Everything You Need to Know About Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a wonderfully versatile ingredient, which can be used in everything from stir-frys to sweets. If you have been using any other type of oil variety — including olive, vegetable, canola, or peanut — consider switching to organic extra virgin coconut oil, which comes with a wide range of health benefits.

What is coconut oil?

Coconut oil is a substance extracted from coconut flesh, also known as coconut ‘meat’. It does not include any of the fibre, carbohydrates, and protein found in that flesh, but rather is made up of pure fat. Dieticians believe that approximately 92 percent of coconut oil is saturated fat, which is what gives the product its thick, gooey texture.

There tends to be two different methods of extracting oil from a coconut — expeller-pressed and cold-pressed. Expeller-press involves using a machine that applies intense pressure to extract oil from seeds and nuts, heating the oil to around 90℃ in the process.

On the other hand, cold-pressed oils are created using a press in a heat-controlled environment (below 49℃). Some manufacturers believe that heat can degrade an oil’s flavour and nutritional value, which is why they opt to use a cold-press method.

While coconut oil has been used throughout Africa, Asia, and South America for centuries, it has only recently become a popular pantry item in Western countries. In fact, coconut oil is more than ‘popular’. Thanks to the work of health and wellness influencers, coconut oil is the latest superfood taking the wider world by storm.

What makes oil ‘extra virgin’?

When you go to the supermarket to purchase oil, you will find yourself confronted with an incredibly extensive variety of products.

The term ‘virgin’ or ‘extra virgin’ simply refers to the process of making the oil itself. While regular oil may have chemicals and preservatives added, virgin oil tends to be unprocessed. Both virgin and extra virgin coconut oils are made straight from a raw, fresh coconut and are therefore much better for your health and wellbeing.

A guide to organic food

Opting for organic food is a very simple way that you can improve your health. Unfortunately, much of the food we eat — including fruit, veggies, beans, and grains — has been treated with chemicals and preservatives. This is often done to make fresh produce last longer or increase crop yield.

Organic food, on the other hand, is completely free of artificial substances. This includes pesticides, artificial fertilisers, and GMOs (genetically modified organisms), all of which can have a significant impact on your health.

Organic food is also a far better option from an environmental perspective. Organic farmers implement sustainable farming practices by growing a wide variety of crops, implementing physical methods of weed control, and using natural fertilizers. Such strategies promote long-term sustainability, which means that switching to organic extra virgin coconut oil is good for you and the planet!

Tasty ways you can use coconut oil in your food

Coconut oil is a fantastic substitute for regular oil and can be added to all of your standard dishes. When substituting coconut oil for other oil products, use a ratio of 1:1.

The delicious taste of organic extra virgin coconut oil means that there are also many meals out there that use it as a hero ingredient — try a few of these top recipes for yourself!

Organic coconut oil brownies

Yep, you read right — coconut oil brownies. This delectable recipe serves 16.

Ingredients:

½ cup coconut oil, melted
1 cup caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
½ cup plain flour
½ cup cocoa powder
1 cup chocolate chips

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180℃.
Line a square baking tin with baking paper.
Add the coconut oil, sugar, and vanilla extract to a large bowl and mix.
In a separate bowl, whisk eggs with a fork until combined.
Add eggs to the sugar mixture along with cocoa powder, flour, and chocolate chips.
Gently mix the ingredients with a spoon to combine.
Pour into the prepared tin.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes.
Leave to cool slightly before removing from the pan — enjoy!

Coconut oil coffee

What could go better with your coconut oil brownies than a delicious cup of coconut oil coffee?