Dry process

Coconut oil can be extracted through "dry" or "wet" processing. Dry processing requires that the
meat be extracted from the shell and dried using fire, sunlight, or kilns to create copra.[10] The
copra is pressed or dissolved with solvents, producing the coconut oil and a high-protein, highfiber mash.

Wet process
The all-wet process uses raw coconut rather than dried copra, and the protein in the coconut
creates an emulsion of oil and water.[11] The more problematic step is breaking up the emulsion to
recover the oil. This used to be done by prolonged boiling, but this produces a discolored oil and
is not economical. Modern techniques use centrifuges and pre-treatments including cold, heat,
acids, salts, enzymes, electrolysis, shock waves, or some combination. Despite numerous
variations and technologies, wet processing is less viable than dry processing due to a 1015%
lower yield, even compared to the losses due to spoilage and pests with dry processing. Wet
processes also require investment of equipment and energy, incurring high capital and operating
costs.
Virgin coconut oil (VCO) can be produced from fresh coconut milk, meat, or residue. Producing
it from the fresh meat involves removing the shell and washing, then either wet-milling or drying
the residue, and using a screw press to extract the oil. VCO can also be extracted from fresh meat
by grating and drying it to a moisture content of 1012%, then using a manual press to extract
the oil. Producing it from coconut milk involves grating the coconut and mixing it with water,
then squeezing out the oil. The milk can also be fermented for 3648 hours, the oil removed, and
the cream heated to remove any remaining oil. A third option involves using a centrifuge to
separate the oil from the other liquids. Coconut oil can also be extracted from the dry residue left
over from the production of coconut milk.[14]
A thousand mature coconuts weighing approximately 1,440 kilograms (3,170 lb) yield around
170 kilograms (370 lb) of copra from which around 70 litres (15 imp gal) of coconut oil can be
extracted.

Year
Production

World coconut oil production (million tonnes)

200506
200607
200708
200809
200910
5.91
5.42
5.79
5.62
6.60

201011
6.24

RBD
RBD stands for "refined, bleached, and deodorized." RBD oil is usually made from copra (dried
coconut kernel).The dried copra is placed in a hydraulic press with added heat and the oil is
extracted. This yields up practically all the oil present, amounting to more than 60% of the dry
weight of the coconut.
Unlike virgin coconut oil, refined coconut oil has no coconut taste or aroma. RBD oil is used for
home cooking, commercial food processing, and cosmetic, industrial, and pharmaceutical
purposes.

Hydrogenation
RBD coconut oil can be processed further into partially or fully hydrogenated oil to increase its
melting point. Since virgin and RBD coconut oils melt at 24 C (76 F), foods containing
coconut oil tend to melt in warm climates. A higher melting point is desirable in these warm
climates, so the oil is hydrogenated. The melting point of hydrogenated coconut oil is 3640 C
(97104 F).

Composition and comparison

The approximate maximal concentration of fatty acids in coconut oil is:

Fatty acid content of coconut oil

Type of fatty acid

pct

Caprylic saturated C8

9%

Decanoic saturated C10

10%

Lauric saturated C12

52%

Myristic saturated C14

19%

Palmitic saturated C16

11%

Oleic monounsaturated C18:1

8%

Other/Unknown

5.3%

black: Saturated; grey: Monounsaturated; blue: Polyunsaturated

The following table provides information about the composition of coconut oil and how it
compares with other vegetable oils.

Vegetable oils

Type

Oleic
Polyunsaturated fatty
Monoacid
Saturate
acids
unsaturate
(-9)
Processing
d
d
Treatment
fatty
linoleni Linolei
fatty
Total
acids[26]
acids[26] poly[26] c acid c acid
(-3) (-6)

Canola
(rapeseed)

7.365

Coconut

91.00

63.276

28.14
2

10

Smoke
point

400 F
(204 C)

10

[27]

6.000 3.000

350 F
6 (177 C)
[27]

Corn[28]

12.948

27.576

54.67
7

58

28

Cottonseed

25.900

17.800

51.90
0

54

420 F
19 (216 C)

79

64

15

72.00 14.00

1.5

15

Flaxseed/Linsee
d (European)[29]
Olive

7.5
14.00

15.5

450 F
(232 C)

[28]

11

225 F
(107 C)
380 F
(193 C)
[27]

455 F
(235 C)

Palm

49.300

37.000 9.300

10

40

Peanut

16.900

46.200

32.00
0

32

437 F
48 (225 C)

Safflower
(>70% linoleic)
Safflower (high
oleic)
Soybean
Sunflower
(<60% linoleic)
Sunflower
(>70% oleic)

8.00

[28]

410 F
(210 C)

15.00 75.00

[27]

7.541
15.650
10.100
9.859

410 F
(210 C)

12.82
75.221
0
22.783
45.400

57.74
0
40.10
0

83.689 3.798

[27]

50

460 F
24 (238 C)
[28]

0.200 39.800

440 F
45.30
(227
C)
0
[28]
440 F
(227 C)
[28]

Vegetable oils

Type

Oleic
Polyunsaturated fatty
Monoacid
Saturate
acids
unsaturate
(-9)
Processing
d
d
Treatment
fatty
linoleni Linolei
fatty
Total
acids[26]
acids[26] poly[26] c acid c acid
(-3) (-6)

Cottonseed
Hydrogenate
(hydrogenated)
d
[26]

93.600

Palm
Hydrogenate
(hydrogenated)
d

47.500

40.600 7.500

Soybean
Hydrogenate
(hydrogenated)
d
[26]

21.100

73.700

1.529

.587

.400

Smoke
point

.287

.096

Values as percent (%) by weight of total fat.

Refined Coconut Oil

Refined coconut oil refers to coconut oil that has been bleached, and deodorized. The oil is
derived from dried coconut meat known as copra. Traditional Tropics notes that oil obtained from
copra has to be purified with bleaching clays because contaminants arise during the drying
process. High heat is then used to deodorize the coconut oil to remove its distinctive odor and
flavor. Sodium hydroxide is often added to prolong its shelf life. To obtain the most oil, some
brands use chemical solvents to extract as much oil as possible from the meat. They may
partially hydrogenate the oil, too, which means it will contain trans-fats. MayoClinic.com advises
against the consumption of trans-fats, noting they raise bad cholesterol levels while lowering
good cholesterol levels.

Unrefined Coconut Oil

Unrefined coconut oil is often referred to as "virgin" or "pure" coconut oil. It is coconut oil
extracted from fresh coconut meat rather than dried. The fresh coconut meat undergoes one of
two processes: wet milling or quick drying. Quick drying, the most common method used,
promptly dries the coconut meat and the oil is mechanically expressed. Wet milling refers to the
process in which the coconut milk is expressed from the fresh meat and then boiled, fermented
or separated from the milk using enzymes or centrifuge. Due to the quick process, the resulting
oil does not require bleaching or additives. It also isn't exposed to high heat levels like its refined
counterpart. It retains the distinct flavor and odor of coconut.

Nutrients
Coconut oil is mainly made up of a medium-chain fatty acid called lauric acid. Dr. Mary Enig, a
nutrition research scientist for the Weston A. Price Foundation, highlights the numerous health
benefits associated with lauric acid consumption which include antiviral, antibacterial, anticancer
and immune-boosting effects. Both refined and unrefined coconut oil contain the same amount of
this beneficial fatty-acid. Unrefined coconut oil, however, is richer in phytonutrients than refined
coconut oil. Polyphenols, which act as antioxidants in the body, are damaged by the bleaching

and heating process used to produce refined coconut oil, so more are present in the unrefined
kind.

When to Choose Unrefined or Refined Coconut Oil

Choose unrefined coconut oil if you desire the fullest coconut flavor and the most phytonutrients.
Choose refined coconut oil when cooking at higher temperatures. Refined coconut oil has a
smoking point of 450 degrees Fahrenheit, while unrefined coconut oil has a smoking point of 350
degrees Fahrenheit. To get the most health benefits from a refined coconut oil, seek out varieties
that are processed with the least amount of chemicals and that are not partially hydrogenated

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
NaturalNews) Many people in the natural health community have been well aware of the health
benefits of coconut oil and other coconut products for decades. More recently, "clean eaters"
and people following an ancestral diet have been replacing canola oil and other cooking oils
with coconut oil. Unfortunately, some people do not realize that certain brands of coconut oil
pose serious health risks. Innocent health seekers may be consuming a product that makes
them sick.
Not all coconut oil is "created equal"
Any coconut oil producer can market a product labeled "coconut oil." The product on the shelf
will, indeed, be coconut oil. However, shoppers may see a big difference in price between
brands of coconut oil. Most likely, the less expensive coconut oil has been refined.
Coconut oil is produced in several ways. To extract the oil from a coconut, the manufacturer
may dry the coconut meat, called copra, by either smoking it, drying it in the sun, or kiln-drying
it.
Copra
is
dried
in
unsanitary
conditions,
and
cannot
be
consumed.
The impurities in the copra are released into the coconut oil. Copra-derived coconut oil must be
purified, or refined. Once the coconut oil has been refined, it is bleached to remove any
remaining impurities and to "improve" the color of the product. Then it is "deodorized" under
high heat to remove the coconut fragrance. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), better known as lye, is
used to break down the fatty acids so the coconut oil will have a longer shelf life. Some coconut
oil producers extract the coconut oil from the copra with toxic chemicals.
Some refined coconut oil manufacturers take the refining process one step further by either
hydrogenating or partially hydrogenating the coconut oil in order to keep the product from
melting in temperatures above 76 degrees Fahrenheit. This process turns coconut oil, naturally
a very healthy saturated fat, into a trans fat.

Select "virgin" coconut oil to get the

most health benefits
"Virgin" and "extra virgin" coconut oils are expressed either by quick drying the copra and then pressing the oil out
with a machine, or by "wet-milling" the coconut milk. With wet-milling, the oil rises to the top of the coconut milk and is
separated through various means.

There is no difference between "virgin" and "extra virgin" coconut oils. In general, the difference in price reflects the
intensity of the labor involved in creating a truly natural coconut oil product.

Coconut oil has many health benefits

over other cooking oils
The Journal of Cosmetic Science published a study in 2003 comparing plant oils for hair damage, and stated that
coconut oil was the best treatment to keep hair from breaking during combing.
In 2004, wet-milled virgin coconut oil was found to do a better job of lowering "bad" cholesterol levels than refined
coconut oil. The study, reported in Clinical Biochemistry, stated that the polyphenols in virgin coconut oil not only
reduced fat cells in the bloodstream, but showed anti-oxidant activity as well.
Virgin coconut oil has been clinically proven to be 100 percent effective against Candida albicans and other strains of
fungus, according to a 2007 clinical study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food.
A 2009 study published in Lipids compared soybean oil to coconut oil as part of a weight loss program for obese
women ages 20-40. Combined with a low calorie diet and walking 50 minutes a day for 12 weeks, women in the
coconut oil group lost more weight than those in the soybean oil group.
Sources:
Tropical Traditions.com, "How is Coconut Oil Produced?"
http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/what_is_virgin_coconut_oil.htm
Pubmed.gov, "Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage," by A.S. Rele and
R.B. Mohile. Journal of Cosmetic Science. 2003 Mar-Apr;54(2):175-92.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12715094
Pubmed.gov, "Beneficial effects of virgin coconut oil on lipid parameters and in vitro LDL oxidation," K.G. Nevin and T.
Rajamohan. Clinical Biochemistry. 2004 Sep;37(9):830-5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15329324
Pubmed.gov, "In vitro antimicrobial properties of coconut oil on Candida species in Ibadan, Nigeria," by D.O. Ogbolu,
et al. Journal of Medicinal Foods. 2007 Jun;10(2):384-7 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17651080
Pubmed.gov, "Effects of dietary coconut oil on the biochemical and anthropometric profiles of women presenting
abdominal obesity," by M.L. Assuncao, et al. Lipids. 2009 Jul;44(7):593-601.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19437058
About the author:
This article is provided courtesy of Donna Earnest Pravel, owner and senior copy editor of Heart of Texas Copywriting
Solutions.com. Get free weekly tips on natural healing and herbs by visiting her blog, Bluebonnet Natural Healing
Therapy.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/036554_extra_virgin_coconut_oil_health.html#ixzz3phxxgE9i

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

While coconut oil fell out of favor for a while in the U.S., it has been a staple in tropical
countries for thousands of years. A common coconut oil tanker seen in the Philippines.

Coconut Oil: The New Super-food?

by Brian Shilhavy
Health Impact News
Coconut oils popularity continues to increase here in 2014, and as a result it seems like
everyone has something to say about it. Since we have been writing and publishing
research about coconut oil for over 13 years, it is time to update our article on common
myths surrounding coconut oil.
First, coconut oil is NOT new! It has been a staple in the diets of millions of people for
thousands of years. So when you read someone stating that coconut oil is some new
fad, or that the information regarding its health benefits is all hype, you are reading
one of the many myths being spread around on the Internet by those who are seemingly
too lazy to do some basic research, or type coconut oil into the search field at
PubMed. While it is decreasing, bias against coconut oil is still prevalent today, and
people will write from this bias without even investigating the historical uses of coconut
oil, or the vast amount of research conducted on coconut oil, particularly the medium
chain fatty acids it contains.
But the myths being spread around the Internet are not simply from those who have a
bias against it. Many people trying to jump on the coconut oil popularity bandwagon are
also propagating some myths.

So here is a look at some of the most common myths routinely found published on the
Internet today:

Coconut Oil Myth #1: Only Virgin Coconut Oil is

healthy Refined Coconut Oil is bad for you
FACT: ALL coconut oil you can buy online or in stores is healthy. This myth persists
primarily because of the saturated fat bias (see below). The reasoning is that coconut oil
must be bad because saturated fat is bad, therefore the health benefits for coconut oil
must only apply to virgin unrefined coconut oils, which somehow escape all the nasty
things saturated fats are blamed for.
However, anytime you can purchase coconut oil, you are purchasing the healthiest oil
you can cook with since all coconut oils have medium chain fatty acids that are healthy
and that do not break down when heated. The other options offered in todays market
for cooking oils are more than likely less healthy than coconut oil, and might even
become toxic if used in cooking.
The one exception would be hydrogenated coconut oil, but we are not aware of any
hydrogenated coconut oils being sold as edible oils in the U.S. market. If you live in a
tropical country, there is a chance that hydrogenated coconut oil might be manufactured
and sold in your location. Coconut oil is hydrogenated to keep it solid at higher
temperatures. In its natural form, coconut oil is liquid above 76 degrees F. and solid
below that. That is why we call it coconut oil and not coconut fat. In North America
and many other places, coconut oil is almost always solid, making it technically a fat
and not an oil. But in tropical climates it is almost always liquid, making it an oil. So
there is a history of hydrogenating the small unsaturated portion of coconut oil in tropical
climates to make it a solid. But the dangers of trans-fats are well published now, so I
think even in tropical cultures this is rare today.
Speaking of liquid coconut oil, a new product did hit the shelves of many health food
stores in 2013 called Liquid Coconut Oil. It is being marketed as a coconut oil that
stays liquid even in your refrigerator. This product is actually fractionated coconut oil
where most or all of the saturated lauric acid has been removed. It has been marketed
in the past as MCT Oil, and not as coconut oil. It was more of a dietary supplement in
the past. While we do not believe this product is harmful, it is a manufactured product,
and actually a clever way of marketing a left over by-product, since lauric acid is the
star fatty acid chain in coconut oil, known for its powerful antimicrobial activity. It is only
found elsewhere in nature abundantly in human breast milk. You can read more about

the clever marketing of liquid coconut oil here: Is Liquid Coconut Oil that stays
Liquid in Your Refrigerator Real Coconut Oil?
As far as refined coconut oils, the most common method used to refine coconut oil in
coconut oil producing countries is via the RBD process: Refined, Bleached, and
Deodorized. This process renders a neutral flavor and smell due to a steam
deodorization process. The bleaching part does not involve bleach like you use in your
laundry. It is a clay that is used to filter the oil of impurities. Some of the nutrients will
more than likely be lost in the refining process, but it does not make the oil unhealthy. If
you can find out if the refined coconut oil was refined using solvent extracts or through
physical refining, choose the physically refined coconut oil. There is some concern that
oils using solvent extracts could leave residues in the oil. But even so, those residues
are probably very small, if present at all, so even these coconut oils would be healthier
than toxic trans fats or polyunsaturated oils for cooking.
As far as virgin coconut oils, there is absolutely no difference between extra virgin
and virgin when it comes to coconut oil, like there is with the olive oil industry. They are
simply different labels for the exact same coconut oils. Some people want to promote
virgin coconut oils as seeing no heat in the process as a superior coconut oil, but there
are no published standards identifying an extra virgin quality, and research actually
shows that traditional coconut oils processed with heat have higher amounts of
antioxidants. (See: New Research Highlights High Antioxidant Activity of
Traditionally Made Coconut Oil)

Coconut Oil Myth #2: I cannot use coconut oil

because I am allergic to coconut oil
FACT: Most food allergies are due to the inability to digest proteins, such as gluten
(found in wheat), casein (found in dairy), protein found in tree nuts, etc. The coconut is
technically a tree nut, but protein is found in the meat of the coconut, not in the oil.
Therefore, if one has problems digesting or eating coconut oil, it is highly unlikely that it
is due to an allergy. It is more likely due to not being able to digest fats well, or
possibly to the detoxification properties of coconut oil which can cause symptoms such
as diarrhea, skin eruptions, etc. These are typically NOT allergic reactions, and can be
minimized or even eliminated altogether by reducing the amount of coconut oil one eats
to very small amounts until the symptoms dont occur, and then gradually increasing the
amount over time.

Coconut Oil Myth #3: Coconut oil is good for

certain conditions (like Alzheimers and Dementia),
but long-term effects are not known and there is a
risk for heart disease because coconut oil is a
saturated fat
FACT: There are plenty of epidemiological studies on coconut oil in native populations,
and saturated fat has never been proven to cause heart disease. Sadly, this myth has
been around a long time and still persists today, even though it is not true! This is the
basis of the coconut oil bias.
The benefits of a high-fat ketogenic diet in curing epilepsy was first developed at the
Mayo Clinic in the 1920s and used extensively at John Hopkins Hospital. This high-fat
diet rich in saturated fats has been documented as curing epilepsy in children where
drugs failed. But as the lipid theory of heart disease gained popularity after the 1950s
and influenced the government to adopt a low-fat dietary guideline in the 1970s,
children and parents who benefited from the high-fat ketogenic diet were frightened into
believing that if they continued such a diet, it would lead to heart disease.
Today, the ketogneic effects of coconut oil are well-known and coconut oils tremendous
impact on those suffering from Alzheimers and dementia are well documented, and can
no longer be denied, just as the ketogenic diet has cured epilepsy for many years now.
Unfortunately, the myth of saturated fat and by implication coconut oil causing
heart disease is a myth that continues today, scaring people who receive tremendous
benefits from consuming coconut oil into thinking they may have a higher risk of heart
disease if they continue such a diet. The lipid theory of heart disease, however, is losing
popularity in the light of real evidence-based science.
One of the most exhaustive studies on saturated fat and heart disease was published in
2010 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition titled: Saturated fat, carbohydrate,
and cardiovascular disease. The study reviewed many other studies over a period of 5
to 23 years covering 347,747 subjects. Their conclusion: A meta-analysis of
prospective epidemiologic studies showed that there is no significant evidence for
concluding that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of CHD or
CVD. The abstract is found here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20071648.
A similar meta-study was conducted and published in May of 2013, analyzing the
existing medical literature regarding dietary fats and heart disease in the

journal Advances in Nutrition. This study correctly vindicates the negative bias against
saturated fats found in coconut oil and dairy products: Several recent analyses indicate
that SFAs, particularly in dairy products and coconut oil, can improve
health. (See: Study: Saturated Fat Not Associated with Risk of Coronary Artery
Disease, Coconut Oil and Dairy Fat Healthy)
You can read more research on saturated fats here.
As far as coconut oil specifically, Dr. Conrado S. Dayrit in the Philippines published a
comprehensive study looking at the evidence of saturated fat from coconut oil and
cardiovascular disease in populations consuming large amounts of saturated fat in the
countries of the Philippines, Polynesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Indonesia and found no
link between coconut oil consumption and heart disease. His study was published in
2003 in the Philippine Journal of
Cardiology: http://www.coconutoil.com/DayritCardiology.pdf
In another study, Dr. Janaki Gooneratne in Sri Lanka conducted what is probably the
largest study ever undertaken examining the relationship between coconut oil,
cholesterol, and heart disease. Her research studied almost 1,000 people in Sri Lanka
and included factors such as socio-demographic data, family history of disease, and
lifestyle.
She studied associations between selected heart disease risk factors and coconut oil
intake using the Chi-square test, and further examined the data in a multivariate model
adjusting for potential confounding variables. The data was analyzed using SPSS
statistical software. The results of this extensive research concluded that consumption
of coconut oil at levels up to 16.4% of total energy per day had no heart disease risk on
the local population. (Note: for a standard 2,000 calorie diet that would equate to about
2.5 tablespoons of coconut oil a day.) Dr. Goonerante believes that this extensive
research is one of the first studies of this magnitude on dietary coconut oil ever
conducted anywhere in the world. Read more about her research on coconut oil here.

What New Coconut Oil Myths Are we Likely to See

in the Future?
As coconut oil continues to gain popularity and continues to have a greater impact on
peoples health, often producing better results than expensive pharmaceutical drugs,
and without all the side effects, expect these attacks and myths to continue, and
probably new ones to pop up. But just remember that coconut oil is a natural food that

has nourished billions of people around the world for thousands of years. It cannot be
patented, and hence it is unlikely there will ever be clinical studies funded of the same
type that pharmaceutical companies spend millions of dollars to complete for patenting
and getting their drugs approved by the FDA. Therefore, it is unlikely that the FDA will
ever approve any health claims for coconut oil.
However, the health benefits of coconut oil are becoming too well-known to continue
ignoring, and we saw signs in 2013 that drug companies are looking for ways to mimic
the effects of coconut oil in patentable drugs. This has actually been occurring already
for many years now with lauric acid, the star component of coconut oil. Lauric acid is
frequently extracted from coconut oil to make into other drugs and products that can be
patented. The significance of coconut oil then is trivialized in favor of expensive drugs.
What we saw in 2013, however, was interest by drug companies in the area of the
ketonic effects of coconut oil, as research continues to be published on the benefits of a
ketogenic diet, including its use as an effective cancer treatment. This same
ketogenic effect in coconut oil is seen to be at least partially responsible for stopping or
reversing Alzheimers Disease. So drug companies are anxious to develop drugs to
mimic these effects, and we saw some of that begin in 2013. (See: Study: Coconut Oil
Could Prevent Neurodegeneration in Diseases like Alzheimers)
So we can expect the mainstream media and Big Pharma to invent new myths
condemning coconut oil in favor of their drugs in the future, count on it!

39
6310
99
30
About the authors: Unlike many people who write about coconut oil by simply reading
about it, Brian and Marianita Shilhavy actually lived in a coconut producing area of the
Philippines for several years. Marianita Jader Shilhavy grew up on a coconut plantation
in the Philippines and in a culture that consumed significant amounts of coconut fat in
their diet. She later went on to earn her degree in nutrition and worked as a nutritionist
in the Philippines. Brian Shilhavy also lived in the Philippines for several years with
Marianita and their 3 children observing firsthand the differences between the diet and
health of the younger generation and those of Marianitas parents generation still

consuming a traditional diet. This led to years of studying Philippine nutrition and dietary
patterns first hand while living in a rural farming community in the Philippines. They are
authors of the best-selling book: Virgin Coconut Oil: How it has changed peoples
lives and how it can change yours!