Varieties of Coconut Oil
The fact that coconut is used in various applications makes it important to get a clear understanding of the different varieties of coconut oil.
No two persons are same. Everybody is different from the other and so different are their needs. In today’s market, a customer wants choices. Choices those suit his needs and, of course, his pocket. You cannot satisfy them with a single original variety. So, coconut oil too changed itself. It is no more that good old ordinary coconut oil. It has got varieties too, each having something different to offer. Let’s explore these varieties of coconut oil and find out what’s so special about them, one by one.
Pure Coconut Oil: This oil is our good old friend. Extracted from dried coconut kernels, also called copra. It is crude, unrefined and without any additives. It is mainly extracted by compression of copra in a mill, either driven by bullocks or by power. However, the one extracted by bullock driven oil mills is preferred.
- Availability: Not as abundantly available in the market as the RBD coconut oil. May be because of the fact that most of the crude oil produced is converted to RBD and sold. Available in liquid form packed in bottles or a coconut oil cakes. Produced in abundance in the Asian coastal countries, but unfortunately, as said earlier, most of it is converted to RBD oil. So, you’ll have to search for the crude oil producers.
- Popularity: Very popular, primarily due to its easy availability (after RBD one), good taste and fragrance.
- Cost: Bit dearer than the RBD, since although it involves less processing, but it comes less in the market in the pure form and is in high demand. So, it is a sort of novelty now.
- Uses: Lots of uses, including use as edible oil (in cooking), as massaging oil, hair oil, in manufacturing of soaps, shampoos, lotions, ointments, confectionaries, medicines etc.
- Caution: Most of the coconut oil sold under the name of Pure Coconut Oil is actually RBD Coconut Oil (coming later to that).
Refined Coconut Oil: This is sometimes also called the RBD Coconut Oil, which is an abbreviated form for Refined, Bleached & Deodorized Coconut Oil. As the name suggests, this is obtained by mechanically and chemically refining, bleaching and deodorizing the crude coconut oil, to make it thin, colourless, odourless and without any type of particle (such as those of proteins) suspended in it. What we get is only pure saturated fats and nothing else.
- Availability: Perhaps it is the most produced and most easily available form of coconut oil.
- Popularity: Very popular since most available.
- Cost: Perhaps the cheapest variety, as most produced, most sold and does not have that “Novelty” tag on it.
- Uses: Mainly in cooking. Also used for hair and skin and in soap, cream and other cosmetics industries.
Virgin Coconut Oil: Virgin coconut oil is derived from the milk obtained from fresh coconut meat, and not from Copra, by processes like fermentation, centrifugal separation and enzyme action. Care is taken to use no or as less heat as possible in the extraction of this oil. Produced this way, this oil tastes and smells the best and is laden with anti oxidants and Medium Chain Fatty Acids. It also has remarkable anti microbial properties. This is one of the most respected varieties of coconut oil.
- Availability: Scarcely available as produced less, in selected areas and by some selected firms only. You can expect them in big malls and not with your nearby grocer. Can be fetched on order over internet too.
- Popularity: Popularity is growing day by day due to its therapeutic uses.
- Cost: Costs much more than any of the first two varieties, for obvious reasons.
- Uses: Has remarkable prospects. Due to high anti microbial and anti oxidant properties, its possible uses in treatment of even diseases like AIDS are being thought of and in fact, have shown good results in experiments. Further, it is very much used in losing weight, improving metabolism, fighting infections and digestive disorders, aromatherapy, skin & hair care and in medicines due to higher concentration of Capric Acid, Lauric Acid, Caprylic Acid and Vitamin-E present in it.
- Caution: Again, there remains a question of purity and genuineness, as there are very much chances of adultery and that you end up buying ordinary coconut oil under the name of Virgin Coconut Oil. So, go for a reputed firm.
Organic Coconut Oil: The coconut oil that has been extracted from coconuts obtained from coconut palms raised only on organic manure and no synthetic fertilizers, insecticides etc., and without the involvement of any chemical in its extraction or processing, is called the organic coconut oil. This again, is a very much respected variety of coconut oil.
- Availability: Very scarcely available.
- Popularity: In today’s scenario of rapidly growing concern over organic products, it is not surprising that people are going crazy over it, keeping in view the benefits of coconut oil and that too, with an “Organic” tag on it.
- Cost: Highly priced for obvious reasons.
- Uses: Not very different from its counterparts, except with that “organic” edge.
- Caution: Genuineness is very much doubted, as there are very-very few firms those take proper care all the way to produce the ideal organic coconut oil and have strictly organically raised coconut plantations of their own. Further, it is next to impossible to distinguish between ordinary coconut oil and organic coconut oil just from the looks, smell or taste. So, best of luck to you.
Organic Virgin Coconut Oil: You can very well understand what does that mean. It means virgin coconut oil produced from the organic coconuts, the organic way. This is perhaps the best and purest form of coconut oil one can imagine of (of course, if it is that real).
- Availability: Very-very rarely available since this combination of virginity and organic is rarely matched.
- Popularity: Very much in demand, more so among those who take that high precision cares of their health.
- Cost: You can well imagine. Better I keep shut.
- Uses: I cannot think of a better use of this variety than the uses of virgin coconut oil and organic coconut oil combined together.
- Caution: Time and again, there remain a lot of doubts regarding its genuineness. Even those Sherlock Holmes of the customers could fail you in telling whether it is genuine or not. So, go for the brand names and have a good luck, again.
Extra Virgin Coconut Oil: Among all the varieties of coconut oil, this is the most challenged and doubted one, as its very existence is doubted and the name hardly makes any sense. Further, there are no set standards for virginity of coconut oil. Moreover, reputed firms and government bodies are still neither saying anything on it, nor are they selling it. So, speaking something on this will be too early.
So, that’s that, a study on varieties of coconut oil. A few last words! The properties of coconut oil do not differ much with their varieties and remain more or less the same. So, think well and make a wise decision before you put your hands in your pocket. Thank you.
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.
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