Alexandra Ramirez
1. Nutiva
Best Overall Coconut Oil Supplement
5/5 Product Rating
The taste is smooth and sweet, making it the perfect cooking oil for medium-heat cooking. We even used it as a replacement for butter on popcorn, vegetables and bread for a delicious, healthy snack.
Nutiva organic coconut oil has never been refined, bleached or deodorized. It is certified Organic by the USDA and is also Non-GMO project verified so you can be assured that you purchased a pure coconut oil product.
We used it in cooking and baking as well as for many beauty applications. It’s excellent for the skin and hair, took off our eye makeup quickly and painlessly, and makes a great addition to a weight-loss program. You will get two, 15-ounce containers of this excellent product with each order.
If you’re looking for a painless way to add a healthy addition to your beauty and eating routines, try Nutiva Organic Virgin Coconut Oil. You will love the many ways you can use it as well as the benefits you’ll gain from adding it to your daily routine.
– Linda Krantz
2. Nature’s Way
Best Overall Coconut Oil Supplement – Runner Up
4.7/5 Product Rating
This pure, extra-virgin coconut oil is Non-GMO, certified Organic, and has no hydrogenated fats or trans fats either.
You will get 32 ounces of this excellent, health-and-beauty improving product for an excellent price. It may arrive in either liquid or solid form due to a melting point of 76 degrees F. You can use your coconut oil in any form it comes in without changing its health benefits or quality. It is the perfect addition to your health and beauty routines.
– Linda Krantz
3. Viva
Best Budget Coconut Oil Supplement
4.5/5 Product Rating
This product is also Non-GMO project verified; something that has become very important to consumers in recent years. This coconut oil is sourced from the rich and lush volcanic soils that are located in the Philippines. They handpick only the best coconuts and pick them when they are at the height of their fragrance and freshness.
Once chosen, the coconuts are cold-pressed using low temperatures via Viva Labs extraction method which is proprietary to Viva Labs. This special extraction method ensures that the nutrients and health-promoting antioxidants are preserved.
We were thrilled to discover that the exotic, silky, smooth taste that his excellent coconut oil contains is the result of many taste tests and complete nutritional analysis. The extraction process happens within a few hours of harvesting which ensures the best quality product they can produce. That great quality is passed to you, the consumer, so you can enjoy the taste and incredible health benefits every day.
You’ll get 16 ounces of this exceptional coconut oil to use in multiple health-improving ways for your skin, hair, and physical health. Since the melting point of coconut oil is 76 degrees F, it may arrive to you in either solid or liquid form. This does not alter the benefits or quality in any way and you can use it in either form.
– Linda Krantz
Coconut Oil Supplement Buying Guide
Types of Coconut Oil Supplement
There is a difference between regular, virgin and extra-virgin coconut oils. These differences come from how they are made. You want to choose only unrefined or organic coconut oils to ensure a pure product. We’ve explained the differences for you below.
- Regular Coconut Oil – This type of coconut oil is made from dried out pieces of coconut meat. These pieces are sent to the factory for bleaching and chemicals are used to extract the oils from the “meat”. Next, high temperatures are used to liquefy and purify the oil. This is called refining. These refined oils will have no flavor or scent and are used mainly for baking or cooking. Refined coconut oils can handle high-heat cooking as well as frying.
- Virgin/Organic Coconut Oil – This is the best form of coconut oil and it is made from coconuts that have been handpicked right from the trees. The meat of the coconut is hand-pressed and the coconut milk is fermented which produces a very creamy oil. There is little to no high-heat exposure and the result is a product that has high levels of Lauric Acid and Caprylic Acid.
What to Check When Shopping for Coconut Oil
The information below will help you sort through dozens of coconut oil brands that are available on the market. With this information, you can choose a coconut oil that is pure and that has all the important nutrients intact that benefit health. Out three top choices reviewed above meet all the following criteria and are considered exceptional in quality and health benefits.
- Is the coconut oil certified Organic? – This important certification lets consumers know that the product is as natural as possible. No pesticides, additives or fertilizers have been used. If you are looking for a 100% completely-natural product, this certification is an excellent start. This doesn’t mean that a product without this certification is bad; it just means that other factors must be evaluated to ensure its quality. Organic certification is a good way to quickly begin your search.
- Has it been deodorized, bleached or refined? – Coconut oils that have been bleached, refined or deodorized do not have the same health benefits that unrefined, virgin and extra virgin coconut oils have. There is no way to know how much of the healthy fatty acids have been stripped away during those processes, therefore it is best to avoid oils that have been subject to refining processes. The only thing that refined coconut oil can be good for is frying and cooking since they are designed to handle high heat without damage.
- Are there hydrogenated fats? – To be truly healthy you don’t want your coconut oil to contain any hydrogenated fats or trans fats. Pure, unrefined coconut oil is a terrific source of healthy, saturated fat. Hydrogenated fats can increase the risk of cell inflammation, accelerate aging and can even promote heart disease.
- Is it Made Fresh or From Dried Coconut? – The pure, organic coconut oils are made from fresh, off-the-tree coconuts. They have a delicious scent and taste and have all their nutrients intact. The coconut oil made from dried coconut meat or “copra” as it is called, is void of these nutrients and has no flavor or scent.
- Cold-Pressed, expeller-pressed or fermented – This process, which presses the coconut meat to extract its milk, is the process to look for. The milk is fermented and will likely pass many times through a centrifuge which separates the milk from the oil. It is very similar to the process by which a dairy makes cream. It does not require the use of chemicals, excessive heat, or solvents.
- Direct Micro Expelling – This is very similar to cold-pressed or expeller pressed but on a much smaller scale and it is usually performed by the local villagers. Teams of up to 6 people produce smaller batches of pure coconut oil which provides a sustainable, organic product. This method helps to directly benefit the local economy that is producing the coconut oil.
- Real Coconut or GMO crops? – Look for products that state they are non-GMO project certified. This ensures that they come from actual coconut trees and are not a product of genetic engineering. Many believe that GMO foods are potential health risks and that they pose a danger to the environment.
- How much Lauric Acid does it have? – Lauric Acid has antibacterial and antiviral properties and also enhances the immune system. You want to look for coconut oil that has high amounts of this ingredient. Look for products that have at least 50% Lauric Acid; more is even better. Look on the ingredient list to ensure that it is included.
- Virgin versus Extra Virgin – Extra virgin coconut oil is virtually no different than virgin so you don’t need to spend more for “extra”. As long as you reviewed the factors above, you will be getting a pure product that has all the health benefits you are looking for. “Virgin” and “unrefined” are the buzz words you want to look for. If you find them, you will have a product that contains no chemicals and your health and beauty will reap the benefits.
- Avoid “RBD” Coconut Oil – This is the worst type of coconut oil on the market with virtually NO health benefits. RBD stands for refined, bleached and deodorized. There is no taste, no smell and virtually no health benefits at all. In fact, quite the opposite is true and you may be introducing harmful ingredients into your body.
Conclusion
When it comes to coconut oil, the purer the better. We have shown you what to look for to ensure you are getting that purity. Coconut oil is such a beneficial oil that you can’t go wrong using it. Choosing a high-quality, pure coconut oil will improve many aspects of your health, your skin, and your hair. You will wish you had started using it a long time ago.
The top coconut oil choices we featured above are excellent examples of exactly what you want to spend your money on. They are “virgin” coconut oil, they are free of any chemicals and harsh ingredients, they are made from fresh coconuts and not RBD, and they contain many healthy fatty acids that will make an amazing difference in how you feel and look.
Choosing the right coconut oil will not be hard now that you are armed with precise information on what to look for and what to avoid. This product is not expensive either which makes it a health “food” that you should have on hand at all times.
Resources
- Viva Labs – http://vivalabs.com/
- Nutiva – http://nutiva.com/
- Nature’s Way – http://www.naturesway.com/
