Recently I received a sample of Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil to review. I started using coconut oil about a year ago and before that time I’m not even sure I knew what it was! After doing some research I discovered there are hundreds of uses for coconut oil with multiple ways to incorporate it into a healthy diet.
After reading more about coconut oil in various blogs I discovered it was also used in making hand lotions. Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted from the kernel or meat of matured coconuts harvested from the coconut palm. Apparently it has been a part of diets of many throughout the tropical world. It is very heat stable, which makes it suited to methods of cooking at high temperatures like frying. It is a good item to have in your pantry because it is slow to oxidize and, thus resistant to rancidity, lasting up to two years due to its high saturated fat content. I was interested in using it with our own beeswax to make a hand lotion. Here is the recipe I used.
Coconut Oil Hand Cream
5 Tbsp coconut oil
1 1/2 Tbsp sweet almond oil
1-2 Tbsp grated beeswax (less for softer cream, more for firmer cream)
5 drops peppermint essential oil
5 drops lavender essential oil
Fill the bottom of a double boiler with water and bring to a boil. In the top, combine the coconut oil, almond oil and beeswax. Stir to combine.
Remove from heat and stir in the essential oils. Pour into a heat proof container and allow to cool completely before closing. Makes about 3.5 ounces.
You can also use coconut oil in frying, baking, for dips, to make your own salad dressing. After searching on the website FreeCoconutRecipes.com, I found recipes for cookies, piecrust, brownies and chocolate cake! Plus many more recipes.
To learn more ways to use coconut oil visit this website freecoconutrecipes.com. There are numerous recipes listed from Sweet Potato Latkes to Gluten Free Bread.
I am interested in using it in soap making. It can be used as one of the fats in soap. Coconut oil is solid when you purchase it. It has a high melting point (76-78 Fahrenheit) therefore it is solid at room temperature and melts only when the temperatures are high.
If you are using the coconut oil for topical purposes, especially hair care, just melt the oil by keeping the bottle in the sun or warm water. If you want to use it for internal consumption, simply replace butter or vegetable oils with coconut oil in your recipes. Coconut oil is also wonderful for the skin.
I have purchased several different brands of coconut oil but I have to say that the Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is the real thing! I had excellent results using in the hand lotion I made and look forward to using it again. Coconut oil is a valuable resource and something that I will keep stocked in my pantry!
Tropical Traditions is America’s source for coconut oil. Their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is hand crafted in small batches by family producers, and it is the highest quality coconut oil they offer. You can read more about how virgin coconut oil is different from other coconut oils on their website: What is Virgin Coconut Oil?
Tropical Traditions also carries other varieties of affordable high quality coconut oil. Visit their website to check on current sales, to learn about the many uses of coconut oil, and to read about all the advantages of buying coconut oil online. Since the FDA does not want us to discuss the health benefits of coconut oil on a page where it is being sold or given away, here is the best website to read about the health benefits of coconut oil.
Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you.
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