Where to Purchase Coconut Oil
By Michael Babcock
On Buying Coconut Oil
We recommend "virgin coconut oil." While may be available in local health food stores, I prefer to order online because I've found better prices (even with shipping) and I can get the brand I prefer.
Virgin coconut oil is:
- Minimally processed, usually by centrifuging or fermentation, so is likely to have more nutritional value. It is typically made from younger coconuts and processed within hours of opening. Other coconut oil is made from copra (the meat from a mature coconut) by pressing and is often "refined, bleached and deodorized" – often called an "RBD" oil.
- Better tasting – I like the slight coconut flavor and aroma. A good virgin coconut oil feels as if its bursting with life-force and energy.
Brands of virgin coconut oils vary in taste, texture and smell. Try a variety and find one that you like, then order a gallon and maximize your savings – it has a (unrefrigerated) shelf life of two years or more. Use it to cook foods, as a butter substitute on toast or vegetables and in baked goods. Plan to use it on your skin – it feels wonderful and your skin loves it.
Remember, each product is slightly different and different people will prefer different brands.
Brands I can recommend
- Nutiva is our brand of choice. It is creamy smooth, with a slight caramel flavor. In addition to Nutiva themselves, you can order (at good prices) from Netrition and Vitacost.
- Wilderness Family Naturals sells a variety of coconut products, including unrefined Virgin coconut oil from various locales. Their centrifuged oil was creamy and delicious with a slight coconut smell and taste. Their fermented virgin coconut oil from their Philippines was almost flavorless with a slight coconut smell – a good neutral oil for cooking.
- Radiant Life offers a good virgin coconut oil with a slightly stronger coconut flavor.
- Tropical Traditions in the Philippines was the first coconut oil I used and it was always excellent.
- Edible Haven has a very tasty and smooth organic virgin coconut oil – an excellent product.
Other Brands Available in the U.S.
- Omega Nutrition Coconut Oil is made from 100% organic unrefined oil. The also make a virgin coconut oil.
- Coconut oil is also available in Indian markets. The two brands I tried had a stronger flavor that I did not enjoy.
- Coconutoil-online dot com has a virgin, unrefined coconut oil obtained by centrifuge separation from fresh coconut milk. Note: They also ship internationally.
Brands Outside the U.S.
- For you Aussies, kokonut pacific based in Australia has what appears to be an excellent product. Their model of sustainable development for rural communities looks hard to beat.
- UK Importer of Fair Trade Certified Organic Virgin Coconut Oil. Purchase best quality oil - retail/wholesale - at www.virgincoconutoil.co.uk
- Another good option in the U.K. is Coconut Island – they offer a Virgin, organic coconut oil.
- One more source in the U.K. is LubiLife who offers a virgin coconut oil from the Philippines.
Offsite Links
Coconut Research Links has other vendors of virgin coconut both in the U.S. and abroad.