Coconut oil, it beneficial features and application for various needs, is rightfully recognized throughout the world. Thanks to its unique properties, the oil perfectly cares for hair and skin, helps with problems with excess weight, high cholesterol, strengthens the immune system, and normalizes digestive processes. The oil is also used for problems with the kidneys, heart, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV, cancer, helps increase the strength of bones and teeth. All beneficial properties are due to the presence in its composition of lauric, capric, caprylic acids, which have antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial and soothing effects.

Coconut oil is widely distributed in tropical countries, especially in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the Philippines, which have their own production of this valuable product. Recently, the popularity of oil in the world has been growing from year to year. In the last century, oil was considered harmful to the human body due to its high content of saturated fat, but more recent studies have completely refuted this assumption.

Composition of coconut oil

The most important substance contained in coconut oil is lauric acid, which in the human body is converted into monolaurin, which, in turn, helps fight viruses and bacteria that cause diseases such as herpes, influenza, cytomegalovirus and even HIV. As a result of these properties, the oil has been actively used in traditional Indian medicine.

Let's take a closer look at the composition of coconut oil.

More than ninety percent of the oil is composed of saturated fat, which has long been controversial, with traces of several unsaturated fatty acids (monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids).

Saturated fatty acids are mostly medium chain triglycerides that are assimilated into body systems. Lauric acid takes up approximately forty percent of their total. Also contains capric, caprylic, myristic and palmitic acids.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are represented by linoleic acid.

Monounsaturated fatty acids are represented by oleic acid.

Coconut oil contains gallic acid, which is also known as phenolic acid. Polyphenols are responsible for the aroma and taste of the oil. The largest amount of polyphenols is contained in oil labeled “virgin”.

The oil also contains some fatty acid derivatives, such as betaines, ethanolamides, fatty ester ethoxylates, polysorbates, monoglycerides, and ester polyols.

You can find some vitamins and minerals in coconut oil (vitamin E and K, iron and others).

Coconut oil: beneficial properties

A little earlier I already wrote a short article about, but being his devoted fan for many years, I decided to cover this topic in a little more detail.

Hair care

Coconut oil is one of the best natural nutrients for your hair. It helps accelerate growth and gives hair amazing shine, strengthening it from roots to ends.

This oil has been widely used in the Indian subcontinent for hair care for centuries. Most people in these countries use Coconut oil daily after a bath or shower. An excellent conditioner, the oil helps accelerate the re-growth of damaged hair. The oil also provides the hair with the necessary proteins for its nutrition and restoration.

To get rid of dandruff permanently, massage your scalp using coconut oil.

Help with heart disease

A common misconception among people is that coconut oil is harmful to the cardiovascular system. This misconception comes from the fact that the oil contains a large number of saturated fats. In fact, this oil is beneficial for heart health, which is confirmed by numerous scientific studies. It contains about 50% lauric acid, which has a beneficial effect on blood cholesterol levels and normalizes blood pressure. The saturated fats present in the oil are not harmful, unlike the fats found in other vegetable oils.

Skin care

Coconut oil acts as an effective moisturizer for all skin types, including dry skin. The benefits of oil on the skin can be compared to the benefits of any mineral oil. Fortunately, unlike mineral oil, coconut oil does not have any adverse effects on our skin. side effects. This is why it is a safe solution to prevent dry and flaky skin.

Coconut oil can inhibit the appearance of wrinkles and sagging skin that usually accompany the natural aging process. Coconut oil also helps in the treatment of various skin diseases, including psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema, and skin infections. For this reason, oil is quite often a base ingredient in body care products such as soaps, lotions, and creams. The antioxidant properties of coconut oil help prevent the signs of natural aging and degenerative diseases.

Help in losing excess weight

Coconut oil and its beneficial properties are recognized as one of the most effective products in the fight against excess fat. Unlike Garcinia Cambogia, these properties of the oil are not questioned.

The fatty acids contained in coconut oil help fight excess weight. When consumed regularly, the oil helps increase the body's metabolic rate, reducing the load on the pancreas, thereby burning more calories and helping to cope with excess weight.

This conclusion is primarily based on the fact that people living in tropical coastal areas who use this oil daily for cooking do not suffer from excess weight and obesity.

Immune System Support

Coconut oil's beneficial properties for supporting the immune system are due to the presence of antimicrobial lipids, lauric, capric and caprylic acid. They have antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties, strengthen the immune system. The human body converts lauric acid into monolaurin, which effectively fights viruses and bacteria that cause a variety of diseases (herpes, influenza, cytomegalovirus, HIV).

Normalization of digestive functions

Preventing and treating candidiasis

Coconut oil is recommended by experts to prevent and even treat candidiasis. It provides relief from inflammation caused by candida. Its high moisture retention capacity protects the leather from cracking or peeling. In addition, unlike other pharmaceutical treatments for candidiasis, improvement occurs gradually, which allows the patient to get used to the withdrawal symptoms. When treating candidiasis, taking this oil begins with small amounts, which are then gradually increased.

Candidiasis is a disease that is caused by the uncontrolled growth of yeast of the same name in the human stomach. Usually this type of fungus is present in the body of each of us, but its growth is controlled by beneficial bacteria. The use of antibiotics, the development of other destructive bacteria and other factors can lead to an imbalance of bacteria in the stomach, resulting in candidiasis. Also, such a disease can be caused by ingestion of chemical substances from washing powders, bleaches, medicines.

Symptoms of candidiasis appear in the form of infections of the genitals, urinary tract, bladder, stomach, intestines, ears, nose, and throat. The disease also manifests itself in the form of dry and itchy skin, inflammation in internal organs, digestive system disorders and problems with hair and nails.

Scientists attribute the spread of this disease in Europe and America to the cold, humid climate and the peculiarities of preparing, storing and eating food. In these areas, most food is processed using fermented yeast. For example, these crops are often used in the production of foods such as bread, cheeses, baked goods, and alcoholic beverages, and their consumption can contribute to the development of candidiasis. The fatty acids contained in coconut oil help neutralize the harmful effects of yeast and are used to treat candidiasis.

Caprylic, caproic, myristic and lauric acids contained in coconut oil have antimicrobial and antifungal properties, helping to eliminate candida. Monolaurin, formed when lauric acid enters the human body - powerful tool to fight fungus.

Tissue healing and treatment of infections

When coconut oil is applied to damaged areas of the skin, it forms a protective layer that helps protect the skin from dust, polluted air, fungi, bacteria and viruses. The oil accelerates the healing process of damaged tissue and effectively eliminates bruises.

The antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial effects of coconut oil make it an effective remedy against various infections. Based on some data, we can say that oil kills viruses that cause influenza, measles, hepatitis, herpes, ARVI and other serious diseases. The oil also kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and gonorrhea. And finally, coconut oil - effective remedy to eliminate fungi and yeast that cause ringworm, mycosis, thrush, and diaper rash.

Other benefits of coconut oil

Coconut oil, whose beneficial properties are very diverse, is recommended for use for other health problems. The use of oil is recommended in the following cases:

– for liver problems. The presence of triglycerides and fatty acids help in preventing liver diseases as these substances are converted into energy when they reach the liver, thereby reducing the load on this organ and preventing the accumulation of fat;

– the oil helps in preventing kidney and gallbladder diseases, as well as in dissolving kidney stones;

– coconut oil has a mild calming effect, which helps relieve stress;

– oil normalizes blood sugar levels and improves insulin secretion. By promoting the efficient use of glucose in the blood, the oil prevents and treats diabetes;

– to improve bone condition. Thanks to coconut oil's ability to improve absorption minerals, levels of calcium and magnesium, essential for bone development, increase. Thus, the oil is beneficial for women prone to developing osteoporosis;

– due to the fact that coconut oil promotes the absorption of calcium, it has a positive effect on dental health, stopping their possible destruction;

– based on preliminary research data, it can be considered that coconut oil plays an important role in reducing a person’s viral susceptibility to cancer and HIV;

– Coconut oil is used by athletes to increase energy levels and endurance, which ultimately affects athletic performance;

– Based on some evidence, it is believed that coconut oil may be beneficial in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Traditionally, the oil has been used to enhance brain function.

Types of Coconut Oil

Today there are six varieties of coconut oil, each of which is suitable for different methods of consumption.

So, the six main types of coconut oil are:

Pure Coconut Oil.

This type of oil can be classified as the traditional, most famous type of coconut oil. It is extracted from dried coconut kernels without any additives. Pure oil is most often used for cooking, massage, hair care, and in the manufacture of medicines.

Refined Coconut Oil

This grade of oil is obtained by mechanical and chemical processing, bleaching and deodorizing of raw coconut oil in order to create a product that is odorless, colorless and free of any suspended particles. The result is an oil containing only pure saturated fats.

Virgin Coconut Oil

This type of coconut oil is not obtained from the pulp of the nut, but from coconut milk through fermentation and fermentation. This oil has the best taste characteristics and contains a full range of antioxidants and fatty acids. This oil also has antimicrobial properties and is considered the most respected and trusted variety of coconut oil.

Organic Coconut Oil

This type of oil is obtained from coconuts, which were grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides - only organic fertilizers. The process of producing coconut oil also occurs without the participation of any chemicals. This type of oil is valued all over the world. Organic coconut oil is an integral part of a number of organic cosmetic products such as soaps, organic creams and lotions and other products.

Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

This type of butter is obtained from the milk of coconuts grown on organic fertilizers in an organic way. This type of oil is considered the best and purest, but it is quite difficult to find.

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

Among all the varieties of coconut oil, this variety causes the most complaints, because... the very existence of this type of oil is called into question. To date, there are no standards that set the virginity level of coconut oil.

The properties of the oil are practically independent of its type, but it is worth knowing all the information before choosing one of the types of coconut oil.

Buy coconut oil

Before purchasing a particular brand of coconut oil, you must decide for yourself where and how you are going to use it. Your choice should be based on your body's needs. Each type of oil is designed for different purposes. However, their properties are not very different if the product does not contain additives or additional ingredients.

Purpose of purchase	Type of coconut oil
Cooking	Refined
Weight loss	Virgin
Basic cosmetic oil	Virgin
To maintain health	Organic, virgin
Hair care	Pure coconut oil, refined
Medicinal use	Virgin, organic virgin

Before you buy coconut oil, you should remember that you should not purchase products from little-known brands. The best options for purchasing oil in terms of price and quality are offered in the iHerb online store. Here you can buy high-quality coconut oil from well-known manufacturers at wholesale prices.

You should not buy coconut oil in Russian stores, because... its quality is definitely in doubt, and the price for such a product is several times too high.

TOP 5 coconut oils

Coconut oil, its composition and beneficial properties, allow it to be widely used in Everyday life. Over quite a long time, I have tried a large amount of coconut oil from different manufacturers. The TOP 10 is compiled based on my personal preferences and includes several types of oil.

1. . An ideal product in terms of price/quality ratio, which I use for prevention purposes.
2. . I sometimes use it in cooking instead of
3. . I recently bought this product on sale to replace organic virgin coconut oil from Now Foods.
4. . An ideal product for skin and hair care. I've been using it for two years now - the effect is amazing. On vacation I use it over sunscreen – the tan goes on evenly and my skin doesn’t burn.
5. . Also a great skin and hair care product at a great price. The only problem - glass jar, which is why there is a lot of weight during shipment and the possibility that the bank will still be broken on the way from the USA to Russia.

You can find the entire range of oil and health supplements based on it here. I am sure that everyone will choose a product to their liking.

Answers to frequently asked questions about coconut oil

What should natural coconut oil look like - liquid or solid?

Unlike most oils, coconut oil has a high melting point - approximately 24-25 degrees. Therefore, most often when room temperature The oil is in a solid state and melts when the temperature rises.

If you purchased the oil and it is in liquid form, place it in the refrigerator. An hour is enough for it to harden. If this does not happen, then you are faced with a fake.

How to use coconut oil?

If you use coconut oil for hair care, melt it in a water bath until liquid. Should not be used microwave to obtain liquid oil. Melted butter is applied to the hair.

If you use coconut oil internally, simply add it instead of vegetable oil or butter. For therapeutic and preventive purposes, it is recommended to eat a teaspoon of oil (or more) daily.

You can also additionally read the article “.

Can coconut oil be used for cooking?

Yes. In tropical coastal areas, people use this oil for cooking, and you can adopt this healthy habit.

I don't like the taste of coconut oil. What to do?

Try using coconut oil in a variety of cooking recipes. If you feel nauseous after eating this oil, do not force yourself to eat it. This is how an allergic reaction to coconut oil can occur.

Can coconut oil be used as a ?

Coconut oil, due to its properties, is one of the most valuable cosmetic oils. This oil is of great importance in aromatherapy, Ayurveda, Chinese medicine and massage.

This oil is perfectly absorbed and, penetrating deep into the skin, facilitates the absorption of other oils ( essential oils) and plant extracts. Thanks to its antifungal and antimicrobial properties, the oil preserves essential oils and plant extracts from microbial and fungal interactions. Also, coconut oil does not change the properties of the oils that are mixed with it.

This is a translation of a long article by Brian Shilhavy, editor of the online magazine Health Impact News, published on CoconutOil.com. Brian has been in the coconut industry for many years and therefore knows very well what the best coconut oil is and how to choose the right one. So this article is an opportunity for you to get comprehensive and completely reliable information about this wonderful product. If you love it as much as I do, and even if not the same 🙂, be sure to read it anyway. You won’t find such an exclusive anywhere else on the Russian-language Internet.

If you are not just interested in this topic, but also want to purchase really high-quality and healthy coconut oil, then read mine, which I found on iHerb. There you will also find a link to purchase.

When my wife and I shipped the very first “virgin coconut oil” from the Philippines to the US in 2001, there were only two other similar products labeled as food grade available in the US market. Coconut oil was not popular 13 years ago, which is why there was little choice. If you used it as a dietary supplement back in the day, you most likely received information about fats and oils from Dr. Mary Enig. Dr. Enig was advocating for saturated fats and denouncing trans fats long before anyone else started booing the misinformation coming from the US edible oils industry. Many of her claims have been featured in Weston Price Foundation publications over the years, and we have also published her research on CoconutOil.com.

Today, at the beginning of 2015, when it comes to purchasing coconut oil, there are already plenty to choose from. And here's what I'm going to do: I'll give you an insider's look at the current market, without mentioning any specific brands. This wonderful product is not made in the same way, so you need to choose it based on how you plan to use it.

But first, in order to decide which coconut oil is best for you, you should find out what kind it is, and how one differs from the other.

So let's get started!

Refined coconut oil versus virgin coconut oil

There are two main categories of coconut oil: those that are mass produced industrially and simply need to be refined, and those that start from fresh coconuts and are lightly refined. Yes, you read correctly - it too refined.

Coconut oil is an inherently refined product because it doesn't grow on trees—coconuts do. Thus, it must be extracted from whole coconuts, so technically speaking, the only true "unrefined" coconut oil is the one still inside the flesh of the freshly picked nuts.

The term used to denote its least refined form is "". In the early 2000s, exactly this terminology began to be used to designate the least refined product, since it was also used in relation to other edible oils.

The definition of "virgin" was originally developed in an online discussion group we ran, and different people Contributors to this definition include industry insiders, academic leaders and others. The definition we all agreed on back then was that only those coconut oils would be classified as virgin that were not produced from dried copra.

"Copra" is an industry term used in the Philippines to refer to the dried and shelled coconut, which itself is inedible and therefore must be further processed to produce coconut oil. Copra can be produced by several methods, including smoke drying, sun drying, or oven drying, and various derivatives of any of these methods or combinations thereof. The only thing they have in common is that the product at this point is not fit for human consumption and must therefore be further processed. It smells like smoke, it's dirty - in general, while the product is in the form of copra, it doesn't look like food at all. Copra is also a commodity, with its own market price, with its own niche, separate from coconuts, or coconut oil (finished product). In coconut producing countries, there are traders and dealers who specialize in copra and sell it to coconut oil producers. Copra is also exported to different countries, including in the USA, where it is then processed for production purposes.

Let's take a look at the types of refined coconut oil that are available on the market today.

Refined coconut oils

In producing countries, copra-based coconuts are usually called RBD, which stands for refined, bleached, deodorized. "Bleaching" is generally not a chemical process, but rather a filtration process to remove impurities. For this filtration, a special “bleaching clay” is used. If the oil was originally obtained from copra, it is deodorized using steam. Thus, the resulting product has very little taste and minimal or no odor.

One of the common misconceptions on the Internet is that only virgin coconut oil is a healthy product, while refined coconut oil is not, and that it can generally cause harm to health. In fact, this is not true, with a few exceptions that I will discuss later. RBD grade coconut oils have been on the market for many years. They are essential edible oils for billions of people living in tropical climates around the world. The RBD purification process does nothing to change the fatty acid profile of the product, so all medium chain fatty acids remain intact.

What the refining process does do is remove some of the nutrients. Virgin coconut oils show higher levels of antioxidants in tests, for example. But this fact does not make its RBD analogues “useless”.

Here are the types of refined coconut oil you can find on the market today:

Expeller-pressed Coconut Oils

This is typically RBD grade coconut oil produced in tropical countries through mechanical "physical refining" from copra. Physical processing is considered “cleaner” than chemical processing, which uses extraction solvents such as hexane.

In practice, the “expeller pressed” production method is often indicated on the packaging of virgin products. An expeller, as I understand it, is something like a screw in juicers, that is, the extraction is done using a screw method. And they can squeeze both copra and fresh coconuts. — approx. "Useful Shopping".

Coconut Oil

If there is no specification and the term “coconut oil” is simply used, then it most likely falls into the RBD category. It should be noted that copra is a product that is exported to the United States, where companies process it for non-food purposes - most often to produce cleaning and detergents, For example. Now, with the new rise in popularity of coconut oil in nutrition, some of these large American manufacturing companies are beginning to package their product as food grade. It's safe to say that these cheaper oils are produced using extraction solvents. We don't know if any of these solvents remain in the finished product, but if you want to be sure they aren't, it's best to buy coconut oil that has been refined without them.

Hydrogenated Coconut Oil

This is one product that you should stay away from. A small portion of unsaturated fatty acids are hydrogenated, resulting in trans fats. This also allows the coconut oil to remain solid for longer periods of time. high temperatures. We have not yet encountered such a product on the US edible oil market. If it exists today, it is probably used as an ingredient in the confectionery industry in tropical countries. Standard RBD coconut oil stays solid up to 24-25 degrees Celsius, but in the tropics the ambient temperature is higher most of the time. Therefore, to keep it solid at higher temperatures, it is hydrogenated before being added to candy or baked goods, or made into margarine.

Liquid Coconut Oil (liquid)

A new product that hit grocery stores in 2013 was “liquid coconut oil,” which is marketed as “the kind that stays liquid even in the refrigerator.” And while it looks like a new addition to the edible oil aisle, this product is anything but new. It is a "fractionated oil" from which the lauric acid has been removed. It is also called "MCT oil". In the past, it was commonly used in skin care products, and has recently become popular as a food additives. It is a refined product that is currently promoted as an edible oil. It is actually a by-product of the production of lauric acid. Lauric acid is known as a strong antimicrobial substance, and therefore it is actively used as a preservative in many types of production. Being a saturated fatty acid and making up approximately 50% of coconut oil, once it is removed you are left with a liquid oil with a much lower melting point. So if you come across this product online or in a store, just know that it's... highly refined, and it's missing the star component of coconut oil: lauric acid.

Virgin coconut oils

As I mentioned above, the common denominator by which the virgin class is determined is that the oil was obtained from fresh coconuts, and not from copra. However, there is no certifying organization anywhere in the world that defines or certifies coconut oils as “virgin” or “non-virgin”, so anyone can use this term and put it on their label if they wish. The first thing you need to pay attention to when choosing virgin coconut oil is whether it was pressed from copra or not. If it is based on copra, then this means that this is not a virgin class product, but a regular RBD-refined version with a smart label.

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

You can often come across the name or term “extra virgin coconut oil.” What is the difference between “virgin” and “extra virgin”?

Not with anything. There is no generally accepted definition for the “extra” virgin class, as there is for olive. It's just a marketing term and nothing more.

So when looking at the virgin coconut oils currently on the market (some labeled as “extra virgin”), we can see two main production methods:

1. Derived from dried coconuts. With this method, fresh coconut pulp is first dried, and only then the oil is squeezed out of it. This method allows for easier mass production of this product. Since the drying industry has become well established in coconut producing countries, many companies in the industry have added coconut oil to their product lines.
   This is the most common type of coconut oil labeled "virgin" and "extravirgin", which you will find today on the Internet and in stores. It is mass produced but has higher quality than classRBD as it starts with fresh coconuts and not copra.
2. Obtained through the "wet grinding" process (wet-milling)". With this method, oil is extracted from the flesh of fresh coconuts without first drying it. First, “coconut milk” is obtained by squeezing it from fresh, wet pulp. The oil is then separated from the water. Methods that can be used include boiling, fermentation, refrigeration, enzymes, and mechanical centrifugation.

Luckily, coconut oil producing countries have done some research in the last few years. They began to realize that Western advice regarding dietary fats, which led to the demonization of their traditional fats and oils such as coconut, was primarily political rather than scientific.

In recent years, much of their research has been in the area of ​​cholesterol and cardiovascular disease, an area that has been a major target of attack from Western countries. They realized that their traditional fats and oils were actually healthier than newcomers soybeans and corn, two grains heavily subsidized by the US government, which kept prices artificially low. We showcase much of this research on our page at CoconutOil.com. This study confirmed that not only does coconut oil NOT increase blood cholesterol levels, but that it does lowers.

Researchers from universities in the Philippines, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and India studied various ways obtaining coconut oil. At first, it was difficult to understand what could be measured in a laboratory to determine whether a virgin product was truly superior to its conventional RBD refined counterparts. They soon discovered that there was, after all, one indicator that could be measured, and by which one oil was significantly superior to another - the level antioxidants. The amount of antioxidants was much higher in virgin coconut oil, especially in the “wet milled” method described above.

Research on Wet Milled Virgin Coconut Oil

As mentioned above, in the process of producing coconut oil by "wet milling", it is extracted from a wet emulsion, or "milk", rather than pressed from dried coconuts.

So which type of “wet grinding” creates the highest quality virgin product? According to several studies, this fermentation a "wet grinding" process that uses heat. This is the simple method of extracting coconut oil that people living in the tropics have used in their kitchens for hundreds of years.

The fermentation process first produces coconut milk from freshly grated coconuts. It is then left to ferment for some time ( Apparently, this means wandering - approx. "Useful Shopping"), usually for one night. The heavier water gradually sinks to the bottom of the container, leaving a crystal clear layer of oil with coconut particles on the surface. After this, it is collected and placed in a pan, similar to a large wok, and heated for some time until the coconut particles sink to the bottom of the pan. Then it is filtered.

The first study examining virgin coconut oil production methods was conducted in 2008 in Malaysia and published in the International Journal of Food Science Nutrition. This was the first study to report that the enzymatic wet-milling method produced the highest amount of antioxidants.

In 2011, research conducted in Sri Lanka by Professor Kapila Seneviratne of the University of Kelaniya also found that traditionally produced "wet milled" coconut oil had the highest levels of antioxidants.

What was surprising about this study was that it actually heat increased the amount of antioxidants. Then ( and even now - approx. "Useful Shopping") there was a widespread belief that supposedly high temperatures had a negative effect on coconut oil, and therefore many manufacturers indicated on the packaging that it was “raw” and “cold-pressed”, and was not subjected to any heating (no heating ). Here's what they wrote in The Sunday Times of Sri Lanka:

“Even more surprises awaited the research team. There is a generally accepted belief that the quality of oil deteriorates when cooking at high temperatures. But, as it became known, this does not apply to coconut, since it is thermally stable. “Fortunately, most of the phenolic antioxidants present in coconut oil are also thermally highly stable,” he noted, explaining that the reason there are more antioxidants is that due to the prolonged high-temperature boiling, more of them dissolve in the oil.”(Published in The Sunday Times of Sri Lanka on October 16, 2011 - “Coconut Oil: Even After All, It's Still Good for You” by Kumudini Hettiarachchi and Shaveen Jeewandara).

In 2013, another study conducted in India also found that coconut oil produced by “wet grinding” and using heat contained higher levels of antioxidants. The study compared cold extracted virgin coconut oil (CEVCO) with hot extracted virgin coconut oil (HEVCO) and standard refined coconut oil (CCO) and was published in the journal Food Science and Biotechnology . Testing has shown that “antioxidant activity in the HEVCO group was 80-87%, 65-70% in CEVCO, and 35-45% in CSO”. The researchers went further and commented on why heating is necessary to produce the highest amount of antioxidants in virgin coconut oil:

“Increased levels of polyphenols in the groupHEVCO may be due to the increased release of bound polyphenols that occurs upon heating. Coconut milk is an emulsion of water and oil that is stabilized by protein. To extract oil from coconut milk, the protein bond must be broken by heating in a double-walled kettle known asVCOcooker (steam vessel developed inCentralPlantationCropsResearchInstitute), and heat slowly to allow the protein to coagulate and release the oil.”

This study clearly shows us that "wet-milled" coconut oils sold as "unheated" or "raw" or "cold-pressed" actually have more low level antioxidants.

Conclusions

So we've looked at different kinds coconut oil on the market today. There's one last point left: what about organic?

Obviously, any third party inspected organic claim is a bonus. But is this necessary?

Apparently not.

There are no GMO varieties of coconuts, and there are very few pesticides used on coconut trees, although there are some. Coconuts grow very high, so they are never sprayed with anything. Pesticides can only be added to the soil around the tree so that they are absorbed by the roots, or introduced directly into the sap of the tree through the trunk.

Organic certification is an expensive process, and if you only choose certified organic coconut oils, you may be missing out on some of the best products that don't have this certification. For example, bearing in mind that traditional way fermentation, which was described above, showed the highest level of antioxidants, then if you were in the tropics, what would you prefer: certified organic virgin coconut oil, pressed from desiccated coconuts and available for purchase in the store, or one that you can make on your own kitchen made from fresh coconuts that are not certified organic? Based on the research, the oil you make yourself in the kitchen from fresh coconuts will be the best!

When considering the coconut oil available today, your choice will largely be determined by how you plan to use it and your budget. If you need a first-press product highest quality, use the table below, which ranks its different types on a scale of 1 to 10.

Don't expect all these details to be printed on the labels. Additionally, it is unlikely that people working in retail grocery stores will know the answers to specific questions about production methods.

So first, do your own research online, and also ask sellers for the information you need to make an informed purchasing decision. They should be able to contact their suppliers and find answers for you.

It’s better to ask all your questions directly to the manufacturer (note: “Useful Purchases”).

about the author

Unlike many people who write about coconut oil by simply reading about it, Brian Shilhavy lived with his family in the area where it is produced in the Philippines for several years. Marianita Jader Shilhawi grew up on a coconut plantation in the Philippines, and simply in a culture that has a significant amount of coconut fat in its diet. She later received a degree in nutrition and worked as a nutritionist in the Philippines. Living in the Philippines with their three children, Brian Shilhavy and his wife Marianita have seen first-hand the differences between the nutrition and health of the younger generation and those from Marianita's parents' generation who still eat traditionally. This led to several years of living among a rural farming community, during which Brian learned about Filipino nutrition. Brian is the author of the bestselling book Virgin Coconut Oil: How It Changed People's Lives and How It Can Change Yours! (“Virgin Coconut Oil: How it has changed people’s lives and how it can change yours!”).

Sorry to everyone who is waiting for a post from me on Shu, it happens that you just can’t force yourself to talk about some topic... But on another - a real stream of consciousness.
So, apparently, until I post everything I think about coconut oil, no uemura will come out)))))

The topic of coconut oil filled my entire mind for the simple reason that quite a lot of information has accumulated based on the personal use of this wonderful product, plus I recently had a very significant negative experience with it.
Perhaps that's all regular readers Beauticians know that coconut oil is extremely useful - materials on this topic and how to use it periodically appear.
I’ll tell you about what I personally do with it, as well as how to distinguish good oil from bad and what the use of bad oil entails.

Coconut oil is sold in almost all tropical countries where coconuts grow - Malaysia, Thailand, India, Bali... It has become so popular that it can be easily found even in Russia. However, not all yoghurts are equally healthy; coconut oil is suitable for improving our unearthly beauty.

Here are my two candidates; using their example I will show how good oil differs from bad oil.

Personally, I use coconut for the following purposes

1. The first and most important thing is quality hair masks. Apply to the entire length of the hair, including the roots, massage a little and under a towel for an hour. All this is done on dirty hair in order to protect them from damage during washing and provide nutrition to the roots. I am sure that regular use of this oil was one of the reasons why my hair stopped falling out and overall began to look better.
To quote Aromarti:
“American scientists studied the effect of mineral, sunflower and coconut oil on hair condition. Only coconut oil was found to significantly reduce protein loss from hair during shampooing. The oil worked best if used before and after washing, during combing. The effect of coconut oil is explained by the fact that of all the oils studied, it spread most evenly over the hair, preventing the penetration of water and shampoo into it. The layer of oil on the hair protected the hair fibers from swelling, as well as damage during toweling and combing.”

The same Thai women (I personally observed this) use coconut oil before swimming in the sea. Well, who else, if not them, should know the secrets of luxurious hair.

In my time I have tried all kinds of oils on my hair, the main problem here is that they need to be washed out. And if you don’t wash it well, there will be beautiful icicles on your head in some places. Burdock had to be washed 3-4 times, which, in my humble opinion, does more harm to the hair than good. Coconut should be washed off easily with shampoo. For people with short hair, it is enough to wash their hair once, for people with long hair - twice. And here we touch on the first difference in the properties of good coconut oil from bad)) Bad oil is not washed out of the hair!
One store here recently gave me coconut oil as a gift for my purchase (it’s the oil on the left in the photo). In principle, it was already clear from the packaging that it was a gift from the series “God forbid that it’s not good for us,” but don’t throw it away...))
In general, after it I washed my hair probably 5 times and it still didn’t wash out. Then for another three days I walked around with greasy icicles on my head and scratched myself like a homeless person, because this oil clearly did something wrong to my scalp. And such things happen due to poor oil purification.

Coconut oil is generally very easy to make. And it’s natural that every second person in Thailand does it. Who doesn’t want to make money from tourists? However, I would not recommend buying it from merchants on beaches, in tents, markets and houses. The risk of buying poorly refined oil is very high. Not without pleasant exceptions, of course, but it’s still better to buy it in specialized stores that sell cosmetics. In pharmacies it’s more likely no than yes; there is another extreme: the oil can contain chemical and aromatic additives. You should not take oil without labels if you are not sure of the manufacturer - most likely, it is again made using a homemade method.

I myself buy oil in two places: in a brand store that specializes in coconut oil products and in a store near my house. In the second case, they just sell oil without a label, but the quality is in no way inferior to the first (but such places can only be determined empirically).

Coconut oil can be applied to the ends of the hair when it is already dry, it adds shine and prevents split ends. It makes my curls that are always frizzy at the ends into beautiful curls.
It is important not to overdo it, because the oil is not silicone and it is easy to make your head greasy)) So for all the ends you only need half a drop, rubbed in your palms.

2. Good coconut oil is very pleasant to use directly. on the skin of the body after shower. First of all, it has a wonderful aroma. The right coconut oil doesn't smell like bounty! but rather freshly cut coconut. Therefore, the smell is not strong, not pungent, but rather sweet. Delicious and natural overall. Coconut oil is not as greasy as olive oil, it is absorbed well, and you only need four to five drops for the whole body. And everyone probably knows about its healing and softening properties even without me. I will only note that it is also good to use it while tanning - firstly, the skin immediately looks beautiful)) and secondly, the tan will be more even.
As far as I know, you can’t use coconut or any other oil after sunburn. Oils create a film effect on burned skin, spreading the burn further. So is it better to use aloe vera or just a cold compress)))

Those who have problems with the heels of their feet, dryness or cracks, are advised to make compresses from coconut oil. I haven't tried it, because... I'm not suffering.
This oil is an excellent moisturizing and soothing product after shaving and hair removal, it reduces irritation, it has been tested.

3. You can make it using coconut oil. massage mixtures- drop a couple of drops of essential oil into it. The only disadvantage of coconut is that it is well absorbed into the skin, so for one massage you will need a couple of palms of oil.

4. Coconut oil can dilute dry masks and body scrubs. In this case, they acquire additional moisturizing properties without losing their own. I have already tried mixing dry salt scrubs with coconut oil and cream - the skin really turns out velvety.

5. All types of cosmetic products are made from coconut oil, but I want to especially mention soaps and lip balms. Coconut wonderfully softens the skin of dry lips when mixed with beeswax - you can even make this balm yourself, it’s easy)

Let's summarize the differences between good oil and bad oil

- be sure to inspect the oil before purchasing - beautiful label almost always guarantees production control of oil quality. You should not buy souvenir oils - in coconuts, in wooden bottles. Here you will pay for packaging, and the quality may be below average.
- the color of the oil can range from completely transparent to light yellow. Dark yellow oil is definitely poorly refined. Let's look:


- the smell is pleasant, even gentle, not sharp! Be sure to smell coconut oil before purchasing)
- consistency. I heard that there are people who buy coconut oil in a tropical country, come home, find that it has thickened and throw it away thinking that the oil has spoiled. This, of course, is utter nonsense. The melting point of coconut oil is approx. 25 degrees, below this temperature it thickens. It then melts directly on the skin or can be melted in a water bath if it is in a narrow vessel. When transitioning from one state to another, the oil does not lose its properties. And in general, coconut can be stored for a very long time, up to three years.
- I found out through experience that if coconut oil says that you can eat and drink it, then it is good)))

Here. I hope that my writing will help someone in choosing oil and stop them from buying low-quality ones.
Thank you for your attention!

Among residents of Thailand, Indonesia, India and other countries of Southeast Asia, coconut oil has been deservedly popular since ancient times due to its healing properties, known to Cleopatra and used in traditional Indian medicine.

Methods for obtaining coconut oil and its types

There is no doubt that the oil called coconut oil is obtained from the fruit coconut tree. To do this, take copra (white pulp) located under the hard coconut shell. It is dried in the sun, crushed and oil is obtained by pressing. Pressing can be hot, and then the yield of oil from 1 kg of raw materials is at least 300 g. With cold pressing, the oil obtained is much less (only 10% of the possible volume), but its value is much higher, as is the cost.

Coconut oil melts, becoming transparent, yellowish at 25–27 degrees Celsius, and at lower temperatures it hardens, turning into an oily granular mass. Due to the features chemical composition does not oxidize for a long time and retains all its properties.

Coconut oil is produced unrefined (unrefined, with a pleasant sweetish aroma) and refined (refined under high pressure). The latter is distinguished by its transparency and lack of odor.

What is coconut oil made of?

The nutritional value:

• Calorie content: 899 kcal
• Fat: 99.9 g

• Water: 0.1 g
• Saturated fatty acids: 90 g
• Unsaturated fatty acids: 1.8 g

Macronutrients:

• Calcium: 2 mg
• Phosphorus: 2 mg

Vitamins:

• Vitamin E (TE): 0.7 mg

The most significant component of coconut oil is saturated fatty acids. They are the ones who determine its beneficial properties.

As a result of chemical analysis, the following substances were found in coconut oil:

What are the benefits of coconut oil for humans?

Due to its unique properties, coconut oil has found wide application in medicine, everyday life, veterinary medicine, cooking, soap making, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. It is included in the recipes of many traditional medicines.

Regular use of coconut oil is indicated in complex therapy of the following diseases:

• infectious diseases of the skin, respiratory and genitourinary systems, liver, having a viral, fungal or bacterial origin;
• heart and vascular diseases: ischemic heart disease, atherosclerosis, thrombosis, etc.;
• pathology of the endocrine glands (pancreatic);
• diseases of the digestive system: Crohn's disease, gastroduodenitis, ulcerative colitis;
• diabetes mellitus type II;
• diseases of the bone and joint system: osteoarthritis, arthritis, polyarthritis, osteochondrosis, etc.;
• urinary and cholelithiasis, fatty liver;
• immunodeficiency states;
• constant stress and chronic fatigue;
• pathology of the nervous system (Alzheimer's disease, convulsive conditions);
• oncological diseases.

How can coconut oil harm the human body??

100 grams of coconut oil is almost 900 kcal! Agree that it’s a lot. This should be taken into account primarily by those who closely monitor their weight. You should not exceed the recommended daily dose of coconut oil for oral administration (up to 2 tablespoons), otherwise the calories will turn into extra pounds.

In order to understand which coconut oil to choose for food, you need to at least have a general idea of ​​the technology for its production.

There are two main ways to obtain oil:

2. extraction.

SPIN- this is when crushed coconut copra is pressed under pressure. If the copra is not preheated, such an extraction is called cold (in international terminology - Extra Virgin). If it heats up, the spin is called hot.

EXTRACTION- this is when the feedstock is poured with gasoline or hexane so that the oil goes into solution, and then the gasoline or hexane is evaporated. In this way, most of the refined vegetable oil that is sold in our stores is obtained.

Oil obtained by any of these methods may be:

1. unrefined,

2. refined.

UNREFINED oil is filtered only from mechanical impurities. All additional substances (phosphatides (lecithin), waxes, free fatty acids, vitamins, water, etc.) remain. They give the oil its taste and smell. The biological value of such oil is higher than that of refined oil.

But you can heat unrefined coconut oil only to 137-177 degrees (read the manufacturer’s description in each case), that is, you can fry it only over low and medium heat.

REFINED- goes through several stages of mechanical and physical purification, as a result of which the oil is neutralized to taste and clarified.

Is this oil healthy? Yes, because the medium chain triglycerides that make coconut oil so prized remain in place. But its biological value is lower than that of unrefined oil due to the partial loss of other useful substances during the refining process.

Refined coconut oil can be used for medium to high heat cooking.

I divided coconut oil on iHerb into 3 groups:

1. unrefined, cold pressed,

2. refined, cold pressed,

3. refined, in which the extraction method (cold or hot) is not specified.

I excluded the following options from the review:

Those in which the method of obtaining is not known;

Those that are not labeled “trans fat-free” or “non-hydrogenated”;

Those that come in combination with coconut flakes are essentially coconut paste, although on the website they are called “oil”.

In each group, I arranged coconut oil in ascending order of price (from cheaper option to more expensive). The price was indicated in dollars based on 30 ml/g, excluding discounts.

Thus, if while reading this article there is a promotion on some brand from the list (as, for example, at the time of publication of this material - 20% on Nutiva) - it is necessary to subtract a discount from the price that I give.

1. UNREFINED, COLD PRESSED (Extra Virgin)

Healthy Origins, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, 54 oz (1,503 g) - 5/22 - 0.44

Now Foods, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, 54 fl oz (1.6 L) - 28.49 - 0.53

Healthy Origins, Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, 29 oz (822 g) - 14.99 - 0.55

Jarrow Formulas, Natural, Highly Refined Coconut Oil, 32 oz (946g) - 18.44 - 0.58

Now Foods, Organic Natural Coconut Oil, 20 fl oz (591 ml) - 11.48 - 0.59

Healthy Origins, Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, 16 oz (454 g) - 8.81 - 0.59

Nutiva, Organic Coconut Oil, Virgin, 23 fl oz (680 ml) - 13.75 - 0.61

Nutiva, Natural Refined Coconut Oil, 29 fl oz (858 ml) - 17.7 - 0.62

Jungle Products, Coconut Oil, 14 oz (397 g) - 8.73 - 0.66

Nutiva, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, 54 fl oz (1.6 L) - 02/35 - 0.66

Spectrum Naturals, Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Unrefined, 14 fl oz (414 ml) - 8.9 (note maximum heating temperature is 137 degrees Celsius) - 0.65

Nutiva, Nutiva, Nurture Vitality, Coconut Oil, Cold Pressed, 15 fl oz (444 ml) - 9.95 - 0.67

Nutiva, Organic Superfood, Coconut Oil, Virgin, 15 fl oz (444 ml) - 9.94 - 0.67

Earth Circle Organics, Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, 16 oz (454 g) - 08/11 - 0.73

Nature's Way, Organic Coconut Oil, 16 oz (454 g) - 11.14 - 0.74