By Courtney Novak
Do you want whiter teeth? Moisturized skin? Healthier hair? Coconut oil could be the answer.
Coconut oil can be used in many different ways. Coconut oil is a natural product that can be used as an alternative to chemicals present in beauty products. It can also keep your body in a healthier state of nourishment.
Naturopathic doctor Jana Rogers praises coconut oil and often tells her patients to incorporate the natural remedy into their lives.
“Coconut oil is one of the healthiest fats to consume for brain function in its raw form,” Rogers said.
Rogers shares many benefits with her patients that can come from daily use of coconut oil. She said the natural product increases energy and has anti-aging properties and anti-bacterial properties that can prevent cavities.
Dallas resident Savannah Troutt uses coconut oil as an alternative to the harsh chemicals in sunscreen.
“I use it to get a dark tan. When I use coconut oil, my skin stays moisturized and I never get sunburned,” Troutt said. “Coconut oil has a natural SPF in it and I don’t feel like I am putting any harmful chemicals on my skin.”
Troutt also expressed that she takes coconut pills every morning to help her skin and hair. She says the properties in coconut oil have made her hair thicker and shinier.
Despite many positive testimonies in relation to coconut oil and health, the Food and Drug Administration sent a warning letter to Carrington Farms, a provider of coconut oil, and expressed why their product is misleading and not as healthy as people may think. The FDA have found that increased cholesterol can be connected to active Coconut Oil use.
“Scientific evidence suggests that trans-fat acts in a similar manner to saturated fat with respect to raising LDL cholesterol,” the FDA said.
Coconut oil can also be used in other ways that are not beauty-related. Plano businesswoman Lane Shulte uses coconut oil in the kitchen.
“Instead of using oils in cooking such as canola oil and vegetable oil, you can use coconut oil which makes the food healthier,” Shulte said. “It is also a good oil for high heat, so you can grease your pans with it to add great flavor to your food.”
Shulte says she uses coconut oil every morning when she fries her eggs. She puts the oil on the pan and the eggs never stick.
Coconut oil has also been found to accelerate weight loss when paired with light exercise.
“I have noticed weight loss. Before a workout, I always take three pills so I know I will have the energy to give it my all,” Troutt said.
Coconut oil has been found to have anti-bacterial properties that can be very useful for oral care. SMU student Brooke Pospichal uses coconut oil as an alternative to Crest White Strips. Before discovering coconut oil, she used the strips and now she will never go back.
“I swish with coconut oil in my mouth for about 20 minutes every day, and I have noticed my teeth have become much whiter. I don’t experience the sensitivity that I used to get from the white strips,” Pospichal said.
Coconut oil has also been seen to cure tooth infection. Oil-pulling is a new trend in which the coconut oil pulls toxins out through your mouth. This can be a way to cure oral needs naturally.
“I drink a lot of coffee, so coconut oil saves my teeth,” Pospichal said.
Any product or service has both positives and negatives, and coconut oil will have to be taken with a grain of salt for each individual.
