Coconut oil in pure form is used all over the country as hair oil and as staple edible oil in a few parts of South India. Let us understand some of the obvious and not so obvious uses of coconut oil here
Edible Oil
Coconut oil has been traditionally used as staple edible oil by people all over Konkan and Malabar coastal regions. Coconut trees grow locally and people make oil out of coconut grown on their own trees and keep it for whole year and use for all their culinary purposes.
Salad Dressing
Owing to the pleasant fragrance, flavour and taste. Coconut oil is used to make food taste better.
Deep Frying
Coconut oil is very stable as it is a saturated fat. Hence it can be used a few times for deep frying.
Raw Consumption
Traditional steamed dishes like Pathrode, Semige, Kadubu are eaten by adding coconut oil in raw form.
Lighting Lamp
All occasions are started by lighting a lamp. Coconut oil can be used to light lamp. It burns clearly and continuously, leaving no black mark. Traditionally second quality non edible coconut oil was used for this purpose.
Perfumed Candles
Coconut oil tends to hold the perfumes for a longer time and that is the secret behind using it for making premium perfumed candles.
Hair Oil
Need not be mentioned here as it is extremely well known and marketed by major brands. But mentioning here for the sake of completeness.
Body Massage
Apply all over the body especially on the morning of Deepavali for cleaning and moisturising skin. Coconut oil is also used as base oil for making value added massage oils.
Soap Making
Coconut oil is used for making premium soaps where soap gets the benefits of coconut oil for skin.
Oil Pulling
Coconut oil is used for oil pulling to get the benefits of coconut oil for oral and dental health.
Applying for hands
After cutting jackfruit, gums are stuck on hands. Coconut oil helps remove the gums without any side effects. After washing clothes or working with cement, hands become hot and dry, applying coconut oil moisturises and cools it.
