The FastDay Forum

I wouldn't worry about the extra calories because it is a metabolic stimulant. I lost weight when I swapped all oils to coconut oil. I only use it in cooking but also give it to my baby when avocados are out of season for good oils and helps her stay healthy during winter. I also use it on her skin during summer under sun screen as she is very pale and we have never had a sunburn. The below article is the one that got me thinking, hope it helps. If anything coconut oil helps you lose weight faster. Oh, it's great as a safe baby laxative too,

http://www.coconutmagic.com/_blog/Artic ... conut_Oil/

I keep a tub of it on my bathroom vanity. I use a tiny dab as a finishing oil on my naturally curly hair ... it gives me a little shine as well as a touch of moisture which my hair drinks in. It make a wonderful lip balm and....ladies....it makes a fabulous primer under your foundation. I also use it in the winter on my shins, which for whatever reason is the only place on my body where I get the winter dry skin itchies. I've used it to soften my cuticles, smooth rough heels ... the cosmetic uses are endless!

When my husband came home from a two week stint in the hospital after surgery, he had remnants of tacky stuff all over him from the hospital tape. It took it off quick and easy...and painlessly. He also used it on his scars to soften them and I used it to massage out his neck muscles - he was forced to sleep upright for almost 3 months.

Oh yeah.....and you can cook with it too!

I cook with it, and I use it topically for dry skin. It cleared up my dermatitis after a few applications.

I don't like eating it by the spoonful, after I experimented with putting a teaspoon of it in a vegetable smoothie and it had a laxative effect.

My coconut oil is almost gone - no ooo! I love the stuff and need to get some more, preferably virgin, organic. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good source, preferably online, but without costing the earth? Thank you

I buy from Coconoil.
I believe they do deliver free in the UK...

Doesn't everything taste/smell of coconut if you cook with it? Also, why would you put oil in coffee? Is it like milk or like clear oil? Curious because I have no knowledge of it but might try it.

Mrs H-R I was just wondering the same. Would love to try it but never even heard of it before.

Can I ask people who use it - where do you store it for cooking purposes? I've got mine in the fridge just now, but does it have to be in the fridge?

No. Ours sits on the windowsill in the kitchen. In summer it sometimes melts but it doesn't need to be in the fridge where I guess it gets a bit hard.

I keep mine on the bench top near the stove. I use it as a temp gauge. If its solid, it's too cold, if its liquid, it's lovely and warm

It's also great for fungal infections - athletes foot, etc. also good for cleaning out dog's ears if they're prone to fungal infections (doesn't help with bacterial infections).

You can get odourless coconut oil too, think its more refined, but coconut oil is one of the ones that it really doesn't matter, you don't need the virgin cold pressed.

I think "virgin cold pressed" is BS with coconut oil, it's a term relevant to olive oil but is just hype for coconut oil to massage up the price.

"Organic" suggests growth without synthetic pesticides, fertilisers etc. That doesn't change the chemical composition of the coconut oil so you're paying a price premium with organic that is only justified if you think the Sri Lankans or whoever would otherwsie be flooding the crop with expensive agrochemicals.

"Refined" is a fairly undefined term, some of the small scale production takes a while to get to the processing plant so it is steam stripped to remove off-odours and volatiles which means it doesn't smell very much of coconut but again is chemically pretty well the same thing composition wise. There's a UN definition of "coconut oil" chemical composition that controls what can be given this name but the word "refined" isn't defined.

Individual brands may give you more info about the growing, harvesting and processing methods - one example.

I like the coconutiness too, the Holland & Barrett product is nice but the price is only sane if (like now) it's in a sale - two for £15 or £7.50 for 454g.

Tiana is a similar quality, also in H&B but a bit cheaper at Ocado though £15 for 500 ml is still a bit rich.

Biona at £11 for 400g from Amazon is another similar one, I got two for £13 from vitshop.co.uk


Currently I'm using Coconut Miracle from vit-shop which again is a premium quality but £7.12 for 454g.

At the cheap and more processed end (no coconut smell but same melting point so chemically same composition) is the KTC product at £3.25 for 500 ml. Fine for cooking esp if you don't like the smell of coconut.

Sorry, but I had to add to this thread in a frivolous way..... When I was a youngster we lived in the West Indies (my dad was a civil engineer and involved on various projects out there) - we used coconut oil as sun cream!!! OMG - no-one knew then the damage the sun could do. My mum and older sister had wonderful tans - me being a youngster I was too busy in and out of the seas to sit and sun bathe. The smell of coconut oil is the most marvellous smell - takes me straight back to growing up. Any shower gel/shampoo with coconut in it is always top of my shopping list. Your thread does ask for benefits - using coconut oil as sun cream is NOT recommended

Hi Suchard,
Guess what? There is a lot of new thinking that sunscreens are bad and lots of people into paleo diets, raw food etc. are touting coconut oil as a skin protectant (even from the sun). I'm hedging my bets and sticking to a big hat, the shade (and a long cool pimm's no. 5!) Fat lot of chance here, but maybe in August when I go to Sardinia

One of the consequences of sunscreen and general sun phobia appears to be widespread Vitamin D insufficiency.