Coconut Oil Vs. Virgin Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is considered to be a healthy fat. Although most of the fat in coconut oil is saturated, over 50 percent of these fats are medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). MCTs have many health benefits and could help you lose weight, control your appetite, reduce your risk of heart disease and enhance your immune system, according to the online newsletter Nutrition Review.

Source

Regular coconut oil is produced from dried coconut, also called copra. Copra is obtained by drying the coconut meat by smoke drying, sun drying or kiln drying, which is not always done under sanitary conditions. For this reason, regular coconut oil has to be refined, bleached and deodorized to make it suitable for human consumption. Virgin coconut oil is only made using fresh coconut.

Extraction Process

To extract the oil from the copra to produce regular coconut oil, chemical solvents are used. This is the preferred technique, as it yields larger quantities of oil. On the other hand, virgin coconut oil is extracted using more natural methods. One method is by quick drying fresh coconuts and extracting the oil through a mechanical process. Alternatively, some manufacturers used a wet-milling process, which consists of extracting the coconut milk from the coconut and then separating the oil from the water by either boiling, fermenting, refrigerating, adding enzymes or a using a mechanical centrifuge.

Taste

Regular and virgin coconut oil taste different. Because regular coconut oil goes through more processes, it loses its coconut taste, while virgin coconut oil has a mild and pleasant coconut flavor. The smell of virgin coconut oil is also closer to the smell of fresh coconut.

Use

Regular coconut and virgin coconut oil can both be used the same way. You can use any type of coconut oil for cooking or baking; simply replace the fat you normally use with the same amount of coconut oil. Coconut oil can also be used as a moisturizer on your skin or a treatment on your scalp and hair.

Nutritional Facts

The nutritional value of both types of coconut oil is similar, with each providing approximately the same amount of calories and fat per serving. The process used to produce regular or virgin coconut oil does not impact its nutritional composition. However, virgin coconut oil is reported to have a higher polyphenol content, which is a type of antioxidant.