Coconut Oil: Benefits, Myths And Best Ways To Use The Oil

Coconut oil has ruled Indian households for a very long time. May it be for cooking or applying on your hair for the desirable long tresses, the oil has been the main ingredient in many food recipes as well as hair oils and thus is an important home remedy for everything skin and hair related. But are we using the oil correctly? Is it really beneficial for your hair? Is it good or bad for the skin? There are numerous other questions like these around the benefits of coconut oil which we all need to know the answers to. Here's a list of dos and don'ts you should follow when using coconut oil.

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Swirlster Picks Coconut Oil For You

The Common Dos When Using Coconut Oil

1. Cooking And Baking

We have been using coconut oil in the kitchen for frying or cooking our daily vegetables. It can also be used for baking to add a mild coconut flavour to cakes and other bakery items. Coconut oil has the same amount of calories per spoon like olive, grapeseed or avocado oil. However, it contains a higher amount of saturated fats as compared to other oils. In order to keep the heart health in check, it is advisable to use the oil in limit.

2. Oil Pulling

For maintaining a healthy oral hygiene and keeping mouth and teeth clean, coconut oil plays a very important role. It enables stain removal, plaque buildup and reducing bad breath too. Oil pulling has been an age-old Ayurvedic ingredient though it is gaining popularity in modern times as various oils are used to remove oral impurities. The procedure is followed by regular flossing and brushing.

3. Hair Treatments

The most common use of the oil is for hair treatments. Coconut oil has a smaller molecular formula which enables the oil to penetrate the hair shaft and help to seal in the natural proteins. This property is good for people with fine to medium hair types which lack natural proteins. However, people with thick, coarse hair should avoid the use of coconut oils on their hair as the protein will prevent the hair from necessary moisture.

The Common Don'ts When Using Coconut Oil

1. Facial Moisturiser

Though we have often found ourselves adding coconut oils to face packs and masks, the oil cannot be used directly on the skin as a moisturiser. Coconut oil is highly pore-clogging. For people prone to clogged pores and breakouts, it is advisable to avoid coconut oil on the skin altogether. Instead of coconut oil, it is advisable to try out jojoba oil on the skin.

2. On Open Wounds

Coconut oil can be used on intact skin if you are not prone to pore-clogging or breakouts. But do not use the oil on skin if you have cuts, burns, scrapes or open wounds. The oil can cause itching, redness and irritation.

3. As A Sunscreen

It is a common belief that coconut oil has protective benefits against UV radiation. This maybe true to some extent, but it cannot be used in place of a sunblock. Wearing a proper sunblock cream is very essential and cannot be replaced with coconut oil.

We hope that your common concerns regarding coconut oil are solved. We advise you to visit your dermatologist before making any additions or deletions in your beauty routine.

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