Smart Fuel: Coconut Oil
We’ve written about the nutritional benefits of coconut, shared recipes that include coconut milk, and discussed the merits of coconut flour, but we’ve never actually fully covered one of the best coconut products out there: coconut oil.
Coconut oil consists of about 92 percent saturated fat and is therefore nearly solid at room temperature. It can be used in cooking, but is also a common ingredient in home remedies and skin care products.
Although it gets a bad rap in some circles for its high saturated fat content, we know that such fats can offer many health benefits. For example, coconut oil has been found to help normalize blood lipids and protect against damage to the liver by alcohol and other toxins, can play a role in preventing kidney and gall bladder diseases, and is associated with improved blood sugar and insulin control and therefore the prevention and management of diabetes. In addition, coconut oil has antiviral, antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. On a more superficial level, meanwhile, coconut oil is thought to help strengthen mineral absorption, which is important for healthy teeth and bones, and can also help improve the condition and appearance of the scalp, hair and skin when ingested or topically applied.
So how is this veritable miracle food manufactured? In brief, coconuts are collected, broken open and then the flesh is allowed to dry. To extract the oil, the dried flesh is then heated at a low temperature until any moisture is evaporated, leaving you with an oil residue. Now, the thing to note here is that in most coconut oil manufacturing processes chemicals are used to expedite drying as well as to speed the heating process. However, if you select an organic coconut oil, no chemicals will have been used during processing and the original coconut itself will have been grown without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Regular coconut oil production, however, often subjects the coconut meat to chemical solvents in order to maximize extraction. If you want to avoid any chemical residues, stick to organic coconut oil. This shouldn’t be difficult, since most coconut oil available in stores seems to be organic.
One other thing to note is that with coconut oils there are many different grades, or values of refinement. According to the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community Standards for virgin coconut oil, coconut oil can only be sold as such when it is “obtained from the fresh and mature kernel of coconut by mechanical or natural means with or without the application of heat, which does not lead to alteration of the oil.”
Refined coconut oil – which is generally what you’ll see in stores – is made from copra, the dried meat of the coconut. However, because the process of drying the coconut is somewhat unsanitary – it includes laying them out in the sun, putting them in a kiln, or smoking them – the oil is inedible, and is therefore required to undergo a refinement process that includes some combination of using high heat to deodorize the oil, filtering the oil through bleaching clays, adding sodium hydroxide to remove impurities and prolong shelf-life, or performing some kind of hydrogenation or partial-hydrogenation process. In industry terms refined coconut oil is RBD – refined, bleached, deodorized.
The choice is clear – steer clear of the refined stuff and stick with organic virgin coconut oil.
A word of warning about coconut oils labeled as extra virgin. Experts note that there is no other – or more virginal – process of extracting oil from coconuts and the concept of the “extra” is nothing more than a marketing ploy.
Coconut oil is less sensitive to heat than other oils (won’t oxidize as easily) so it’s great for stir-frys and sauteeing. You can substitute it in baking (when making Primal energy bars, for example) and in recipes that call for butter, lard or any other high-saturated fats. It is fairly similar in consistency to butter so it can be used as a spread for vegetables. It makes an excellent addition to a smoothie and can also be used in place of a creamer in coffee or tea.
Our verdict? This is one seriously tropical way to get some more healthy fat in your diet.
What do you use coconut oil for? Share your thoughts in the comment board!
Further Reading:
10 Steps to “Primalize” Your Pantry
Choose Your Own Stir-Fry Adventure
Guest Post by Modern Forager: Tropical Oils
Subscribe to Mark’s Daily Apple feeds
Posted By: Worker Bee
There is an excellent article from Dr. Mercola on thyroid dysfunction and some ways to manage it naturally with coconut oil of all things. There was feature about that in Womens Day in 2003 as well but there are plenty of resources and testimonials about it online.
i find coconut oil to be work wonders i have changed my eating habits i stopped eating bread and sugar and drink one table spoon of coconut oil in the morning and one in the evening and i loss 8 pound in a month without no exercise coconut oil get rid of unwanted fat in the body it has worked for me so try it ..
I started experimenting with the Shangri La diet recently. As part of the diet I took 2 Tbsp of coconut oil on an empty stomach and had a severe (debilitating) stomach ache and diarrhea for the next couple of hours. I had taken 2 Tbsp of canola oil the day before with no problem, so it wasn’t just the amount of fat. The next day I took just 1 Tbsp coconut oil and had very mild stomach upset. After that I was able to take the 2 Tbsp daily with no problem whatsoever. I’ve since read that this is extremely common when people take it in significant amounts on an empty stomach. Some claim it is yeast “die off.” I have no idea, but it’s interesting that it was so severe, and now it has no negative effect. Anyone have any idea as to what that’s all about?
Well I am no expert about coconut oil but know that aloe vera has the same effect. The reason is that it is purging your system of toxins and that is the reason for the upset. It calms doen as the rubbish is expelled from the body
I have recently switched to Coconut Oil from Canola Oil after reading a lot of stuff on lipid peroxidation. I believe this is a primary cause of premature hair loss and early onset of MPB.
What a lot of people don’t know is that you should ease into coconut oil specially if you are coming from a diet of PUFAs. This is necessary to allow time for your body to adjust to saturated fat. I have myself suffered from slight nausea, upset stomach and heartburn after consuming coconut oil. Perhaps this is caused by allergens in virgin coconut oil and maybe I need to make use of refined coconut oil.
I am considering dropping coconut oil till my side effects subside and slowly add it back in. Nausea is not fun at all.
We get ours for USD 6 a gallon(India). Let me know if you want some!
The coconuts are definitely organic, but they may use some chemicals in the extraction,I dunno.
Hi, I would like to say about my experiences after 3 days coconut oil detox. It worked very well, I had no bad symptoms mentioned about it, and my hunger amazingly is cut by half. I made instant coffee and …. couldn’t drink it , it tasted so bad. Anyway home made latte was amazing. My meals are much smaller now, and I have coconut oil only for breakfast, whenever I’m hungry I take it. It really works wonders with my fat loss. Got to add, that I eat primal/paleo with most calories from coconut oil.
I take 3-4 tablespoons of Coconut Oil and enjoy many benefits from this wonderful oil.
Sustained energy, positive mood, great skin + its superb for dressing and cooking.
Its an integral part of my primal/paleo inspired wellness lifestyle
Hi everyone. Here’s a couple of interesting articles about the benefits of coconut oil, with some anthropological data from the Phillipines. Apologies if these have been referred to in an earlier thread or other article (however I don’t think they have) but I figure if it makes more people realise the huge health benefits then that’s good:
http://www.coconutdiet.com/health_benefits_coconut_oil.htm
http://www.coconut-info.com/coconut_oil_why_it_is_good_for_you.htm
plaintains fried in coconut oil with sea salt. Yummy!
I am trying to convert my mother to the primal ways and today she sent me this clip. Thought it was interesting.
http://downloads.cbn.com/cbnnewsplayer/cbnplayer.swf?aid=27477
I’m now using coconut oil on my toast instead of butter! Then I add the wonderful combination of honey and cinnamon and a bit of peanut butter and its delish!
My in-laws are 70ish and not hip to the way the Medium Chain Triglycerides in coconut oil benefit the body and especially the brain. In fact, they were a bit horrified to see us using it. Soo… I made them a hefty leftover smoked chicken, asparagus, oregano, cilantro and cheddar cheese frittata loaded in a whole wheat pita for the drive from Ky to Florida. The sandwiches easily weighed 1/2 pound each. Between the browning of the chicken and asparagus and the oil to cook the actual omelet, I would wager that each stuffed pita sandwich contained at least 2 Tablespoons of Coconut oil.
They left here at 6:30am, they ate their sandwiches a couple of hours later and drove straight through – 930 miles. They can’t understand how they were able to do this. They said they felt so alert after driving for 10 hours that they decided to push on.
Anecdotal to be sure, but they haven’t driven straight through in a decade.
Does anybody know about roasted coconut oil ? A friend brought me some from India and it is a yellowish color with a distinctive roasted flavour.
The package mentioned double filtration. The coconut oil is from one of the biggest coconut producers in India, the Kerafed Co-op. From the little I can find they seem to produce both virgin and roasted coconut oil with good quality control. But, I’m unsure of the health benefits of roasted coconut oil vs the virgin oil (if there are differences).
I have two kinds of coconut oil, both from Spectrum. One is unrefined, and has a distinct coconut flavor. The other is “refined, organic, expeller-pressed” and relatively flavorless. I prefer to use the latter for cooking unless I want the coconut flavor. Is it really not a good idea? The unrefined version is great, but I don’t want my omelets tasting like coconut.
Someone else asked this but I saw no answer. What do you know about Louana coconut oil? I looked on their website but it didn’t give any info. Has it been hydrogenated? It says “all natural” and “pure coconut oil” on the label. “Ingredients: coconut oil”. I will ask the company, too, but has anyone already asked and gotten an answer?
Thanks for the explanation on types and debunking the ‘extra virgin’ label. The food co-op got me for triple the price on organic ‘extra’ virgin coconut oil when I can buy organic virgin at the supplement store instead. Now I’m an educated primal consumer.
Mark, your work (passion?) is appreciated.
Kenny
I am trying to put on quite a bit of lean weight. I am currently adding a couple glasses of organic whole milk to my diet with a 2 eggs in the morning. I am eager to add coconut products but am not sure that the fat in the milk, eggs, and coconut oil will be too much saturated fat. How many TBSP of coconut should I be including per day? Suggestions are more than welcom
Good question; I dont see any comments, have you found out anything?
I use organic virgin UNREFINED coconut oil as a substitute for mct oil when I make bulletproof coffee.
Unless one is doing a shangri-la style method, it is odd to me that anyone would take coconut oil from a spoon as a supplement. Why not enjoy it as a delicious food? Also, I wonder why people don’t use full fat coconut milk more often when they want to supplement coconut oil/MCT. The milk is mostly just coconut fat and water anyway.
Last night I made a tall glass of chocolate milk using a big spoonful of organic cocoa powder (dissolved in a very small amount of hot water), a few drops of stevia, a touch of cinnamon, a dash of vanilla extract, a good dose of sea salt, and about a third cup of full-fat coconut milk. I filled the rest of the large glass with water and ice and stirred. OH MY was it delicious!
I like to put a tablespoon in my morning oatmeal. I also enjoy a tablespoon with my protein drink after a workout. Plus it’s the best oil for sex lubricant.
Love to use it in curries and as a hair oil.Thanks for sharing this article.
Your article says that coconut oil should be rather solid at room temp. I live on a small island and buy coconut oil from a little Thai lady that I witness make my oil. I actually gather the coconuts that she uses to make it!! (gets me a discount)It is VERY pure! But, it does not congeal at room temp.
Anyone know why??
If you live in a climate that’s around 73*F or higher, VCO will not solidify but stay in semi liquid or liquid state. The “purer” the oil the longer it takes to solidify.
KS
Thanks for sharing the health benefits of coconut oil. This article has added more useful information and had further established my belief that these are true.
I never cook with coconut oil because I don’t like the flavor with savory foods. But, I have found at night that I crave coconut oil. I have about 4 tablespoons at night before bed. I eat frozen coconut oil with dark chocolate and almonds, and sometimes afterwards add a tablespoon of coconut oil to Paleo Fuel and have that as well. Why am I craving coconut oil so much? It is a really intense craving and I feel so good after I eat it.
Does anybody know anything about Spectrum Refined Coconut Oil (expeller pressed, organic)? Their website claims that no chemicals are used in the refining process and that they use temperatures under 250F. Mark’s main text says Refined is RBD, but Spectrum’s process doesn’t sound offensive.
Am I missing anything?
Mark,
Is Organic, expeller-pressed coconut oil ok? Its much cheaper than what is labled as organic virgin coconut oil, and seems to follow most of your guidelines of what is acceptable coconut oil for primal.
Her is the source I found for it:
http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/expeller-pressed_coconut_oil.htm
Thanks!
I have an autistic son so VCO is the only thing I put on his skin, hair, rashes, scrapes, etc.
VCO is also EXCELLENT oil for “private” areas and sex. My husband and I love it! It can also be used in oil lamps, and to polish leather shoes.
KS
Interesting news stories out there on coconut oil today…
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2258665/Alzeimers-Can-coconut-oil-ease-Families-whove-given-loved-ones-swear-it.html
http://www.cbn.com/media/player/index.aspx?s=/archive/club/700Club010713_WS
What if High Fructose Corn Syrop was a contributing factor that could be long term diminishing the ability of the brain to pick up the glucose which is part of the issue for Alzheimers sufferers…
Wonderful & healthy oil to use in many ways. I use it in cooking anything that I am sauteing or frying. I use it on baked potatoes. I also rub it into my dry, cracked heels and feet. It is amazing for that use! I rub it in before bed and then put on an old pair of socks and let it soak in there all night. My horribly dry, cracked heels are now well, soft, and young looking again. Amazing since I am NOT young at all. The newest thing I am trying it on is my dog’s dry, flaky, itchy skin. I just rub a small amount of it into her skin (she’s a short haired dog) and massage it directly into the skin as much as possible. I’ve only done this for a couple of days but she is definitely scratching LESS already. I don’t know. I’ve tried everything on her for the last 5 years and nothing works so far except antibiotics, steroids and anti-fungal meds which I don’t want to keep her on. Once she gets off of them, it all comes back immediately anyway. Since coconut oil is antibacterial and anti-fungal, I’m hoping this might just be the answer. I also put it in her food too. I highly recommend trying coconut oil if you haven’t yet. There’s lot of research on it on the internet so you can research it first if you’re leery about using it.
Where can I buy coconut oil in Kansas City? Anyone know???
If I already bought coconut oil but it is “refined”- how bad actually is it? It was a little expensive I think so should I use it anyway or it’s so bad that I should throw the whole thing out and buy a new one?