Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, is no doubt, the purest form of coconut oil.
Most of us, more so, the health conscious ones, are well aware of “Organic” foods these days. Although, chemistry may have a different definition of the term “Organic” to tell you, but when it comes to diet, it means the food that has been grown without the aid of any synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, processed without the help of any synthetic preservatives, conditioners, flavouring and colouring agents, served without any synthetic dressers and consumed likewise. What’s more, it should essentially be bio-degradable when scrapped. So, that was organic food.
Now you can well imagine what Organic Virgin Coconut Oil will be like. It simply means the coconut oil that has been extracted from the fresh coconut milk derived from the coconuts picked from coconut trees that are grown on organic manure and processed and packed without chemicals (Preferably, in bio-degradable packs. Just joking! No, that is not an essential condition to follow).
Does it really make any difference, the virgin coconut oil being organic or not? The answer is “Yes! It does”. Let us see how.
- Direct Benefits: Virgin Coconut Oil is itself considered more beneficial than the ordinary coconut oil derived from copra, since it is derived from fresh coconut milk, preferably without any heating, and hence contains more vitamins, minerals, anti oxidants and Medium Chain Fatty Acids, in addition to having better taste and flavour. Now, think of how good it would be if it comes with absolutely no synthetic additives. That’s the advantage of organic virgin coconut oil. It gives you all the goodness of a virgin coconut oil and that too, free from chemicals. Being free from chemicals, there are no chances of free radicals or carcinogens creeping into it. What you get is 100% natural and pure edible grade oil. Rests of the benefits are same as those of any pure coconut oil.
- Indirect Benefits: Since no chemical fertilizers, pesticides, preservatives, colouring & flavouring agents etc. are involved in its production; it is good on the environment too.
About the price: Again, since the production is very less, requires high precision (to avoid entry of synthetic additives in any stage of production) and it is in great demand, this costs more than either of the ordinary coconut oil or the virgin coconut oil.
Beware! There are absolutely no way to distinguish virgin coconut oil and the organic virgin coconut oil, other than testing in the laboratory for traces of chemicals in it. So, if at all you are going to buy some, get it from the most reputed and most trusted vendor possible.
Some Bitter Facts: Over decades, the extensive and indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, weedicides and dumping of industrial and household wastes into water and land and their spread to the far off places with running water has polluted the land, water and air so much that there is hardly any cultivable place left on this earth which can be called totally free from chemicals. So, how hard one may try, some chemicals are bound to creep in and that leaves no foodstuff perfectly organic. But still, the more it is organic, the better it is.
The Verdict: If genuine, then Organic Virgin Coconut Oil is the best coconut oil you could get. Go for it.
This article is contributed by Aparup Mukherjee.
Sources of Information:
- Reports of Coconut Development Board of India,
- Reports of KERAFED.
- Text books of various courses of agriculture.
- Various other reports on internet.
