Ah Coconut, my favourite word! I love everything coconut, the taste, the smell, the texture and most importantly the wide range of benefits! That’s right, Coconut has so many benefits, both internally and externally.
The high-fat fruit is derived from the coconut tree (Cocos nucifera). It’s used for its water, milk, oil and delicious meat.
Coconuts are highly nutritious and can provide you with carbs and protein and many essential minerals. They are low in carbs and high in healthy fats and fiber, so they may help stabilize your blood sugar.
Coconuts are very versatile in the kitchen and work well in both sweet and savoury foods. However, they are high in calories, so if you’re watching your weight, keep your portions small.
So that’s the internal benefits, but what about the external, other than making you smell amazing?
Nails – Coconut oil acts as a great cuticle oil. If you’re a client of mine, you will know the importance of cuticle oil, as I preach it every day. Cuticle oil is not just to promote cuticle health, it also promotes nail health because the cuticles function is to protect new nails from bacteria as they grow.
So many people have brittle nails, and this, on many occasions is down to a poor nail care routine. The nails are used every day for nearly everything you do, so they need some TLC. Brittle nails lead to broken nails, so give them some daily nourishment!
By incorporating coconut oil into your nail routine this will hydrate and strengthen your cuticles, and assist with nail growth.
I’ve also read that coconut oil can act as a natural remedy for ridding your nails from any sort of fungus, I've not seen proof of this, but I would be sure to give it a shot.
Hair – Coconut oil is the perfect natural way to help your hair grow longer, thicker and faster. I’ve been using coconut oil on my hair now for over 10 years and boy does my hair grow! It also stays highly nourished even after I’ve coloured my hair (on my occasions) or the continuous heat from straighteners & hairdryers.
I use Palmers Moisture Gro for everyday use, I apply on dry hair when it has gone a little frizzy (most days), I’m blessed with natural beach waves, so a little coconut oil on means less frizz, more waves.
You could also use pure coconut oil too as an overnight treatment, just remember to wash it out the next morning!
Skin conditions, Psoriasis – coconut is naturally anti-bacterial & anti-fungal, so conditions like psoriasis are a great example for the benefits of Coconut.
I have suffered with psoriasis on my scalp for a very long time now, over the last couple of years I’ve found that coconut oil infused shampoo and conditioner is the perfect remedy, as coconut can help loosen psoriasis scales. It really reduces the itch, which ultimately reduces the condition (because I’m not aggravating it).
I'm a big fan of Palmers, I use their amazing shampoo & conditioner too, it leaves my hair velvety smooth and smelling delicious.
And again, from a little research I’ve read that the medium-chain fatty acids found in coconut oil have antimicrobial properties that can help protect against harmful microorganisms. Many types of skin infections, including acne and athlete's foot, are caused by bacteria or fungi, so can coconut oil cure these?
Skin – So, I’m guessing you’ve got the idea now, coconut oil is so versatile. It can be used on your hair and your nail’s so of course, it’s a great product to add moisture to your skin.
Coconut oil is used in many skin care products, as above, it's naturally anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and moisturising. The healthy fats and Vitamin E found in coconut can also help to make skin smooth.
Hopefully you stayed to the end of my blog, I know its been a long one, but I hope you found it useful.
