Coconut Oil - extra virgin or no?

[northernstar]

I was looking at organic coconut oil tonight at the grocery store, and I noticed a significant difference in price between the extra-virgin and regular oils. (EVCO was $22, CO was $8).

What's the difference, really? Is EVCO significantly better for you?

Any info would be appreciated. I did a search but it's hard to sift through all the info - there's so much chatter about this topic!

[WendyK1974]

Well according to the back of the containers (when I read the two at the store) the regular can be heated to a higher temperature. Also, the virgin is pressed by hand, while the regular is done with a machine. That, to me, didn't seem like a good enough reason to pay almost twice as much (since according to the packages neither are processed using heat).

Other than that, I have no idea!

[Houston Heather]

I use the regular. I'm not a CO expert by any means, I just use it to fry eggs.

[Prairieprof]

Extra virgin tastes like coconut; regular (at least the regular I've used, Spectrum Organic) does not. I've also seen Virgin (not Extra-) but I can't tell you about that.

[Charski]

Google Tropical Traditions and hit their website - they have tons of good info about coconut oil - virgin, organic, expeller-pressed, chemically extracted.

I buy virgin coconut oil (organic) for use on my skin and a few cooking methods where I find the smell/taste of coconuts complementary to the finished product; I use (organic) expeller-pressed coconut oil (nearly odorless/tasteless) for when I do NOT want the flavor/smell of coconuts. I buy both products from TT. I also buy their BabySilk coconut cream for my skin. It's wonderful stuff!

[metqa]

There really is no such thing as "Extra" Virgin, BTW

If it is not virgin, it is a RBD product. Which means Refined, Bleached and Deodorized, one of the reasons it has no smell. Virgin is pressed soon after picking and has more of the original coconut flavor. The other kind is pressed after the fruit is dried and has discolored and maybe exposed to sun and elements which contaminate it and give it a bad taste. Oil from Dried copra is not fit for human consumption until it has been refined to remove the contaminants , then bleached to remove the dark coloring, and deodorized to remove the smells it may have pick up. The resulting product is usable for cooking or cosmetic use, though it's shelf life is roughly 1/5th of the virgin C.O.

Hope that helps.

[Charski]

Originally Posted by metqa

There really is no such thing as "Extra" Virgin, BTW

If it is not virgin, it is a RBD product. Which means Refined, Bleached and Deodorized, one of the reasons it has no smell. Virgin is pressed soon after picking and has more of the original coconut flavor. The other kind is pressed after the fruit is dried and has discolored and maybe exposed to sun and elements which contaminate it and give it a bad taste. Oil from Dried copra is not fit for human consumption until it has been refined to remove the contaminants , then bleached to remove the dark coloring, and deodorized to remove the smells it may have pick up. The resulting product is usable for cooking or cosmetic use, though it's shelf life is roughly 1/5th of the virgin C.O.

Hope that helps.

Mmm, not sure I agree with your generalization on the "non virgin oils" - TT uses NO chemicals nor bleaching on their EPCO - it's mechanically extracted and steamed to "deodorize" it. I trust their products and use them daily.

[scandalouslyglam]

Good luck...I just wanted to Placemark my place. IMHO EVCO tastes HEAVENLY, regular CO ewww.

[metqa]

Originally Posted by Charski

Mmm, not sure I agree with your generalization on the "non virgin oils" - TT uses NO chemicals nor bleaching on their EPCO - it's mechanically extracted and steamed to "deodorize" it. I trust their products and use them daily.

Do you mean their expeller pressed?

I never said that RBD meant using chemicals, just that dried copra must be RBD if it is to be eaten by humans. I'm not making any judgments about any product, just passing along information, much of which is on the Tropical Traditions website itself. Feel free to keep trusting and using their products as you choose, just know that they are different from each other; not good or bad, just different.

I haven't spoken with reps from TT personally. My generalization was for oil expressed from Dried Copra and comments from reps of two other companies and general knowledge. If their oils are pressed fresh, then there would be no need for the extra processing and it most likely is not RBD. But you can contact them yourself and ask if it is made from Dride Copra if you like.

Oil expressed from dried copra is deemed unfit for human consumption until it has undergone some form of RBD, whether or not it is chemically or physically extracted, chemically or naturally bleached, and chemically or naturally deodorized. A company I contacted told me their refined oils were all natural but still RBD by natural processes. I'm okay with that. I use them both.

I'm not saying one is better than another, that opinion is yours to make.

TT states that their Expeller Pressed is not made from Fresh Coconuts.
Tropical Traditions FAQ-What are the differences between all of your Coconut Oils


This page tells about refined coconut oil. I don't see where they claim to not use copra, just that their RBD process is natural and chem-free.

How is Coconut Oil Produced?

This text is from Tropical Traditions website about it's Refined Coconut Oil
The Blue Text are my highlights

Tropical Traditions Expeller Pressed Coconut Oil

What is Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil?

Tropical Traditions Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil is a high quality refined coconut oil. This oil is processed the “old” way by what is called “physical refining.” The modern way of processing coconut oil is by chemical extraction, using solvent extracts, which produces higher yields and is quicker and less expensive. Tropical Traditions Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil DOES NOT use solvent extracts. It is made the “old” way by expeller-pressed mechanical extraction. This oil is also NOT hydrogenated, and contains NO trans fatty acids. It is a very good quality food-grade coconut oil.

Tropical Traditions Organic Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil is made from certified organic coconuts that have NOT been treated with chemicals or fertilizers. It is certified organic according to European and USDA standards. Our Organic Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil is high in the medium chain fatty acids, such as Lauric acid. Organic Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil is less expensive than Virgin Coconut Oil, and because it goes through a steam deodorizing process the taste is very bland, unlike Virgin Coconut Oil which retains the odor and taste of fresh coconuts. Some people prefer a bland, tasteless oil. This coconut oil is solid below 76 degrees F. and liquid above that.

Tropical Traditions Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil, non-certified, is made from high quality coconuts in the Philippines. This is the “common” type oil that millions of people in Asia consume on a daily basis. It is less expensive than our certified organic Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil because it does not include the cost of organic certification. We get our Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil, non-certified, from unpolluted areas of the Philippines where pesticides and fertilizers for coconut palms are virtually unknown. The coconuts typically come from very rural areas in the Philippines, far away from major urban centers. It is also deodorized and processed the “old” way with “physical refining” that DOES NOT use solvent extracts. This is the most economical high-quality coconut oil we sell.

[metqa]

I've just sent an email to TT asking whether the refined is pressed from fresh coconuts freshly dried coconut, or dried copra coconut. I don't know how long it will be till I get a response, but I will post it as soon as I hear anything.

This is what I wrote them:

Hi, My friends and I love your products. And your webpage is a wealth of information. Thank you.

During a discussion the question of the Expellar Pressed Refined oil came up. Now, we know that you use age old methods to safely refine the product, using no chemical solvents or bleaches, but what I couldn't find was whether the refined oil was pressed from fresh coconut, freshly dried coconut, or dried copra. If you could clarify this point for me I would greatly appreciate it. By the way, It won't matter what the answer is, we will still use the products, we just like to be informed when recommending it to others, and they ask us about it. Thank you again. Happy Wednesday!

[Charski]

Thanks for sending that to them, Metga - I'm very interested in their reply as, like you, I couldn't find that info on their website! Looking forward to the reply you get.

[Blessedmom23]

Marking my spot. I am very interested in the response as well. Great idea to write them. I hope they respond soon.

Sarah

[hummingbird11]

I use Garden of Life/Living Foods - Extra Virgin 100% Organic Coconut Oil (it does state Extra Virgin on the label)

Unlike refined coconut oils, Extra Virgin CO is not hydrogenated, bleached, refined or deodorized.

Meat from only the freshest, organically grown coconuts is shredded and cold-pressed to create coconut milk, and then fermented to extract the oil.

Garden of Life | Products for Life | Livining Foods? | Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

QUESTION:
my Wal-Mart carries a tub of Virgin CO - anyone tried that one or know anything about it?

[dawnyama]

Hummingbird

Linda Sue has a product review page on her website. She has reviewed this product here:

Low Carb Products & Ingredients - Page 1

[northernstar]

Thanks for all the opinions.

Metga, I'm interested to see what TT writes back. Be sure to post their response!

[metqa]

Response From Tropical Traditions:

Hi Valeria,

Thank you for taking the time to share your appreciation of our
products. We are in the process of making the expeller pressed coconut oil
from dried fresh coconut. We currently make it from copra. When we have
the new oil ready for marketing, we hope to update our product
information to share with our customers.

Customer service is very important to us. We look forward to serving
you again as the need arises!

Warm Regards,

Joleen
Tropical Traditions Customer Service
866-311-2626 Ext. 2
help@tropicaltraditions.com

[Charski]

Thanks for sharing that!

I'll be looking forward to the new product. I love their stuff.

[StalledCATnTN]

Great Info everyone! thanks !

[Blessedmom23]

I agree. Great info. I am using Nutiva and love it. Not sure I will ever switch.

Sarah