Coconut Oil Benefits, Side Effects and Reviews

I have used coconut oil for years. I usually buy a large jar (long shelf life and stable) for cost purposes. The first thing I noticed is my nails do not break when I am taking it; if I run out they will begin to break again. I think it is the medium chain tryglicerides that help - we don't get enough of those in our diet. I use coconut oil with a small amount of olive oil for sautéing veggies, and sometime I will make a fudgelike dish using a little cocoa, a little sugar and coconut oil to help it go down instead of taking it plain on the spoon. But I also take it and spread it on a piece of Ezekiel bread (flourless bread) and add either a banana or a little jelly. To me it tastes great but I have trained myself over the years. Then I also use the coconut milk which is great in curries. It has the needed fat and I love Panang anything.

I have just recently read about the health benefits of virgin coconut oil but was having a hard time figuring out how to take it as I cannot stomach eating it off a spoon or in a shake. I used the air popper to make pop corn and put the coconut oil in the butter melter section, then poured it over my pop corn. If you eat it immediately it doesn't taste as good as if you let it sit for a little while. I made it after breakfast, used a little butter flavored salt on it, then I ate it for lunch. It is SO yummy.

Coconut Oil and Coconut Milk: Shines hair, soft skin, (c-oil) good for cooking vegetables, meat like chicken or pork (c-milk). Coconut oil has a lot of things for good, you can use it on your hair as a conditioner or use it as lotion on your skin. While, coconut Milk is good for cooking, we usually used it for cooking vegetables or meat for our meals. It's so delicious everybody loves it.

First, I would like to clarify what is the difference between Coconut oil and the Virgin coconut oil (VCO). Philippines national tree is the coconut tree, and coconut oil has been used by our people since time in memorial. anyway, coconut oil is being used for cooking alone. then there is another kind of coconut oil that is being cooked in our own kitchen that produces brown color, this oil is good for the skin and hair. Believe me i've been using this from child and i have the shiniest hair ever. Now, there's another coconut oil which is called Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO). The oil was extracted from coconut thru cold pressed. the opposite of the second coconut oil i mentioned. now, this oil can be drunk and applied on hair and skin. I used both the 2nd and 3rd coconut oil for my skin alternately. I always have insect bites that leaves ugly scars, and coconut oil heals it and the ugly scars will be gone. I also use this as my moisturizer. There are researches about coconut oil (VCO) ... it was said that coconut oil can cure cancer but i am not sure if this is already proven. I can say that Philippines produces the best coconut oil products. I guess, this is one of our secrets why we have beautiful and younger looking skin and very shiny hair :) by the way, since coconut oil solidifies during cold weather, we now have coconut oil in capsules.. just an FYI.

Coconut Oil has cured my arthritic pain, balanced blood sugar, given me energy and reduced lines and wrinkles. After reading all the positive results I found a place in Australia that sells excellent C/oil. I take three tablespoons a day (one each meal) I also use it externally on my skin, with amazing results. I had no side effects, nor has it altered my cholesterol reading. Mixed with a hot lemon drink with turmeric is a good start to the day. Mixed with yogurt or cottage cheese, muesli and fruit is also delicious. I stopped taking Glucosamine when I started the C/oil and have not taken any since.

i came across your site by chance. for those of u who are using coconut oil, it is great for external skin. it is used for a whole body massage every week here in india. but i wouldn't recommend it for internal consumption. i have heard that the oil is high in cholesterol. it is the normal cooking oil that i am talking about. that's why we indians use til oil or sunflower oil for cooking. i am not sure what extra virgin coconut oil is. actually normal coconut oil is used to induce vomiting in case of accidental swallowing of poison ,etc. take precautions be fore taking internally.

please take only VIRGIN COCONUT OIL, and not just ordinary cooking coconut oil. The difference is in their processing. The former is good for your health--boost immunity, etc. The benefits are widely studied:

http://www.doh.gov.ph/sars/coconut_oil.htm

Diarrhea is a natural side effect. Coconut detoxifies your digestive system; after a while (two weeks for me), it normalizes and relieves your diarrhea problem.

This oil really helped my skin, which becomes dry in winter. It also helped my immune system and provides the best oil to cook with. I have known about coconut oil for some time now, recommended by Dr. Joseph Mercola, in IL., when I went to see him in 2002. Regretfully, I have run out for a while now, but will reorder. To all the people who experience(d) stomach upset and other flu like symptoms; this may be because the oil is noted for ridding the body of toxins. Anytime you ingest anything that attacks parasites, bacteria, viruses, etc., you are inducing a body cleansing. The body responds by making you feel sick, and the degree, which is an indication of the level of toxins in your body. If the body is not prepared for this, it reacts (cleansing reaction). I never personally experienced this and I would highly recommend that if you use this oil, your system needs to at least be very hydrated with pure water, vegetable juice, weak teas, and eliminate sugar and starchy foods or at least cut back for a week or so to see how you react. Help the body do its job.

Also, go to your local healthfood store and get pH papers. When I embarked on a 4 week deep cleanse a few years ago, the author was very firm with people to NOT cleanse until the pH was around the 6-7 mark, acidic/alkaline. If your body is too acidic, cleansing reactions will be worse. The body needs to be balanced before toxins are released into the system. The pH factor of body fluids (not stomach acid) is critical for overall good health, because disease thrives in an acidic environment. You might want to check out these pages at the end... it will explain all the benefits of coconut oil and all fats. It is the best oil for cooking, as its molecules remain stable under high heat. Beware, many commercial coconut oils are refined, bleached and deodorized (RBD) and contain chemicals used in processing. This you don't want, so ask the source how it is made. I hope this is helpful to those who became ill (cleansing reactions?) Note: some people may be allergic to coconuts, so that could have been the culprit? In closing, I would say research this and don't give up on the oil.

Below are some useful pages. http://www.mercola.com/2001/jul/28/coconut_oil.htm
http://www.mercola.com/2001/mar/24/coconut_oil.htm
http://www.mercola.com/2001/jul/28/coconut_health.htm
http://www.mercola.com/2002/aug/17/saturated_fat1.htm

I researched this and many other topics surrounding fats in general. I am now on cod liver oil, flax meal, and low mercury fish, which has to be ordered out of state.

Reply to Connie's inquiry on how others take coconut oil. I just started taking it, so i'm only taking 1 tsp a couple times a day. Trying to start slow to avoid problems others have had. I mix it in peanut butter and eat it on celery sticks and carrots. Has worked for me.

i often had a hard time before with my bowel movement. i rarely went to the CR to poop, 4x a week was the most, which i found abnormal. i read an article about virgin coco oil and its effects on health. i learned that it does not have any side effect so i went to a nearby drugstore to get one. The effect was faster than i though it would be. i took a spoonful before going to bed and presto! after breakfast the following day i felt relief because the stomach that was once hard to please voluntarily surrendered itself to nature's calling. i recommend VCO for better health and longer life. see for yourself.