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7 Ways to Eat More Coconut Oil

Katie Wells Avatar
Katie Wells

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7 Ways to Eat More Coconut Oil and Get the Benefits without Eating it Straight
Wellness Mama » Blog » Health » 7 Ways to Eat More Coconut Oil

I’ve written before about 101 ways to use coconut oil for everything from oil pulling to lotion to toothpaste. One question I often get asked is how to actually eat coconut oil, especially if you don’t like the taste…

The word is getting out about the health benefits of coconut oil, but especially for those just starting to use/consume it, trying to actually eat it can be a difficult task. For some people, eating too much at once can even cause upset stomach until the body adjusts.

For those who are trying to eat more coconut oil in their diets but have trouble with the taste or texture, here are a few of the ways we consume it without the taste or texture becoming too overpowering:

1. In Coffee or Hot Drinks

A way to supercharge coffee and make it healthy and great for your skin

One of my favorite ways to consume coconut oil daily is in a cup of hot coffee or tea each morning. The trick is to blend the mixture enough for the oil to emulsify, which creates a creamy and rich consistency and not an oily consistency (which I personally don’t like). Here is my recipe for healthy coconut oil coffee, and check out the unusual ingredient I add to make it even more creamy (and healthy).

2. In Smoothies

7 Ways to Eat More Coconut Oil

It’s easy to hide the taste and texture of coconut oil in a smoothie, though sometimes it can leave clumps. I actually like the little crunchy pieces of coconut oil, but for those trying to hide the texture, the trick is to melt the coconut oil until it is just barely melted an add slowly as the smoothie is already being blended so it emulsifies in and doesn’t clump.

We often add 1-2 tablespoons to a smoothie this way and the taste and texture aren’t noticeable.

3. Homemade Energy Bars

chocolate coconut granola bars

These are another kid favorite at our house. The kids love the taste and I like that they are packed with healthy fats and are a great natural source of energy.

Here is the recipe.

4. Coconut Butter Cups

Healthy Coconut Butter Cups Recipe

Just like the energy bars, these coconut butter cups are a favorite in our house. They are a little chocolate cup filled with coconut and coconut oil “butter” and can be flavored however you’d like.

Here is the recipe for Coconut Butter Cups.

5. Cooking and Stir Frys

fast and easy chicken and vegetable stir fry recipe

Coconut oil’s high smoke point and concentration of stable saturated fats makes it a good choice for stir frys and cooking. We often use coconut oil as the base oil to coat the pan when cooking eggs, stir frys and other pan-cooked dishes.

Many of the recipes on this page (especially the stir-frys) use coconut oil as a base.

6. In Baking Recipes

Grain free, gluten free blueberry crumble muffins

Coconut oil can substitute for butter in most baking recipes and can also replace margarine and vegetable oils in most cases. My recipe list has many recipes that use coconut oil to help you get started.

7. For Frying

easy and healthy coconut shrimp recipe

If you’re going to fry something, stable oils like coconut oil, tallow and lard are great choices. This coconut shrimp recipe is one of my favorites as the coconut oil adds to the coconut flavor of the recipe.

At our house, we use coconut oil for pretty much everything…

From a previous article:

What Kind of Coconut Oil?

For external uses, expeller pressed or other types of refined coconut oil will work, but for internal use, an unrefined virgin coconut oil is best. This book provides more information about the benefits of coconut oil and the difference in the types of coconut oil.

I also love that this company supports small family farms in the Philippines. We order in five-gallon pails, which is more expensive up-front but which saves a lot of money in the long term.

My husband and I both take about 4 tablespoons a day and the kids get a couple tablespoons in food, smoothies, or hot herbal tea.

Where to Get Coconut Oil?

I love this organic virgin and fair-trade coconut oil from Thrive Market (which is like Costco online but for healthy products). Their coconut oil is 40% off retail, which is the best price I’ve found for it online. And Thrive Market sells many of my favorite products at 30-50% off normal prices!

Free Coconut Oil Book for You

If you’ve never ordered coconut oil before, now is your chance to try it. When you order through this link, you will get a copy of the Virgin Coconut Oil Book which explains the story of how they discovered this high nutrient coconut oil and the many ways it can be used to support health. The book will be automatically added the first time your order.

Do you use coconut oil as much as me? How do you use it? Share below!

Coconut oil is beneficial for so many reasons but can be hard to eat if you don't like the taste. Eat more coconut oil by using in cooking, baking, stir-frys, in coffee and more.

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

158 responses to “7 Ways to Eat More Coconut Oil”

  1. Kay D. Avatar
    Kay D.

    I’m wondering if anyone else has had an adverse reaction to ingesting coconut oil? I started taking it in November, did GREAT till mid February. Then, started getting acne, racing heart, tight chest, tight muscles. I started an elimination diet to find the culprit, and it was coconut oil 🙁 I have no idea why I did so great on it for a while, now I can’t even have cookies with coconut flour in them. Am I alone? Just curious.

    Reply
    1. Virginia Avatar
      Virginia

      Hi Kay D. ~ What your body might have an issue with are the salicylates in coconut. You might find this information helpful:
      “People sensitive to salicylates may suffer from asthma, hives, nasal polyps, chronic swelling and a wide variety of gastrointestinal symptoms, including irritable bowel. Salicylates are also linked to a long list of physical and mental symptoms, including— just for starters—acne, bedwetting, restless leg syndrome, tinnitus, tics, styes, hyperactivity, headaches, anxiety, hallucinations, weepiness, blurred vision, fidgeting, bad breath, body odor, and even constant hunger! Obviously, there are many other risk factors for these complaints, but 2-4 percent of outpatients attending allergy clinics, 2 percent of those with Crohn’s disease, 7 percent of those with ulcerative colitis, and 15-20 percent of those who attend ear, nose and throat clinics are salicylate intolerant. — Weston A. Price”

      Reply
      1. Jake Avatar
        Jake

        Just a heads up for everyone out there… Almost anything published by the Weston A. Price Foundation should be taken with a grain of salt. The Foundation promotes a rather unhealthy diet and as far as I have heard most of their studies have not been reviewed by other sources. While their information may not necessarily always be wrong, their donations come from certain producers in the food industry which happen to have their products promoted heavily by WAPF. For instance, nearly all of the anti-soy campaigning can be traced back to WAPF studies that have not been peer-reviewed. Be careful!

        Reply
        1. Angela Avatar
          Angela

          I trust Weston Price over much of the junk health and diet info out there. I’ve gotten so much real great info that always pans out. I wonder if you’re paid by some soy company to spread rumors. Soy ruined my hormones!

          Reply
  2. Ashley Avatar
    Ashley

    When using coconut oil in smoothies, is it best to add it before blending or after blending ?

    Reply
    1. Spencer Avatar
      Spencer

      Add the coconut oil before you blend and raw. The texture will be hardly noticable, if at all.

      Reply
  3. Meredith Avatar
    Meredith

    I love homemade coconut oil chocolates! I want to lose some weight and but I’m wondering if the honey/maple syrup will offset that and if I should avoid added sugar? It sure is my favorite way to eat coconut oil!

    Reply
  4. Betty Crumrine Avatar
    Betty Crumrine

    O have just begun using coconut oil and it has improved my short term memory. I am anxious to learn various ways to consume this oil to my benefit and would appreciate useful suggestions. These recipes are very interesting and I’m anxious to try them. Thanks

    Reply
  5. Josephine Avatar
    Josephine

    Those blueberry muffins pictured for baking look delicious but I wasn’t able to find the recipe. Where can I find the recipe? Thank you

    Reply
  6. Nathan Avatar
    Nathan

    You fry in coconut oil? Considering how much you would need to properly fry your food I don’t think I could afford it lol. Coconut oil would burns easily so you could only use it once. Thats about $16 worth of coconut oil gone for one meal. Unless you are made of money then who cares.

    Reply
    1. annabelle Avatar
      annabelle

      If you’re talking deep fry, where you need a whole bottle, then no, I wouldn’t use it! But if you’re pan frying, a little vco goes a long way!! I just wonder if it retains all of its nutrients being fried, its smoke point is 177 degrees celsius.

      Reply
      1. dave Avatar
        dave

        vco is very stable at high heat, over 400 F. From what i’m reading it does not effect it’s
        heath benifits !!

        Reply
  7. Jason Miller Avatar
    Jason Miller

    sounds crazy but melt coconut oil and drizzle it on chocolate frozen yogurt/ ice cream. The texture is like chocolate bits that don’t stay in your teeth.

    Reply
  8. tanya Avatar
    tanya

    I love coconut oil in my oatmeal….. big spoonful instead of butter.

    Reply
  9. margret Avatar
    margret

    Also excellent on popcorn. I melt 1/2 butter & 1/2 coconut oil. Very tasty!!!

    Reply
      1. Amanda Avatar
        Amanda

        Do you use refined for popcorn? Its supposed to be tolerant of high heat but I find it still smokes which concerns me.

        Reply
  10. Shivashankari Vaiyakani Avatar
    Shivashankari Vaiyakani

    We make this coconut drink in India a lot. Buy a full coconut and scoop out the flesh(it’s a bit hard to scoop the flesh but totally worth it). Use a blender and blend the flesh with some luke warm water. strain the resulting liquid using a muslin cloth.
    Add a split cardamom pod to the strained liquid, sweeten it and drink it.
    Much better tasting coconut milk than the store bought ones.

    Reply
  11. Sheila Munyer Avatar
    Sheila Munyer

    I also use it as a face and body moisturizer and on my hair too

    Reply
  12. Cassie Avatar
    Cassie

    “It’s easy to hide the taste and texture of coconut oil in a smoothie, though sometimes it can leave clumps. I actually like the little crunchy pieces of coconut oil…”

    Your coconut oil is crunchy?!

    Reply
    1. Wellness Mama Avatar
      Wellness Mama

      When it gets in an icy smoothie, it forms little tiny pieces that are somewhat hard…

      Reply
  13. Sue Avatar
    Sue

    Love your coconut oil in coffee trick – revolutionised my rare coffee drinking! I will be sending my scottish readers your way for sure.

    Reply
    2. Robert Avatar
      Robert

      Tried in the coffee, love it. A bit more oily than i’m used too. 1 tbsp in cup. Takes a bit to melt down.
      Thanks for that.

      Reply
  14. rossi Avatar
    rossi

    Great recipes, love them all being a coconut oil nut (pardon the pun)

    Reply
  15. Diandra Linnemann Avatar
    Diandra Linnemann

    You mean, there are some people who do not love coconut oil??? I am puzzled. ^^

    Honestly, if it were not so incredibly expensive, I would use it all the time. As it is, I use it to make my morning protein pancakes and for cooking dinner, and that’s it.

    Reply
    1. Julia Avatar
      Julia

      I tried to cook my vegetables with it. I ate a brussel sprout and started feeling a hot sensation in my mouth. Some of it I swallowed and now I feel the hotness going down my throat.

      Reply
  16. Kimber Avatar
    Kimber

    I like to make a just slightly sweet coconut oil treat by blending together 1 banana, 1/3 cup almond butter, 1 T honey, and 1 1/2 cups softened coconut oil. Pour it in to a shallow glass pan, chill in fridge, and cut when solid. 1 1/2 cups of coconut oil is 24 Tbsp so I always cut it in 24 pieces so I know how much I’m getting in! So good!

    Reply
    2. debbie nelson Avatar
      debbie nelson

      I will try this recipe. I love the idea of knowing exactly how much you are getting of the coconut oil. I can’t handle putting it in my coffee or tea. I hate that oily taste. And I get sick eating plain. Just thinking about it turns my stomach, but I’ll say I love it on popcorn and I don’t mind putting it in my smoothies.

      Reply
  17. Dana Avatar
    Dana

    Hi there! What is the rationale behind 4 Tbsp a day? Calorically, doesn’t this get a bit high?

    Reply
    1. Lauren Avatar
      Lauren

      I’m curious about this too. I saw in another post that you consume 1/4 cup of coconut oil daily and I thought, “wow, she must be super active”

      Reply
      1. Jesse Avatar
        Jesse

        I tried to leave a comment last night but I don’t think it worked.

        I gained weight trying to incorporate so much extra oil into my diet. In my opinion, your body needs only so much energy (calories) and if you eat this much oil, it has to replace other calorie sources. For the record, I don’t think weight/health is ALL about calories (what you eat matters, too) but they are important and a 1/4 cup of coconut oil adds 500 calories to your daily total.

        Anyway, I am not prone to gaining weight, I am active as well (Hike, soccer, HIIT, yoga). But I spent a few months increasing my coconut oil and gained. Now that I’ve backed off, my weight has stabilized and I’ve even lost a bit of what I gained. I love coconut oil and believe in its benefits. I use it to cook and bake. I just don’t go out of my way to hit 1/4 cup every day.

        Reply
      2. Wellness Mama Avatar
        Wellness Mama

        The fat structure in coconut oil makes is easily usable for energy and not easily stored as fat. In fact, consuming it can boost metabolism so it can actually help weight loss. That is just the amount that i’ve found works best for me and many others…

        Reply
  18. Devon Clothier Avatar
    Devon Clothier

    Is Trader Joe’s coconut oil a good brand to use? It is cold pressed, organic, virgin, and they don’t use bleach or chemicals to process it….Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Wanda Avatar
      Wanda

      Yes Trader’s Joe’s is one of the “BEST” on the market.

      Reply
  19. Rebecca Miko Horikawa Avatar
    Rebecca Miko Horikawa

    I don’t mind using coconut oil externally or in toothpaste, but I’ve tried a few times to use it as my cooking oil and the smell/taste of it just makes me gag for some reason. I suppose using it in baked goods, like muffins would be easier for me, although I don’t want to consume muffins everyday. 😉

    I’m thinking of trying the organic expeller pressed coconut oil from Tropical Traditions (the one with no smell or flavor), but my question is, will this still be beneficial in regards to your post about “eating your sunscreen”? Would I need to ingest more of it for that to work?

    Reply
      1. Heather Avatar
        Heather

        Have just purchased my first jar of coconut oil. I have been adding a tablespoon to my yogurt fruit, nuts and seeds each morning. From what I’ve read in your posts and the threads its ok to eat it straight from the jar e.g. no cooking? But is one tablespoon enough and will I feel and reap the benefits with this amount as it is quite expensive!

        Reply
        2. Joan Marie Avatar
          Joan Marie

          At Costco: (“Carrington Farms” 54 oz. of Pure, Unrefined, Cold Pressed, 100% Organic Extra Virgin Cocnut Oil) for just under $20.00! This a Super Great Deal! Also same type of other Organic brands of 54 oz. at SAM’s, & BJ’s!

          Reply
  20. Beth Hoff Avatar
    Beth Hoff

    I love eating Coconut Oil right from the jar. A couple of spoonfuls and I am set. I don’t find that there is a taste though.

    Reply
      1. Blair F Avatar
        Blair F

        Nascent oidine (best) or potassium iodine (second best) cleared my thyroid within a month. I took 4 drops a day for a month and then went to 2 drops a day for the other 5 months. In the US, iodine was removed from the salt 60 years ago even though the FDA says in documents that it’s great for everyone to take in their diet. It will make you feel weird at first because your thyroid is expelling toxins. Iodine is also what people take to protect them from radiation. Look this up. I know a ton of people who started taking iodine with great results. Nascent iodine has almost zero taste. There is a different form of poisonous iodine that you obviously don’t ingest. This is the intestable kind. I like Detoxodine or Survival Shield both on Amazon.

        Reply
        2. Cynthia Maher Avatar
          Cynthia Maher

          The United States Food and Drug Administration recommends 150 micrograms (0.15 mg) of iodine per day for both men and women. On May 1, 1924, iodised salt was sold commercially in Michigan. By the fall of 1924, Morton Salt Company began distributing iodised salt nationally. It is very important to use iodized salt (or take iodine in some other form) if you live around the Great Lakes or the Pacific Northwest and if you buy only locally grown food. Those areas do not have enough iodine in the soil, and if people don’t get enough iodine then some of them get goiters.

          Reply
      2. Catherine Ferguson Avatar
        Catherine Ferguson

        I have a hypo active thyroid which apparently makes your thyroid to function slower. The medication form is given for the same thing. The pills make me terribly ill as they interfere with my other medications. I have been searching for a natural way to adjust it and have first of all started taking selenium and zinc which my former Dr recommended when a medication I had just started had made my hair fall out. This is a symptom of thyroid imbalance. I had gradually stopped taking these and when starting with a new Dr. she did a whole series of blood work that showed my thyroid was off and my sodium level was low. The sodium I read below no longer has iodine in it and this is another thing that causes the thyroid to work at a good level. Sometimes I do think the Dr. push pills rather than working with someone if they’re having a problem with their meds. I have just had another round of tests so I waiting with bated breath. You would have no idea how many blood tests my Dr. and Specialist but me through every 3 mths. I am 56 and a widow and she was very insisting that maybe she should send me for a pregnancy test.

        Reply
        1. Jessie Avatar
          Jessie

          I was diagnosed with hypo thyroidism many years back and was put of Eltroxin but never really felt good taking it. Besides this I was given Calcium supplements. My blood test always showed the thyroid function to be normal but I never really felt better. Joint aches, drowsiness, hair loss and gaining weight and slowing me down.

          Few years ago I have moved from allopathic medicine to homeopathic medicine and I feel so very much better now. Besides I don’t continuously take medication but watch what I eat and drink. Eating foods rich in Vits and Minerals helps. I read coconut oil is good for hormones or you can use olive oil. You can try it, may help you too.

          Reply
          1. alice Avatar
            alice

            I have been hypothyroid for 14 years now and take a low dose of synthroid. However although my thyroid tests came normal with the medication I have never felt exactly the same as before.
            I gained 20lbs in 14 years (I am 64 yrs old), the weight is almost impossible to lose, memory is not what is used to be and other symptoms that women my age do not have.
            I asked my endocrinologist about any homeopathic treatment but she was against it or not aware of any. Does anyone have a success story with treating hypothyroidism naturally?
            Thank you.

        2. Audrey Dalley Avatar
          Audrey Dalley

          Great advice about taking iodine. My doctor recommended iodine for me & my family – we have been taking it for nearly a year. Another very good source for holistic health information from an expert is Suzi Cohen. Suzi is a pharmacist who is married to a chiropractor. Suzi obviously understands medication as well as physiology, but she is not is not on the western medicine band wagon. She has an online column & is published in many newspapers around the country. Her website is a wealth of information & you can submit questions to her. Good luck in your quest for health.

          Reply
        3. missy Avatar
          missy

          I take a thyroid med called Armour. Its derived from a pig thyroid, which is identical to the human thyroid. It is a t4 and a t3. the t4 part builds up in your system over time, and the t3 gets used right away. I also take a t3 med called Cytomel, because my body has a hard time turning my t4 into a t3. Which under normal circumstances of a normal thyroid would produce. Look into it,and do not take no for an answer Ifought almost 10 years before I finally found a Dr who prescribes Armour. Most Drs wont. I have lost so much hair and was deathly ill, with no relief in sight. On a good note of the Amour and cytomel ,Ive even lost weight.

          Reply
          1. naomi Avatar
            naomi

            Good for you Missy! I had my thyroid removed last March and have been on Armour. I told my surgeon and my endo that is what I wanted to take. I did say that if it didn’t work, which I knew that it would, I would take the other. But I knew it would be OK. Low calcium still but, my levels are good.

          2. Julie Avatar
            Julie

            My doctor is great and let me experiment when I wanted to try Armour thyroid medication. I felt really great 3 weeks out of the month but when I was on my cycle I felt bad. My doctor convinced me that 1/4 of every month was too much to feel like crap so I went back to Levoxyl. Maybe after menopause I will try Armour again. I have never tried cytomel for the t3 but this conversation reminds me that I need to talk to my Doc about how my T3 levels look.

          3. Chlorisann Avatar
            Chlorisann

            If anyone has a problem finding a Dr that will prescribe Armor or NatureThroid ( I am on this one) which are both natural thyroid supplements instead of the synthetic Synthroid, look for a DO instead of an MD… DO’s practice a more natural and “whole person” approach to medicine and tend to look for homeopathic treatments first then go to scrips. They try to look at the overall cause of symptoms instead of just treating them.

        4. Jan Avatar
          Jan

          Sounds like you may need a new dr. 55 and possibly pregnant?

          Reply
    3. anna Avatar
      anna

      I put coconut oil on my toast, replacing butter and adding a boost of healthy into my day when I can({

      Reply
    4. Judy Avatar
      Judy

      I have been trying to do the Coconut Oil thing…I got up to 1.5 tablespoons…I found it would make me nauseous a little while after eating it. I put it in fat free coolwhip which is really good, but I think my system doesn’t like the oil or something. I even tried putting the cool whip then a little squirt of chocolate then the coconut oil — tastes just fine but still later felt nauseous.
      Saw some stuff on the Coconut Butter – was wondering if using that is the same benefits as using the coconut OIL? I can’t find anything definitive online — precisely does it have the same health benefits and do you need to consume the same 3.5 to 4 tbsp. per day once you work you way up to the daily requirement.
      I don’t know how folks are spreading this coconut oil on their toast and stuff…ewww for me — lol!

      Reply
        1. Krista Avatar
          Krista

          I was wondering about dosage amounts also. My body seems to be a little fussy with the coconut oil. Today even half of a teaspoon was too much so i will try smaller dosages tomorrow. Do you recommend a certain time frame before increasing or is this one of those listen to what your body is telling you kind of things?

          Reply
          1. Judy Avatar
            Judy

            I started out with a tablespoon for first 2 weeks then went to 1.5 tablespoon, next week i’ll move up to 2 tablespoons. May sound silly but I found if I put the cool whip in the cup first then the coconut oil it mixes a little better. I’ve also been waiting until the afternoon to take it. Once I get to the recommended amounts I guess I’ll have to do morning and afternoon or something…4tbsp at one time…no way!

            How long til you actually see some of the benefits as noted…

            Also does anyone know if using the coconut butter has the same health effects as using the coconut oil. I’ve read about it but not finding anything really concrete.

            thanks!

      3. Dede Avatar
        Dede

        Coconut butter is the meat of the coconut ground up extra dine into a butter, like peanuts or almonds. So it wouldn’t be the same as coconut oil. It would be the same as peanut butter is to peanut oil ….make sense?

        Reply
      4. CyndiMO Avatar
        CyndiMO

        I have been mixing my coconut oil w raw honey…ratio of 1 Raw Honey to 2 parts Com nut Oil. That is organic in both ingredients. I mix it well, the coconut oil will get creamy w the raw he ney. I add a couple shakes of Pink Himalayan Salt…to taste, put mix in a jar and refrigerate. Throughout the day and begore bed time, I take a teaspoon here or a tbls. there and let it melt in my mouth. I have used Costco’s brand of coconut oil. I have grown accustomed to the taste…very good

        Reply
    5. Noemi Avatar
      Noemi

      I tried that today but I’m a lil concerned after some reading that it can make u gain weight becuz its high in saturated fat. Is that true

      Reply
    6. Sueann Avatar
      Sueann

      If you don’t find that there is a taste you’re probably using refined coconut oil and not virgin.

      Reply
    7. Beth Avatar
      Beth

      I did this last night, and thought I was going to throw-up. The. I read, Forks Over Knifes, blog No Oil, if any kind!! I’m confused !

      Reply
      1. Jennifer Avatar
        Jennifer

        Hi Beth, I have no idea when you posted, but neither idea is accurate. Registered dietitians say, (the only people from whom you should be getting dietary advice from, aside from an MD) and current evidence show that coconut oil is a saturated fat, with no health benefits whatsoever. It is great for external use, but like any saturated fat, should be used sparingly.
        Some oil however, is necessary in our diet because some vitamins are fat soluble, meaning that adding a bit of olive oil or canola oil to your dressing on your salad is a good thing to do, to get maximum benefit from the vitamins and minerals from your greenery.
        Vegetable oils are preferable to saturated fats; meaning, liquid at room temperature, and all oils and fats should be used sparingly.
        Hope that helps.

        Reply
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