Every year on September 2, World Coconut Day is celebrated. The day is especially observed in Asian and Pacific nations, which are home to most of the world’s coconut-producing areas and production centers. Keeping in mind the Covid-19 pandemic, this year, the theme for the World Coconut Day 2021 is “Building a Safe Inclusive Resilient and Sustainable Coconut Community Amid COVID-19 Pandemic & Beyond”.
This is mainly for increasing public awareness about the health and commercial benefits of coconut. Undoubtedly one of the most versatile products ever to be in nature, coconut is a miracle and marvelous fruit. Coconut is highly nutritious, benefits heart health, promotes blood sugar control, contains powerful antioxidants, and is easy to add to your diet. Coconut also allows for other purposes, such as hard coal and fiber coir, used for the manufacture of mattresses, doormats, etc.⠀
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Coconut is one of the main ingredients for Asian and South Indian cuisine. Various forms of coconut such as fresh coconut, tender coconut, grated coconut, coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut cream, coconut water, etc are used in making various dishes.
Benefits of Coconut Oil
From glowing skin to a healthy gut to shiny white teeth – the benefits of coconut oil are immense. Every Indian house will definitely have a bottle of coconut oil at home as it is the go-to thing for treating dry skin, hair, diaper rashes, skin problems, and sometimes just as a lubricant. The high levels of antioxidants present in coconut oil also reduce inflammation and help in healing arthritis and osteoporosis. Let’s look at some of the health benefits of coconut oil in everyday living to assist in women’s health.
Oral health
Oil pulling is a time-tested Ayurvedic practice of using coconut oil to promote oral hygiene and remove harmful toxins from the body. Coconut oil may help to attack harmful bacteria in the mouth that can cause bad breath, tooth decay, and gum disease. Along with its antimicrobial properties, swishing oil in the mouth is believed to have a saponification — or cleansing — effect to help reduce the adhesion of bacteria and plaque to the teeth.
Tip: Oil pulling is a process in which a person swishes coconut oil in their mouth and around their teeth. Do this before brushing your teeth every morning for 5 to 15 minutes, spit it out, and rinse your mouth.
Skin health
Applying coconut oil to the skin has its own benefits. It’s rich in Vitamins and antioxidants which will help skin growth and improve its elasticity. It prevents premature aging. It can heal wounds faster and it will help to protect your skin from microbial infections. Its antimicrobial properties can help treat acne and protect skin from harmful bacteria. While you shouldn’t put just any coconut oil on your face, raw, organic, cold-pressed coconut oils are a good choice for optimal skin health.
Tip: Mix half a cup of coconut oil with a handful of coarse salt or sugar to create an exfoliator. Coconut oil also doubles up as a great make-up remover.
Hair health
Coconut oil helps moisturize and seal hair protein. This can help prevent a dry, flaky scalp and dandruff, as well as split ends and hair breakage. coconut oil has the power to burn fat, help with healthy, thick hair, fight off bacteria. The vitamins and fatty acids in coconut oil help nourish your scalp and penetrate the cuticle of the hair.
Tip: If your hair is feeling dry apply to your hair let sit about 30 to 60 minutes then lightly shampoo out.
Gut health
100% pure, organic, cold-pressed virgin oil from raw coconut flesh – a renowned anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory. This is packed with anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and anti-fungal nutrient lauric acid. This nutrient provides excellent support to help boost immunity and improve gut health. Coconut oil can aid in restoring a healthy balance to an imbalance of bacteria in the gut. its fats ar0-e the most easily digested. So you get all the necessary nutrients.
Tip: It can be used for both cooking and sautéing foods. Have a spoonful of cold-pressed, organic, virgin coconut oil every morning on an empty stomach for a healthy gut.
Hormone health
Coconut oil helps in repairing thyroid glands hence possibly doing away with the need for ‘thyroxine ‘ and oh yeah the progress and usability of saturated fats in treating Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, dementia, and several other conditions. The MCFAs in extra virgin coconut oil is said to accelerate metabolism, which increases energy and stimulates thyroid function. It also contains lauric acid, which helps balance hormones naturally and increases estrogen levels, especially during menopause.
Tip: Taking in 1/8-1/4 cup of coconut oil a day will help the balance of your hormones.
Heart health
Saturated fats, especially coconut oil and ghee have their place in actually lowering cholesterol. Both cholesterol and saturated fats are required by the body for very important functions, but of course in the right amounts and the right quality. Pure coconut oil has been used for decades in South India as a way of life. It provides disease-fighting antioxidants, promoting blood sugar regulation, and reducing certain risk factors for heart disease.
Tip: Add 1-2 tablespoons of it to your smoothies or milkshakes shake daily.