Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) on Virgin Coconut Oil

What Makes Virgin Coconut Oil Different From Other Coconut Oils?
There are basically two types of coconut oil: Virgin Coconut Oil, and RBD (Refined, Bleached, and Deodorized) oil. The differences between them include the type of coconuts used and the kind of processing that the oil undergoes.

RBD oil is made from dried coconuts known as copra, and it undergoes extensive processing resulting in a colorless, tasteless, and odorless product just like other processed vegetable oils. RBD oil is commonly used in commercial food processing and in cosmetics.

Virgin Coconut Oil is made from fresh coconuts and undergoes far less processing – at lower temperature, and without chemicals – thus retaining its natural nutrients. The result is an oil with a distinctive and delicious, yet mild taste and aroma.

RBD oils and Virgin Coconut Oil may look the same. The only way to distinguish the two is by smell and taste. RBD oils are bland, while Virgin Coconut Oils have a mild coconut flavor and aroma.

What Causes Virgin Coconut Oil To Turn White Solid?
Virgin Coconut Oil has a high melting point. It turns white solid at temperatures below 76°F (24°C). The purest form is white in color when solid, and clear when melted. To liquefy, simply put the VCO container in a pan of warm water for a minute or two.

Isn’t Coconut Oil High In Cholesterol?
Coconut Oil is a vegetable oil and therefore contains no cholesterol. Cholesterol is only found in animal fats and dairy products.

Aren’t All Coconut Products Fattening?
Ideal dietary fat intake combines a mixture of 3 main fat groups (monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated) as reflected in most dietary guidelines. Coconuts contain saturated fats, but these saturated fats are of a particular type, called medium chain fatty acids (MCFA’s), also known as medium chain triglycerides (MCT’s). Medium chain fatty acids are rapidly digested and used to provide energy in the body, thus reducing the chance of the body storing it as fat.

Medium chain fatty acids, which are also found in human breast milk, have been shown to help improve digestion, stimulate metabolism, strengthen the immune system, and to help protect against bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. The medium chain fats in coconut oil are considered so nutritious that they are used in baby formulas, and in hospitals to feed the critically ill, those on tube feeding, and those with digestive problems.

Why Do Some Say Coconut Oil Is Unhealthy and Bad For You?
Since the 1960’s, coconut oil has been unfairly labeled as “unhealthy”. The media reported studies of how tropical coconut oils were laden with artery-clogging fats. What wasn’t reported was the fact that the coconut oil used in the studies was hydrogenated – not the pure virgin coconut oil used for centuries as a staple food among traditional cultures.

We now know it is hydrogenation – artificially adding hydrogen molecules to oils in order to make them shelf-stable – that’s the problem, not pure virgin coconut oil. Hydrogenated soy, corn, and canola oils – loaded with dangerous trans-fats, and processed with toxic hexane solvents – are routinely added to many packaged foods. Hydrogenation is now being linked with a number of diseases. Virgin Coconut Oil is not hydrogenated, and contains no trans-fat.

Will Heating Virgin Coconut Oil Turn It Into Hydrogenated Oil?
Hydrogenation is not caused by heating Virgin Coconut Oil during cooking. Hydrogenation is an industrial process where hydrogen molecules are introduced into the oil to make it solid at room temperature. It chemically alters the oil and creates harmful trans-fatty acids. Cooking with Virgin Coconut Oil does not introduce hydrogen into the oil or hydrogenate it. It is perfectly safe to heat Virgin Coconut Oil for cooking. The medium chain fatty acids in Virgin Coconut Oil are very resistant to heat, making Virgin Coconut Oil one of the best and safest natural oils to use in cooking or frying.