Ingredient: Coconut oil
Category: Nuts
Season: All
Coconut oil, also known as coconut butter, is a tropical oil with many applications.
It is extracted from copra (derived from Malayalam word "kopra" which means dried coconut).
Coconut oil constitutes seven percent of the total export income of the Philippines, the world's largest exporter of the product.
Coconut oil was developed as a commercial product by merchants in the South Seas and South Asia in the 1860s.
Coconut oil is a fat consisting of about 90% saturated fat.
The oil contains predominantly medium chain triglycerides. with roughly 92% saturated fatty acids, 6% monounsaturated fatty acids, and 2% polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Of the saturated fatty acids, coconut oil is primarily 44.6% lauric acid, 16.8% myristic acid a 8.2% palmitic acid and 8% caprylic acid, although it contains seven different saturated fatty acids in total.
Its only monounsaturated fatty acid is oleic acid while its only polyunsaturated fatty acid is linoleic acid.
Unrefined coconut oil melts at 24-25 C (76 F) and smokes at 170 C (350 F), while refined coconut oil has a higher smoke point of 232 C (450 F).
Among the most stable of all oils, coconut oil is slow to oxidize and thus resistant to rancidity, lasting up to two years due to its high saturated fat content.
It is best stored in solid form, below 24.5 C (76 F) in order to extend shelf life. However, unlike most oils, coconut oil will not be damaged by warmer temperatures.
Types of oil available:
Virgin coconut oil
Virgin coconut oil is derived from fresh coconuts (rather than dried, as in copra).
Most oils marketed as "Virgin" are produced one of three ways:
Quick drying of fresh coconut meat which is then used to press out the oil.
Wet-milling (coconut milk). With this method the oil is extracted from fresh coconut meat without drying first. "Coconut milk" is expressed first by pressing. The oil is then further separated from the water. Methods which can be used to separate the oil from the water include boiling, fermentation, refrigeration, enzymes and mechanical centrifuge.
Wet-milling (direct micro expelling). In this process, the oil is extracted from fresh coconut meat after the adjustment of the water content, then the pressing of the coconut flesh results in the direct extraction of free-flowing oil.
Unlike olive oil, there is no world or governing body that sets a standard definition or set of guidelines to classify coconut oil as "virgin".
The Philippines has established a Department of Science and Technology (DOST) governmental standard.
Refined oil
Refined coconut oil is referred to in the coconut industry as RBD (refined, bleached, and deodorized) coconut oil. The starting point is "copra", the dried coconut meat. Copra can be made by smoke drying, sun drying, or kiln drying. The unrefined coconut oil extracted from copra (called "crude coconut oil") is not suitable for consumption and must be refined.
Hydrogenated oil
Hydrogenated coconut oil may either be fully or partially hydrogenated. This happens mostly in tropical climates, since the natural melting point of coconut oil is about 76 degrees F, and already naturally a solid in most colder climates.
Fractionated oil
"Fractionated coconut oil" is a fraction of the whole oil, in which most of the long-chain triglycerides are removed so that only saturated fats remain.
It may also referred to as "caprylic/capric triglyceride" or medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil because mostly the medium-chain triglycerides caprylic and capric acid are left in the oil.
Because it is completely saturated, fractionated oil is even more heat stable than other forms of coconut oil and has a nearly indefinite shelf life.
Applications
Cooking
Coconut oil is commonly used in cooking, especially when frying, it has a high smoke point which makes it good for this purpose.
In communities where coconut oil is widely used in cooking, the refined oil is the one most commonly used.
Coconut oil is often used in making a curry or in popcorn machines at movie theaters.
Manufacturing
Coconut oil is used in volume quantities for making margarine, soap and cosmetics.
Hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated coconut oil is often used in non-dairy creamers, and snack foods.
Fractionated coconut oil is also used in the manufacture of essences, massage oils and cosmetics
Coconut oil is an important component of many industrial lubricants, for example in the cold rolling of steel strip.
Cosmetics and skin treatments
Coconut oil is excellent as a skin moisturiser and softener.
A study shows that extra virgin coconut oil is as effective and safe as mineral oil when used as a moisturiser, with absence of adverse reactions.
In India and Sri Lanka, coconut oil is commonly used for styling hair, and cooling or soothing the head.
People of Tamil Nadu and other coastal areas such as Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa bathe in warm water after applying coconut oil all over the body and leaving it as is for an hour to keep body, skin, and hair healthy. |