Organic Coconut Oil vs. Refined Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is rapidly gaining popularity due to its countless health benefits as well as its other uses. For example, you can use it as cooking oil, skin treatments, and for your hair. The health benefits include helping with weight loss, helping maintain a healthy heart, improving thyroid function, etc.
However, there are different forms of coconut oil out there with different benefits and drawbacks. The three variations are-
- Virgin coconut oil, which can either be organic or non-organic.
- Refined coconut oil, which can be organic or non-organic.
- Hydrogenated coconut oil.
It’s important to remember that organic coconut oil can be refined and virgin coconut oil can be non-organic. The term “organic” refers to whether the coconuts were grown without the use of chemical fertilisers or pesticides. The terms “refined” and “virgin” instead refer to the process of extracting the coconut oil. The difference between virgin and refined coconut oil is much more important. In this piece, I’ll cover the differences between virgin and refined coconut oil first, then discuss whether buying organic coconut oil is worth it.
Virgin Coconut Oil
According to the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community, virgin coconut oil is mechanically extracted from the fresh and mature part of the coconut without the use of heat or chemicals, which preserves the oil and prevents alteration. Because of the lack of processing, this type of coconut oil keeps all of the original nutrients and is the most nutritious form of coconut oil. The original coconut smell and taste is also preserved, hence making it excellent cooking oil for many dishes.
However, there is a higher chance that there may be dust particles because of the lack of processing. However, virgin coconut oil is usually used for cooking purposes as the heating takes care of any impurities in it. It gives your dishes a delicious coconut flavour and is the perfect oil for seafood such as prawns /shrimps. Additionally, it is popularly used for skin and hair care because it is a natural product which makes it a safe body care product for use by vegetarians and vegans as there is no prospect of it ever being tested on animals. Virgin coconut oil is noticeably more expensive than refined coconut oil. Organic virgin coconut oil is the most expensive coconut oil available.
Refined Coconut Oil
Refined coconut oil is made from the copra (the dried meat) of the coconut. Coconut oil directly extracted from the copra cannot be consumed without additional processing. This process involves purifying and stabilizing the oil to create something called “RBD” oil. RBD stands for refined, bleached, and deodorised. Because of this process the coconut oil will lose a small portion of its nutrition and it may also contain some extra chemical residues. Additionally refined coconut oil is tasteless and lacks smell. If you’re someone who gets turned off by the smell of coconut then refined coconut oil is an excellent choice. Refined coconut oil also has a higher smoking point at 450 degrees compared to only 350 degrees for virgin coconut oil. That makes it a better choice for high temperature cooking or deep frying.
Hydrogenated Coconut Oil-
This is the one form of coconut oil you should avoid. Hydrogenated coconut oil is mainly used in warmer countries because hydrogenation increases the melting point of coconut oil. This also results in the by-product production of trans fatty acids, which are extremely unhealthy. The FDA termed trans fats as unhealthy and unsuitable to be put in food in a recent press release[1]. You most likely won’t run into hydrogenated coconut oils unless you’re travelling through certain countries, in which case it is recommended that you avoid purchasing it.
Benefits of Organic vs. Non-Organic Coconut Oil
As we have discussed before, organic coconut oil can be either virgin or refined. A study found that coconut water from non organic coconuts had no detectable amounts of pesticides[2]. There are very few pesticides used on coconut trees, although some exist. The thick outer skin of a coconut and the fact that they grow high up in the air ensures that pesticides are likely to be kept out however any present would be from the surrounding soil, absorbed by the tree’s roots. Organic certification is an expensive process meaning that certain standards are guaranteed to be met however just because something has not been certified organic doesn’t mean that it isn’t in fact organic. Noted health writer and authority Mark Sisson[3] named coconuts in his list of 7 foods that you don’t need to buy organic. However, if you want to be sure of a coconuts journey then certified organic is the right choice for you.
Conclusions
As discussed above, buying organic or non-organic coconut oil comes down to personal preference. The more important question is whether you buy virgin or refined coconut oil. Virgin coconut oil is slightly more nutritious, has the original taste and smell, and is the overall better option. Refined coconut oil is much better for deep frying or cooking at higher temperatures. Avoid hydrogenated coconut oils at all cost because they contain harmful trans fats.
Sources:
[1] http://www.fda.gov/newsevents/newsroom/pressannouncements/ucm373939.htm
[2] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12113343
[3] http://www.marksdailyapple.com/7-foods-you-dont-need-to-buy-organic
