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Organic Virgin Coconut Oil: Cooking, Beauty and Smart Tips
It might just be the only oil that moves effortlessly from the frying pan to the bathroom shelf. Solid like butter in winter, liquid as soon as it warms up, organic virgin coconut oil has a thousand and one uses. Here’s a quick overview to help you choose and use it well. 🥥
What is virgin coconut oil?
Virgin coconut oil is extracted from the fresh flesh of the coconut by simple cold pressing, with no refining or chemical treatment. This gentle process preserves its delicate coconut scent and lovely pearly colour. Organic-certified versions additionally guarantee coconut palms grown without pesticides.
Its distinctive feature lies in its composition: coconut oil is one of the richest plant sources of lauric acid, a so-called “medium-chain” fatty acid (the famous MCTs). This also explains its very characteristic texture — solid below around 24°C, melting above it.
In the kitchen and in the bathroom: how to use it
Coconut oil’s great strength is its versatility. Here’s how to make the most of it on both fronts:
| Area | Use | How to do it |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking | Frying | Stir-fries and sautés: high smoke point, stays stable under heat. |
| Baking | Replaces butter in cakes, cookies and homemade granola. | |
| Raw recipes | Raw chocolates and energy bars: it sets as it cools. | |
| Beauty | Hair | As a pre-shampoo mask on dry ends, 30 min then rinse. |
| Skin | As a moisturising balm for the body, elbows, lips. | |
| Mouth | “Oil pulling”: a melted spoonful swished as a mouth rinse for 5 to 10 min. |
🥥 Coconut oil: true or false?
Click on each statement to reveal the answer.
1. Coconut oil that has turned solid has gone off.
False. It’s perfectly normal: it solidifies below about 24°C and turns liquid again above it. A quick trip in a warm water bath and it’s as good as new.
2. You can use the same coconut oil for cooking and for cosmetics.
True. Organic virgin coconut oil suits both — that’s exactly its appeal. Just keep a separate jar for the bathroom, for hygiene.
3. Coconut oil doesn’t handle cooking well.
False. Its smoke point is fairly high (around 177°C for the virgin type), which makes it a stable oil for everyday stir-fries and sautés.
4. “Virgin” and “refined” mean the same thing.
False. Virgin oil is cold-pressed and keeps its coconut scent; refined oil is processed, more neutral in taste but poorer in aroma.
5. Coconut’s lauric acid is also found in breast milk.
True. It’s one of the few plant sources this rich in lauric acid, a medium-chain fatty acid.
Our tips for choosing well
To get the best out of coconut oil, look for one that’s virgin, organic and first cold-pressed: the word “virgin” guarantees it hasn’t been refined. A good check when you open the jar: it should smell distinctly of fresh coconut. Store it away from light; it keeps for a very long time and copes easily with its solid/liquid changes through the seasons.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my coconut oil sometimes liquid, sometimes solid?
Simply a matter of temperature: it solidifies around 24°C and melts above it. It’s not a sign of poor quality — quite the opposite.
What’s the difference between coconut oil and MCT oil?
MCT oil is a concentrate of medium-chain fatty acids (usually C8 and C10) extracted from coconut, liquid even when chilled. Virgin coconut oil, on the other hand, is the whole oil, with its flavour and its lauric acid.
Can you cook with it without a coconut taste?
The virgin type always brings a coconut note, subtle but present — perfect for curries, desserts and exotic dishes. For a neutral taste, a refined version is the better choice.
How should it be stored?
At room temperature, away from light and heat, tightly sealed. It keeps for many months without any issue.
Going further
Want to expand your cupboard of versatile, delicious oils? Discover on the site:
Amanprana Organic MCT Oil · Organic black seed oil · our cocoa powders and beans for homemade chocolates.
Herba Barona — dietary supplements and natural products, in Paris since 2006. 🌿