There’s one important exception: if you see liquid coconut oil that’s labeled “MCT oil” (medium-chain triglyceride oil) or “fractionalized oil,” it’s not the best choice for general kitchen use or in most health and beauty applications. But whether you’re scooping it or pouring it, the benefits of coconut oil remain the same no matter what form the oil is in. Depending on the temperature of stored coconut oil, it may take either a solid form or semi-liquid form. Unrefined coconut oil is often labeled as extra virgin or virgin, but unlike olive oil, there are no regulatory standards that distinguish between extra virgin and virgin coconut oil. If the refined coconut oil isn’t “pure,” you should avoid consuming it. For example, it’s a great choice for baking or for salad dressings. “Pure” virgin oil is still useful in the kitchen, though. Refined oil is typically used for cooking because of its high smoke point (440°, compared to unrefined coconut oil’s smoke point of 350°). Unrefined coconut oil is often good for skincare. A few producers may even turn it into unhealthy hydrogenated oil, by transforming unsaturated fats into trans-fat.īoth types of coconut oil are effective for different purposes. Otherwise, it may have been extracted with chemical solvents – and some of those solvents can be left behind in the oil. If refined oil is produced with the use of steam or by physical or mechanical means (the label may say “pure” or “expeller-pressed”), it’s safe to consume. When the meat has been completely air-dried it’s no longer pure, so it requires additional treatments like bleaching and deodorizing sodium hydroxide may also be used to produce a longer shelf life. Refined coconut oil, on the other hand, uses dried coconut meat. These methods each leave only the oil with its pure coconut taste, but wet-milling produces the most nutrient-rich coconut oil. The meat is either quick-dried and cold-pressed to produce oil, or put through a process known as wet-milling, in which the oil is removed from freshly-extracted coconut milk through boiling or fermentation.
Unrefined (also called virgin) coconut oil uses fresh coconut meat, or copra. Both processes involve extracting the meat - the white part - of a ripe coconut from its shell.
You can purchase coconut oil either refined or unrefined. This prevents the oil from oxidizing at high temperatures, and makes it a favored substitute for other cooking oils like vegetable oil. What is Coconut Oil?ĭespite being derived from a plant source, coconut oil is considered a saturated fat because it contains a high concentration of saturated fatty acids.
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