| Organic unrefined virgin coconut oil is often said to | | | | the label 'unrefined' should mean just that. |
| be the best kind of coconut oil that you can eat. | | | | Keep in mind that some unrefined oils must be |
| Made from organically grown coconut and | | | | heated to remove excess moisture and |
| processed in the traditional way (without | | | | deactivate enzymes that can cause spoilage. |
| chemicals), it's a nutritious and delicious fat to add | | | | Unless you're going to make the oil yourself and |
| to your diet. | | | | eat it quite quickly, some processing is necessary |
| High in MCTs (medium chain fatty acids) which | | | | for safety. Don't believe a coconut producer who |
| have been shown to have antiviral and | | | | claims that their oil contains lots of live enzymes. |
| antibacterial properties and tend to be easier to | | | | If it truly does, watch out, it hasn't been |
| digest than other fatty acids, coconut oil can be a | | | | processed properly and will spoil quickly. |
| miracle food for people who are suffering from | | | | 3. Virgin |
| immune related diseases, including AIDs. But | | | | With the exception of the classifications for olive |
| coconut oil is also beneficial for people who are | | | | oil, virgin is not a standardized description of the |
| not suffering from disease. MCTs are an essential | | | | properties of other oils that has been minimally |
| part of a healthy diet. | | | | processed. But if the company that you're buying |
| 3 Tips to Find the Best Quality Product | | | | from seems reputable then there is good reason |
| 1. Certified Organic | | | | to think that the virgin label is true. |
| There are many brands and varieties of coconut | | | | Fortunately there is a growing awareness that the |
| oil on the market today, some of them certified | | | | decades-long scare about tropical oils was based |
| organic, some not. A certified organic label will only | | | | on misinformation. Most people don't realise that |
| be meaningful if the organization who did the | | | | one of the key studies that was used to label |
| certification meets standards that you feel | | | | tropical oils as a villain was based on feeding |
| comfortable with. Find out the name of the | | | | animals *hydrogenated* coconut oil. That oil was |
| certifier and look up the standards online if you | | | | further refined to make it completely devoid of |
| are unsure. | | | | any essential fatty acids. It's not a surprise that |
| 2. Unrefined | | | | the animals would have major health problems in |
| Unrefined should mean that the oil hasn't been | | | | a short period of time. Fortunately natural coconut |
| processed with chemicals or altered in other | | | | oil has not been found to pose the same |
| unnatural ways. It will retain the taste and smell of | | | | problems. Instead, it's a delicious and nutritious |
| the food it's made from. Although there are many | | | | addition to the human diet, as it has been for |
| healthy oils on the market that have been refined | | | | hundreds, if not thousands, of years. |
| in traditional ways, not with dangerous chemicals, | | | | |