When it comes to natural health remedies, coconut and coconut oil specifically is often recommended. It can be used on bug bites, to help with arthritis pain, help your hair grow, clean your teeth, and even be used as deodorant. While it is safe to use for most people and consume if you cook with it, you need to be aware of some minor side effects before you start using it.
It Can Increase Your Cholesterol
This is something to be aware of if you are consuming the coconut oil by cooking with it, instead of just using it on your skin or hair. While it is considered a healthy fat and something that is good to have in your body, there is such thing as having too much of it. You should still consider property dietary guidelines and not put it in absolutely everything you cook during the day. If you do, you might accidentally raise your cholesterol levels.
Some People Have Allergic Reactions
While this is not super common, it is definitely something you need to be aware of. Coconut oil is generally safe for most people, but some individuals have more sensitive skin and might have a bad reaction to it. For example, newborn babies and elderly people have thin, more sensitive skin, and might not react well to the coconut oil. It is also possible that someone simply has an allergic reaction to it, especially if they don’t respond well to coconut flakes or coconut milk when eating or drinking. It is best to test a small area of the skin or have just a small amount of oil in food to test the reactions before using it more substantially.
It Occasionally Causes Diarrhea Symptoms
You should be aware that when consuming a lot of coconut oil, it might cause diarrhea in some people. Coconut oil is often recommended for people with digestion issues, including those who struggle with constipation. It works great for this purpose, but if you consume a lot of coconut oil and don’t have digestion issues, it might do the opposite and actually give you diarrhea. For this reason, you should start with just small amounts of coconut oil whether taking it straight or making food or drinks with the oil. If your body handles it fine without diarrhea or other negative reactions, then you can start consuming it a little more often. The same goes for using this oil on your skin.