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Note:
Most of the answers discussed in this FAQ section was derived from the book of worlsssd’s leading expert on coconut and health :Bruce Fife,C.N., N.D., president of the Coconut Research Center. To learn more, buy his books - click here.
What is Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO)?
What is the difference between Virgin Coconut Oil and Copra-derived Cooking Oil?
What are the different methods of processing Coconut Oil that may affect the quality, appearance, flavor, aroma of the finished product?
What is the difference between cold-pressed Coconut Oil vs. cold-processed Coconut Oil?
What id the proposed interim quality standard for Virgin Coconut Oil?
Why is Coconut Oil also called a "Nutriceutical" substance?
What is the most important component of Coconut Oil and why?
Is the Lauric fatty acid in Virgin Coconut Oil reduced if it is processed using high temperature?
What do experts say regarding Coconut Oil - derived Lauric fatty acid and its Monoglyceride form, Monolaurin?
Why is Coconut Cooking Oil a lot more healthier than Soya, Canola, Flaxseed or other Cooking Oils?
How do you compare Coconut Cooking Oil with the other Cooking Oils?
How do you store Coconut Oil?
Why is it that the Coconut Oil is solidified in cold weather and is in liquified form in warm climate?
Why is it that some brands of Coconut Oil are "whitish" in appearance while other brands are "yellowish", is there any difference in quality between the two?
How much Coconut Oil do i need?
Is Coconut Oil really safe, without harmful side effects?
What does the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) have to say about Coconut Oil?
How can i incorporate Coconut Oil in my life to take advantage of its numerous health benefits?
Is Coconut Oil safe to apply on my skin and hair?
Is Coconut Oil a good massage oil?
What is Virgin Coconut Oil (VCNO)?
Virgin Coconut Oil is the naturally processed, chemically-free and additive-free product from fresh coconut meat or its derivative (coconut milk and coconut milk residue) which has not undergone any chemical processing after extraction.
It is the purest form of coconut oil, water white in color, contains natural Vitamin E and with very low free fatty acid content and peroxide value. It has a mild to intense fresh coconut scent depending on the type of process used for production.
back to topWhat is the difference between Virgin Coconut Oil and Copra-derived Cooking Oil?
Copra-derived cooking oil has to undergo chemical refining, bleaching and deodorization processes to make it suitable for human consumption. It is yellow or pale yellow in color and does not contain Vitamin E since this is removed when the oil is subjected to high temperature and the various chemical processes.
back to topWhat are the different methods of processing Coconut Oil that may affect the quality, appearance, flavor, aroma of the finished product?
Coconut Oil is commonly divided into two broad categories – "refined, bleached and deodorized" (RBD) and "virgin". The difference between the two is in the amount of processing the oil undergoes. The term "virgin" is not an official classification; it simply signifies an oil that has been subjected to less intense refining –lower temperatures and no chemicals.
The RBD oil is typically made from dried coconut, known as copra, which is made by drying coconut in the sun, smoking it, heating it in a kiln, or some combination of these. Oil made from copra is the most common coconut oil used in the cosmetic and food industries. While high temperatures and chemical solvents are used to produced this oil, it is still considered a healthy dietary oil because the fatty acids in coconut oil are not harmed in the refining process.
Most virgin coconut oils are made from fresh coconuts, not copra. The oil is extracted by any number of methods: boiling, fermentation, refrigeration, mechanical press, or centrifuge. Since high temperatures and chemical solvents are not used, the oil retains its naturally occuring phytochemicals (plant chemicals), which produce a distinctive coconut taste and smell.
Another term you’re likely to encounter in respect to coconut oil is "expeller pressed". This is a common tern used in the vegetable industry to describe oils that have minimal processing. Expeller-pressed coconut oil has undergone more processing than virgin oils but not as much as RBD oils.
back to topWhat is the difference between cold-pressed Coconut Oil vs. cold-processed Coconut Oil?
Do not confuse cold-pressed vs cold-processed. Cold pressed oil usually passes through heat of nut of only 40 degrees but more than 80 degrees for the moisture to be totally eliminated. Cold processed on the other hand does not pass through any heat.
Heated oil (including Refined, Bleached, Deodorized oil -RBD) which are mostly the coconut cooking oil , still retain the lauric acid content of the coconut oil but is reduced due to heating. Lauric acid is a very stable fatty acid. The caproic, caprylic and capric acids (very important for the cure of cancer and HIV), like Vitamin E and other tocopherol all dissipate with heat.
back to topWhat id the proposed interim quality standard for Virgin Coconut Oil?
COLOR – Water White; 1 Yellow, 0.1 Red
FREE FATTY ACID – 0.5% maximum (as lauric)
MOISTURE - 0.2% maximum
PEROXIDE VALUE – 1 and below
TOTAL PLATE COUNT - <10 cfu/ml Per ml of oil
CONTAMINANTS - free from iron, cooper, lead and arsenic
back to topWhy is Coconut Oil also called a "Nutriceutical" substance?
Aside from the instant energy that it provides to the human body, it also have some medicinal properties. It was found out that the medium chain fats in coconut oil (C8-C12) is similar to the fats in mother’s milk that gives babies immunity from diseases and have similar effects.
back to topWhat is the most important component of Coconut Oil and why?
Lauric Fatty Acid (C12). Since 1984, increasing number of literatures are appearing regarding the anti-viral; anti-microbial; anti-fungal and anti-protozoal properties of Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFA) (C8, C10, C12) with Lauric Acid (C12) and its monoglyceride form- monolaurin being mentioned as the most potent against lipid coated micro-organisms which are not normally cured by ordinary antibiotics. Among the vegetable oils traded in the world, coconut oil is the richest source of MCFA (64%) and Lauric Acid ( 48-53%).
Apart from coconut oil, the only other source of lauric acid found in such high concentrations is in mother’s milk. Tropical oils and mother’s milk are by far the richest food sources of medium chain fatty acids available. Any other vegetable oil is completely deficient in these MCFA’s. Lauric acid is the most important essential fatty acid in building and maintaining the body’s immune system.
The medium chain fatty acids and monoglycerides found primarily in coconut oil have tremendous healing power. It is rare in the history of medicine to find substances which have such useful properties and still be without toxicity or even harmful side effects.
back to topIs the Lauric fatty acid in Virgin Coconut Oil reduced if it is processed using high temperature?
No, the lauric fatty acid content of any coconut oil is highly dependent on the variety of coconut and not on the process used. In a study conducted by the Philippine Coconut Authority Zamboanga Research Center, it was found out that hybrid coconuts contains higher lauric fatty acids compared with local tall varieties.
back to topWhat do experts say regarding Coconut Oil - derived Lauric fatty acid and its Monoglyceride form, Monolaurin?
According to Professor Jon Kabara, Department of Pharmacology, Michigan State University who pioneered research on monolaurin:
Monolaurin, as a dietary supplement has shown very good results as an antibiotic and antiviral agent particularly in its potency against lipid-coated /enveloped viruses.
It does not cause resistance organism to appear and was also shown that it can reduce the resistance of germs to antibiotics.
When coconut oil is consumed, the body makes the disease fighting monolaurin.
According to Dr. Mary Enig, a noted nutritional biochemist, formerly with the University of Maryland, now with the Nutrition Department, Enig Associates
Recently published research has shown that natural coconut fat in the diet leads to a normalization of body lipids, protects againsts alcohol damage to the liver and improves the immune system’s anti-inflammatory response
The antimicrobial fatty acids and their derivatives are essentially nontoxic to man and they are produced in vivo by humans when they ingest those commonly available foods that contain adequate levels of medium chain fatty acids like coconut oil
The medicinal properties of lauric acid and monolaurin have been recognized by small numer of researches for nearly four decades and this knowledge has resulted in more than 20 research papers and several US patents.
back to topWhy is Coconut Cooking Oil a lot more healthier than Soya, Canola, Flaxseed or other Cooking Oils?
There is the healthy side of natural fats. Coconut oil, being a highly saturated fat (96%), is the least vulnerable of all the dietary oils to oxidation and free-radical formation and therefore is the safest to use in cooking. One distinct advantage that all saturated fats have other unsaturated fats (mono- and polyunsaturated fats) is that they don’t have any missing hydrogen atoms or double-bonded carbons. This means that they are not vulnerable to oxidation and free-radical formation as unsaturated fats are. Food manufacturers have known this for decades. They add saturated fats (often coconut and palm kernel oils) to foods because they help prevent spoilage caused by free radicals.
Coconut oil, being highly saturated, is very stable and extraordinarily resistant to oxidation. When oils oxidize, they become rancid and form toxic free radicals. Coconut oil is so stable when heated, it is 12x more resistant to oxidation than canola oil; 16 x more resistant than soybean oil; and 300x more resistant than flaxseed oil.
Most cooking oils in the market are either hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated. Hydrogenation is a process where unsaturated vegetable oil is chemically altered to form a more saturated fat. Increasing the saturation makes the oil less susceptible to spoilage. Hydrogenation is a way of making vegetable oil harden at room temperature. Hydrogenation involves heating oils to very high temperatures under pressure for up to 8 hours while bombarding and injecting them with hydrogen gas.. This process destroys the essential fatty acids in the oil and replaces them with deformed, toxic trans fatty acids.
Trans fatty acids are artificial fats and are structurally different from natural fats. Our bodies can handle natural fats, but trans fatty acids have no place in our bodies and are linked to many health problems. Trans fatty acids cause our cells to freeze up, so to speak ,leaving them dysfunctional. The more trans fatty acids eaten, the greater the cellular destruction. Many researchers believe trans fatty acids have a greater influence on the development of cardiovascular disease than any other dietary fat. Many studies have also demonstrated a very close association between consumption of unsaturated oils and the incidence of cancer.
Even if the brand of bottle of oil on your kitchen shelf has not been hydrogenated, unless the vegetable oil has been "cold-pressed" or "expeller-pressed", it contains trans fatty acids. Most of the common brands of vegetable oil and salad dressing contains trans fatty acids . Trans fatty acids are also found in processed foods and fried foods.
Saturated fats from any source are much more tolerant of the temperatures used in cooking and do not form any trans fatty acids or create harmful free radicals; therefore they make much better and safer cooking oils. Saturated fats is not the enemy because they offer a number of health benefits and play important roles in the body. Trans fatty acids are much worse for you than saturated fats as they raise bad cholesterol levels and lower good cholesterol and have also been linked to heart disease.
In addition, not all saturated fats are created equal - since coconut oil is composed primarily of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), (unusually rich level of 62%, the highest source of saturated medium chain triglycerides of any naturally occuring vegan source), it is not like the long-chain saturated fatty acids that raise blood cholesterol levels. And unlike almost all saturated and unsaturated oils, it does not promote the platelet stickiness that leads to blood clot formation. The medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil give it properties that make it unique and considered by many to be the "healthiest oil on earth".
Research shows that replacing other cooking oils with virgin coconut oil generally creates a more favorable HDL (good cholesterol) /LDL(bad cholesterol) ratio. This oil has antiviral, antibacterial, antimicrobial and antiprotozoal properties and, like all whole foods, contains nutrients for a healthy body. By eating coconut oil you can reduce your chances of suffering a heart attack!
back to topHow do you compare Coconut Cooking Oil with the other Cooking Oils?
Coconut Oil has a moderately low smoking point, so you need to keep the temperature below 350 degrees F when cooking food on the stove. This is a moderately high cooking temperature and you can cook anything at this heat, even stir-fry vegetables. You can tell whether it goes over this point because the oil will begin to smoke.
When baking breads, muffins and casseroles using coconut oil, you can set the oven at temperatures above 350 degrees F because the moisture in the food keeps the inside temperature below 212 degrees F.
For frying, nothing beats coconut oil. It isn’t absorbed into foods as much as other vegetable oils, dosen’t splatter as much. According to Bruce Fife, he does not ordinarily recommend eating fried foods because most vegetable oils become toxic when fried, but if you use coconut oil, fried foods could be good for you as long as you don’t over heat it.
You can use coconut oil in place of other oils in recipies that call for butter, shortening, margarine, or vegetable oil. It is great for stir-frying. Remember to keep the temperature below the point where it starts to smoke. Any oil, including coconut oil, will produce toxic by-products if overheated.
back to topHow do you store Coconut Oil?
Coconut Oil is very stable and does not need to be refrigerated. It will stay fresh for atleast 2 or 3 years unrefrigerated. If kept in a cool place it will last even longer.
back to topWhy is it that the Coconut Oil is solidified in cold weather and is in liquified form in warm climate?
An interesting characteristic about coconut oil that mystifies some users is coconut’s high melting point. You can buy a bottle of liquid clear coconut oil in the store and take it home and the next day it has transformed into a hard, white solid. Some people might think it has gone rancid, but it hasn’t. Or some people might associate its hard, white state with the cholesterol-rich plaques in blood vessels. In the body, incidentally, the coconut oil can’t exist as a solid, since it liquefies at 76 degrees.
Coconut oil turns from a clear liquid into a hard, white solid at temperatures below 76 degress F (24 C). This change from liquid to solid isn’t unusual; butter does the same thing. For this reason, coconut oil is sometimes referred to as coconut butter.
You can use it either way: liquid or solid. To liquefy hardened coconut oil, simply immerse the container in hot water for a minute or two. It melts quickly.
back to topWhy is it that some brands of Coconut Oil are "whitish" in appearance while other brands are "yellowish", is there any difference in quality between the two?
According to Bruce Fife’s book "The Coconut Oil Miracle" ( to order the book click here ) : There are some oils that may be labeled "virgin" and are made from sun-dried copra rather than fresh coconut. These are called cochin oils. They have undergone less processing than most refined, bleached, deodorized (RBD) oils. This does not mean that the
The term "cochin" is derived from a place in India, Cochin, where cheap copra (dried coconut) is popular. These oils have a strong smell and taste and are slightly discolored. When coconut is dried in the open air it is common for the copra to become moldy. The oil from this type of copra has a yellowish or gray color because of the mold. The mold residue is considered harmless because the heat used in the processing has rendered it sterile.
You can tell the difference between these oils and true virgin coconut oil by the color. Virgin coconut oil made from fresh coconuts is pure white when solidified, or crystal clear like water when liquified. Because cochin oil contains a higher level of impurities than other coconut oils it has a relatively short shelf life, about six months. These oils are less expensive to produce than virgin coconut oil. We don’t recommend these type of oils because they can taste horrible and contain too many contaminants. Even RBD oil is better. The coconut oil you should use whether it be virgin or RBD, should be colorless, not "yellowish".
back to topHow much Coconut Oil do i need?
According to Bruce Fife’s book "The Coconut Oil Miracle" (to order the book click here) An adult of average size would need 3.5 tablespoons (50 grams) of coconut oil a day to equal the proportion of medium chain fatty acids (MCFA’s) a nursing baby receives. This dose could be achieved through cooking, taking it as a supplement, or by applying it directly to the skin.
The same amount of MCFA’s (3.5 to 4 tablespoons of coconut oil) can be obtained from 10 ounces of coconut milk or 7 ounces of raw coconut (about half a whole coconut), or 2 ¾ cups dried, shredded coconut. Studies have shown that the antimicrobial effects of MCFA’s increases with the quantity used, so the greater the number of these infection-fighting fatty acids available in our bodies, the greater our protection. Eating more should provide greater health benefits, not only in preventing illness but in improving digestion and nutrient absorption, protecting against heart disease, and so on. Coconut Oil is essentially non-toxic to humans and is considered safer than soy, which many people eat by the pound.
back to topIs Coconut Oil really safe, without harmful side effects?
As Bruce Fife puts it : Consider this: nature puts medium chain fatty acids ( MCFA’s) (also a major component of coconut oil) in mother’s breast milk. If it is safe for a newborn infant, it should be safe enough for anyone else. The fact that it is in breast’s milk attests to its safety.
There are no harmful side effects to using coconut oil or any other coconut product. Dr. Jon Kabara who has been doing research on coconut for over half a century states: "Fatty acids and derivatives tend to be the least toxic chemicals known to man. Not only are these agents non-toxic to man but are actual foods".
Some people report that when they start using coconut oil externally or internally, their skin breaks out in a rash. This reaction could be a response to one of two things:
A cleansing reaction, and the body is expelling toxins
It could be an allergic reaction to coconuts.
If you have trouble with allergies, before using any coconut product, you may want to test yourself first to find out if you are allergic to it. People can be allergic or hypersensitive to any type of food, even brocolli or lettuce. A simple way to test yourself is to rub a little coconut oil on your forearm. Wait a day and see if your skin will become swollen or red. You will know if you are allergic or not with just one application.
Coconut is considered to be a low allergy risk food and a true allergy to coconut is rare.
back to topWhat does the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) have to say about Coconut Oil?
The FDA has included coconut oil on its list of foods that are "Generally Regarded As Safe" (GRAS). This is an exclusive list. Only those foods that have passed stringent testing and have a history of safe usage can qualify for inclusion on the GRAS list.
Recent reports from the US FDA about required labeling of the trans fatty acids will put coconut oil in a more competitive position and may help return to its use by the baking and snack food industry where it has continued to be recognized for its functionality. Now it can be recognized for another kind of functionality: the improvement of the health of mankind.
back to topHow can i incorporate Coconut Oil in my life to take advantage of its numerous health benefits?
You can incorporate coconut oil in your life with just three simple steps:
Use coconut oil in your cooking and get rid of all other vegetable oils in your diet;
Eat coconut and coconut products as a regular part of your diet
Apply coconut oil directly to your skin and hair in order to absorb its healing benefits directly into your body.
back to topIs Coconut Oil safe to apply on my skin and hair?
Coconut oil works like magic on the skin. When used as a skin lotion, food-grade coconut-oil is prefered. Oil is readily absorbed through the skin and into the body –its almost the same as eating it. Apply a thin layer of oil over most of your body. Several thin layers of oil are absorbed much better than one thick layer because too much oil in any one place saturates the tissues and limits absorption.
It is safe to apply the coconut oil to your face. It will help your complexion. Coconut oil acts like an exfoliant and helps remove dead cells, giving the skin a shiny, youthful appearance.
Coconut oil also heals dry, red, infected, cut or bruised skin. It also helps with all types of skin blemishes. Its an excellent way to heal stretch marks. It soothes and speeds the healing of burns, cuts, insect bites and other injuries. It is also a great way to prevent and treat foot fungus. When applied to the hair, it also controls dandruff and will give it shine and healthy luster.
back to topIs Coconut Oil a good massage oil?
Coconut oil makes the best massage oil because of its healing properties. It improves skin health and appearance and helps soothe tight and sore muscles. It is also considered a non-staining oil. Coconut oil however absorbs quickly, so many massage therapists combine a good quality monounstaurated oil such as almond oil at a ratio of 1 part almond oil and 2 parts coconut oil.
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