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Organic farming in general takes into account minimum dependence on man-made or unnatural activities. Whether you are dealing with trees, plants or livestock, the idea is to let the crop cultivate on its own as much as possible.
Food safety practices is high on the list of criteria used for determining whether a produce is organic or not. Certifying bodies such as ISO and HACCP discourage the use of hazardous chemicals from farm, to distribution, to marketing.
The entire production and distribution chain, not the product itself, are the important factors in organic growing. This approach differs from traditional quality assurance methods which put great emphasis on the end product.
There's a rich mix of coconut oil products here in the Philippines. It's to be expected as there are coconut palms here almost everywhere you go. A lot are high-grade, just like what my wife regularly makes right in our own kitchen.
But every once in a while, I still encounter highly processed varieties passed on as organic extra virgin coconut oil. What a bunch of greedy jokers. They're cheap so people are sometimes fooled into buying at first. Give them six months and they are out of business, guaranteed.
A rich blend of choices also presents problems. In my normal trips to the supermarket alone, organic virgin coconut oil seems to be the norm. It's one thing to see organic on the label. The product should be certified organic. This reminds me of a fun experience I had in early 2007.
As I was in the health food section of a popular supermarket here in Metro Manila, I overheard a couple arguing whether fractionated coconut oil is just like ordinary coconut oil or not. Of course I knew better but I really didn't want to butt in.
I was pleasantly surprised when the guy asked me to referee their debate. And it didn't take long to convince the wife that the husband was correct in saying that fractionated coconut oil is different.
Now certified organic coconut oil is certainly preferable. But this comes at a price. Producers of this kind of coconut oil adhere to stringent regulations laid out by different accrediting agencies. As a result, part of the expenses incurred is passed on to the consumers.
In Quezon Province, where coconut palm trees are almost everywhere, coconut farming is ideally done far away from congested cities. This is to ensure minimal contamination from both air and ground pollution.
Some of the best organic coconuts produced are cultivated within close proximity to a volcano. That's because the soil surrounding volcanoes is rich in minerals and nutrients.
Conventional pesticides and fertilizers degrade the quality of crops. This could limit the potent antimicrobial abilities of the medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) or medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) plentifully found in coconut oil.
The nutritional facts on organic unrefined coconut oil are very impressive. Needless synthetic chemical inputs dilute and lessen its nourishing and disease-combating capabilities.
Coconut agriculture is generally free from human intervention. The coconut tree or Cocos Nucifera, its scientific name, is a remarkably resilient species. It can withstand harsh environmental conditions, though intolerant of freezing water. Because of this, farmers really don't need artificial means to ensure an abundant harvest.
Although coconut palm growing is naturally organic, more and more farmers are practising intercropping. They grow other crops underneath the tall coconut palm trees. This presents a genuine risk to the organic nature of coconut oil products.
Did you know that there are only about 16 million hectares of organically managed agricultural land worldwide? Considering our planet has a total land mass of about 15 Billion hectares, 16 million hectares of organic arable land makes you wonder or question the organic claims of many produce establishments.
Interestingly, some organic coconut oil designation agencies don't seem to distinguish between copra and fresh coconut kernel. Copra is the dried meat of the coconut fruit and is also sometimes called desiccated coconut (DCN), which DCN processors vehemently reject.
Copra is typically used to produce RBD (Refined, Bleached and Deodorized) oil. Because of the refining, bleaching and deodorizing process necessary for sanitation from bacteria and mold, RBD oil no longer contains natural Vitamin E and doesn't have that fresh coconut flavor as well.
Furthermore, some certifying bodies do allow for solvent use in the extraction of coconut oil. For me, this is unacceptable. And I wouldn't be surprised if countless other coconut oil consumers feel the same. Using chemical solvents has no place in manufacturing natural coconut oil.
Bottom line? Know how your coconut oil came about. Choose organic coconut oil and make sure it's certified. MCFA or MCT is one of nature's most effective ways of fighting disease and is abundantly present in organic coconut oil.
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