconut oil is a natural sun screen. Regular sunscreens have been linked to causing cancer. Yes, it’s a difficult truth to grasp. The sun can have harmful effects too when in excess. Anything in excess is probably not the best idea. However, that being said, God (or whoever) didn’t create sunscreen. It’s not natural. But He/She DID create coconut oil. The reason I know this (despite subsequent research validating my theory) is because I used to think the opposite. I was a tan-a-holic, so naturally, I put coconut oil on before I’d go lay out, and to my dismay, I wasn’t getting any darker. Then I realized I was blocking the harmful rays. Yay! Kind of. It’s all about balance. :-)

6. Slather it on a rice cake

If you haven’t noticed, I’m all about slathering things on rice cakes. If you eat bread, you can try it on a piece of bread too. Coconut oil is the most effective replacement for butter (fine, it ties with avocado). You can choose to make your treat either sweet or savory. For a savory snack, add sea salt. For a sweet snack, add cinnamon. You can try this with popcorn as well.

7. Add it to your smoothie

Adding coconut oil to your smoothie will enhance its nutritional quality, give you more energy and optimize your brain function. Your brain is made of fat. You need to give it this fuel to be able to function at its maximum capacity. Coconut oil will create a satiating, thicker smoothie, and add a bit of extra flavor. Adding fats to smoothies (I am referring to GREEN smoothies) allows easier absorption of phytonutrients from greens like spinach and kale. Eating healthy is not enough. Absorption is the key to health!

Shayna Hiller

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