How many people do you know that use coconut oil? Last year, my answer would have been one. I didn’t even know what someone would use it for, much less why they would want to use it. I mean, wouldn’t everything taste like coconut?

Then in January, some of my friends and I were doing an online yoga challenge that included a 3-day diet detox. When I first saw the detox I thought, “Oh No! How am I ever going to make it? I don’t want to starve myself, or have my system go nuts.” Turns out, the recipes were pretty decent and got me incorporating more grains and beans into my diet. Another ingredient that I started using from the detox was coconut oil.

Since it isn’t the cheapest thing to buy, I decided to look up other ways to use coconut oil. Let me tell you, I was surprised at the numerous health benefits of coconut oil and the copious ways you can use this ingredient.

Earlier this year, the InDependent team was also curious about how peopled used coconut oil, so we asked what your favorite, but maybe not so well-known, uses of coconut oil were.

We received some great responses. Check them out.

How do you use coconut oil? Share with us your ways in the comments below.