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Organic Coconut Oil

Perhaps, coconut oil is one of the healthiest edible vegetable oils on earth. You will be surprised to know about the unmatched health benefits it has on human health (It can even fight HIV!). Now, if plain coconut oil can do such miracles, imagine what organic coconut oil can do to you. Organic Coconut Oil is a miraculous gift from Mother Nature. Let us learn more about this blessing.

Organic coconut oil: Organic coconut oil is the coconut oil that is extracted using organic extraction techniques from organic coconuts and packed and preserved organically. Now, let us start from growing organic coconuts. To be very frank, the term “Organic Coconuts” is not much heard. Actually, many people (Many years back, I was one of them) cannot imagine using chemical fertilizers and pesticides on coconut trees. They have an idea that you do not need to use them on big trees. They are meant only for herbs and shrubs. So, coconuts are considered organic by default. But it is not so. Although coconut trees need a long time to grow, they are commercially grown methodically using artificial fertilizers and pesticides in large plantations. In case of organic coconut oil, these coconut trees are grown without using any chemical fertilizer or pesticide. But natural, they take longer time than the normal ones and more prone to pest attacks. This is one of the reasons why production of organic coconut oil is far less than that of non organic coconut oil.

Extraction of organic coconut oil

Now, when these trees bear fruits, the coconuts are harvested and oil is extracted from their flesh by any of these methods;

Extraction from coconut milk: Coconut milk is extracted by expelling fresh coconut flesh in mills and then boiled to extract oil from it. Normally, some chemicals are added at this stage to deodourise and decolourise the resultant oil, but in case of organic coconut oils, these chemicals are not added. So, it comes with characteristic natural aroma and colour (translucent) of coconut oil.

Extraction from copra: Coconut flesh is first dried to Copra in driers or in sun and the oil is extracted from them using mechanical expellers. This method of extraction of Organic coconut oil is preferred over the previous one because heat robs coconut oil of much of its goodness as some vitamins and minerals are lost from it.

Refining, bleaching & deodourising: Organic coconut oil is subjected only to mechanical refining (using fine filters) and no chemical refining, bleaching or deodourising is done.

Adding preservatives: Organic coconut oil is not added with any chemical preservatives and hence it has a shorter shelf life as compared to non organic coconut oil. Here, you must keep in mind that coconut oil is the vegetable oil with the longest shelf life and it is the most stable one too. It does not go rancid for long and retains most of its properties even when heated at high temperatures.

Health benefits: On top of the regular health benefits of coconut oil, the added health benefits of organic coconut oil are that you remain safe from the adverse effects of toxic chemical residues present in most of the edible stuff available today. What you get is hundred percent natural. The antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial and soothing properties are better in organic coconut oil than its non organic counterpart. As far as external applications are concerned, organic coconut oil is no way harsh or harmful for your skin (those with residues of chemical fertilizers and pesticides may give rise to skin problems to those with sensitive skin). It can be safely applied to all skin types as it is non allergenic in nature.

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