“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”

-Hippocrates

Anyone who has spent any more than five minutes with me within the last year has heard me go on and on about how much I love coconut oil and the many ways that I use it.  Aside from cooking with it, I use it on my skin and hair.  I use a combination of organic sesame and coconut oil every morning and most evenings when I oil-pull.  I add a tablespoon of it to my tea and the occasional cups of coffee. And occasionally, I’ll take shots of it by melting one tablespoon of coconut oil in an ounce of hot water along with a quarter teaspoon of organic dried cayenne and a squeeze of lemon– it’s my  stay-well elixir during the winter months.

Coconut oil has regained popularity by health-foodies after many years of being villainized as cholesterol raising and artery clogging. However, coconut oil is an amazing food.  Coconut oil is an abundant source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT’s) or medium chain fatty acids. The benefit of MCT’s versus long-chain triglycerides, such as those in animal fats, is that MCT’s go directly to the liver from the digestive tract, where it can be used as energy. The MCT’s in coconut oil make it anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral. With coconut oil being the “superfood” that it is, why wouldn’t you use it everyday?

I’ve taken my love for coconut oil out of the kitchen and into other aspects of my life. As I mentioned earlier, I use it as a moisturizer for my skin. I find coconut oil has a very faint smell, which fades after some time on the skin (or perhaps I’m just so used to it). At any rate, I’ll gladly take my chances with the coconut oil over most commercial lotions with their lists of ingredients that reads more like an ingredient list for a science experiment. And because coconut oil is anti-microbial, it makes for a effecitve toothpaste when used in combination with baking soda, letting me rest assured that I’m not brushing my teeth with unnatural and possibly toxic chemicals.  Both the coconut oil and baking soda will kill off and neutralize bad breath.   However, if you can’t do without the minty sensation that you get from commercial toothpaste, add a few drops of peppermint oil (7-10 to start with).

When purchasing coconut oil be sure to find cold-pressed, extra-virgin and organic oil.  And when purchasing baking soda for this recipe, be sure its aluminum-free baking soda.

 Coconut Oil Toothpaste

• ⅓ cup coconut oil, organic
• 5-6 tablespoons aluminum-free baking soda

1. Combine the ingredients in a small mixing bowl until well combined and has a thick, paste-like consistency. Store in a glass container with a lid in a cool, dry location.*   A small canning jar is perfect for storing this toothpaste in.
2. To use, place a quarter-teaspoon sized dollop onto your toothbrush or directly into your mouth and brush as you would toothpaste.

*Store in a cool, dry area. Coconut oil melts at around 76° F (25°C). Take this into consideration during the warm summer months. In the summer months I would store it in the refrigerator or in a cool bathroom cupboard.