Beauty Ingredient 101: Coconut Oil

“…the phenomenal moisturizing properties of organic, cold-pressed coconut oil on the skin cannot be matched by any chemical moisturizer.” – David Wolfe

Coconut oil is an amazing beauty food that should absolutely be a staple of your pantry. At some point coconut oil was given a bad rap, likely because it’s a saturated fat (you’ll find that it’s a solid until about 75 degrees F).

But the fact is that it contains medium-chain fatty acids (unlike saturated fats from dairy and animal products) that the body metabolizes quickly- and it doesn’t develop trans-fats when heated like most other cooking oils. Not what you thought, right? In addition to that, coconut oil balances blood sugar levels and may help lower cholesterol and restore thyroid function. All this from a saturated fat?!

According to David Wolfe’s book, Superfoods, coconut oil appears to double the body’s ability to use omega-3 fatty acids. And it has strong antioxidant properties on its own.

Of course the skin-softening, healing and hydrating properties of coconut oil double its value. Massage coconut oil directly into skin or hair (as a deep-conditioning treatment or a smoother of split ends). You can purchase organic, cold-pressed coconut oil at the grocery store, or buy a version specifically for beauty, like these from Adara.