How to use
For generations, coconut oil has moved through the coastal home, from the kitchen to the bathroom shelf to the prayer room. Here is how to get the most from every drop.
Hair and scalp
Warm coconut oil massaged into the hair is one of the oldest rituals in the coastal home. A little goes a long way.
Warm one to two tablespoons of oil, depending on your hair length. It should feel comfortably warm, never hot. Part your hair into sections and work the oil through from the middle lengths to the ends.
Leave it on for at least 30 minutes, or overnight with a towel on your pillow, then wash with a mild shampoo.
Pour a little oil into your palm and massage it in with your fingertips, using small circles for five to ten minutes. Use the pads of your fingers, not your nails.
If you have an itchy, flaky or irritated scalp, try a small area first and speak to a dermatologist if it continues.
Coat your lengths with a light layer of oil 20 minutes before shampooing. A published hair study found coconut oil used before and after washing helped reduce protein loss from hair.
Concentrate on the ends, which are the oldest and driest part of your hair.
Rub one or two drops between your palms and smooth them over dry hair ends to reduce flyaways and add shine.
Start with less than you think you need. Too much can make hair look greasy.
Skin and body
Pure coconut oil, with nothing added, is a simple everyday choice for dry skin and body massage.
Warm a few tablespoons of oil and massage it into your arms, legs, back and shoulders with long, firm strokes. Rest for 15 to 20 minutes, then bathe with warm water.
Oil makes the bathroom floor slippery, so step carefully and rinse the floor afterwards.
Apply a thin layer straight after a bath, while your skin is still slightly damp. This helps hold in moisture on the arms, legs, elbows and knees.
Oil can clog pores on acne-prone skin, so avoid the face if you get breakouts easily.
At bedtime, rub a little oil into rough heels and put on cotton socks. Massage a drop into your cuticles and dab a tiny amount on dry lips.
Keep a small jar on your bedside table so it becomes a habit.
Massage a few drops gently over the skin, wipe away with a soft, damp cotton pad, and follow with your usual face wash.
Keep it out of your eyes, and always wash off the oil afterwards.
Many families have long used coconut oil for massaging babies. Warm a small amount in your hands and use gentle strokes on the arms, legs and back, keeping away from the face.
Test a small patch first, and ask your paediatrician before use with a newborn or a baby with a skin condition.
Oral care
Oil pulling is a traditional Indian practice of swishing oil around the mouth. Many people enjoy it as part of a morning routine.
First thing in the morning, take one tablespoon of oil in your mouth, or one teaspoon if you are new to it. Swish it gently around your teeth for 5 to 15 minutes. Spit it out, rinse with warm water, then brush as usual.
Spit into a bin, not the sink, because the oil can clog drains as it cools. Do not swallow it.
Some small studies suggest oil pulling may reduce plaque and bad breath, but the evidence is limited.
It does not replace brushing, flossing or visits to your dentist. Children should not try it, as they may swallow or choke on the oil.
In the kitchen
Unrefined coconut oil keeps its natural aroma, and that is what makes coastal food taste like home.
Use it for sauteing vegetables, cooking fish and meat, and making curries and palya. Heat the pan over a medium flame before you add your ingredients.
Unrefined coconut oil has a smoke point of around 175°C. If it starts to smoke, lower the heat.
It suits shallow frying and pan frying, such as fish fry, and traditional snacks made at a controlled temperature. Use a deep, dry pan and add food in small batches.
Water makes hot oil splatter, so pat food dry first. Do not keep reheating the same oil, and discard it once it turns dark or smells burnt.
For a classic tadka, heat a little oil and add mustard seeds, curry leaves and dried red chilli. Pour it over dal, chutney or curd rice just before serving.
A teaspoon of raw oil stirred into a finished curry or chutney adds a fresh coconut aroma.
Melted coconut oil can replace butter or other oil in cakes, cookies and laddus, usually in the same quantity. It adds a gentle coconut flavour.
Solid oil creams well with sugar for cookies. Use melted oil for cakes and batters.
Brush a little oil on a hot tawa for crisp dosas, or stir a few drops into hot rice with pickle or chutney.
Wipe the tawa with a folded cloth dipped in oil to keep it evenly seasoned.
Around the home
From the prayer room to the kitchen cupboard, a bottle of coconut oil has many small uses.
Fill the diya with oil, place a cotton wick so that its tip rests above the oil, and light it. Coconut oil burns with a steady, gentle flame.
Keep lit lamps on a stable surface, away from curtains and out of the reach of children.
Rub a thin layer over a clean, dry iron tawa or kadai and heat it gently. This helps protect the surface and keeps food from sticking.
Wipe away the excess, as a thin coat works better than a thick one.
Rub a little oil into clean, dry wooden boards and spoons, leave for a few hours, and wipe off the excess.
Re-oil them when the wood starts to look dry.
The science
About half of the fatty acids in coconut oil are lauric acid. In the body, and on the skin, lauric acid can form a compound called monolaurin.
Laboratory studies have found that lauric acid and monolaurin can act against certain bacteria and fungi. Most of this research was carried out in test tubes, not in people, so it does not show that using coconut oil will prevent or treat any infection.
Enjoy coconut oil as a food and as a traditional part of your personal care. It is not a medicine, and it should never replace treatment from your doctor. Do not apply it to open wounds or burns.
Care
Keep the pack tightly closed, in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
Always use a clean, dry spoon. Water can spoil the oil.
Coconut oil naturally turns solid in cooler weather, below about 24°C. This is normal. Stand the container in warm water until it melts.
Warm oil in a bowl over hot water and test it on your wrist. Never apply hot oil to skin or hair.
Questions
Yes. Kiran Coconut Oil is an edible oil, and the same oil can be used for cooking, hair care and massage.
Coconut oil turns solid and white in cooler temperatures. The quality is not affected. It turns clear again when warmed.
Coconut oil is high in saturated fat, so use it in moderation as part of a balanced diet, like any cooking oil. If you have a heart condition or high cholesterol, ask your doctor which fats suit you.
Everyone’s skin is different. Test a small patch on your inner arm and wait 24 hours. Stop using it if you notice irritation.
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