Virgin Coconut Oil:
Coconut Oil at Its Finest

Unadulterated Coconut Oil

Considered a "premium" quality health food, it packs the most nutrients and health benefits the amazing oil of the humble coconut can possibly offer.

There are essentially only two kinds of coconut oil: VCO and RBD (Refined, Bleached & Deodorized). Everything else, including cold pressed coconut oil, are in between or variants of these two, depending on the type of coconut used and the degree of processing the oil undergoes.

Definition

VCO is popularly defined as the naturally processed, chemical and additive free oil from fresh coconut meat and/or its derivatives (coconut milk and coconut milk residue).

It has that fresh coconut aroma and flavor ranging from mild to mildly intense, depending on the production process used. Water white in color, it is the "purest and healthiest" form of coconut oil.

RBD

RBD oil, at the other end of the spectrum, is typically made from dried whole coconut known as copra.

Because it's normally sun-dried for up to weeks, copra contains bacteria and mold that needs to be removed through refining. Although the refining process has rendered it odorless and tasteless, RBD coconut oil can be just as clear as VCO so you often won't be able to distinguish just by looking. You need to smell and taste the difference.

As mentioned, VCO has that distinct fresh coconut scent and flavor. RBD is basically bland.

Medium Chain Fatty Acids

Both VCO and RBD oil contain practically the same amount of Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT) or Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFA), the rare fat molecules mainly responsible for the countless benefits of VCO.

But since the processing has stripped it of all the antioxidants and other phytonutrients naturally found in the raw coconut oil, RBD, while considered a healthy oil, is not as good as VCO.

Below are the production methods used for making VCO:

• Fresh-Dry Process (Wet Milling Route)
• Fresh-Dry Process (Desiccated Coconut Route)
• Fresh-Dry Process (Grated Coconut Route)
• Low Pressure Oil Extraction
• Traditional Wet Process (Modified Kitchen Method)
• Modified Natural Fermentation Process
• Centrifuge Process

Long Shelf Life

Coconut oil is the most saturated (92 percent) dietary fat that exists. Unlike weak polyunsaturated fat soybean oil and almost all other vegetable oils, highly stable VCO can stay fresh for a very long time, even without refrigeration. It's so stable, it functions as an antioxidant!

My relatives in the province make their own homemade coconut oil. One day as they were doing a general cleaning of their house, they discovered a two-year old bottle of virgin coconut oil. Lo and behold, it's still as fresh as the ones they made just weeks ago.

Traditional Applications

Long before it was discovered to possess mighty antimicrobial abilities that can annihilate even the deadly AIDS virus (HIV), coconut oil has been giving whole generations beautiful skin and hair.

Coconut oil hair and skin uses have been around for thousands of years. It is used as an everyday hair conditioner and body lotion. Many Filipinos, Asians and Pacific islanders still use it exclusively in their daily skin and hair care regimen.

Extra Virgin?

Some manufacturers add the word "extra" to indicate that their oil is better than regular VCO. At the end of the day though, this may just be a marketing gimmick employed to imitate the olive oil industry. Find out the truth about extra virgin coconut oil.

As coconut oil continues to regain its reputation as the greatest fat on the planet, you will see an increasing number of VCO products. It would be wise not to settle for cheap, low-quality types. Choose authentic virgin coconut oil, "Your Drugstore in a Bottle."

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