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Known for its antiviral and antibacterial activity, as well as anti-inflammatory benefits, coconut oil is available in cold-pressed and refined form. Flavor and antioxidant retention are the two main benefits of choosing cold-pressed coconut oil over refined. However, you should know that there’s a place for both forms of coconut oil in the kitchen, depending on the situation.
Cold-Pressed Versus Refined Production
When you purchase coconut oil, whether you purchase cold-pressed or refined, you’re getting oil from coconut meat. Coconut oil contains mostly saturated fat, along with some unsaturated fat. One tablespoon of coconut oil contains 13 grams of fat.
It’s important to know that not all saturated fats are equal. The medium-chain saturated fats in coconut oil do not raise levels of bad cholesterol in the blood. In fact, they raise levels of good cholesterol, according to a study published in the December 2017 edition of the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Because of this positive effect on blood lipids, coconut oil can fit into a healthy diet as part of your overall fat intake.
Antioxidant Benefits.
As the name suggests, cold-pressed coconut oil is made without any heat. The coconut meat is scooped out and pressed so that you’re left with pure coconut oil. On the other hand, refined coconut oil is made from dried coconut meat. The coconut meat is typically bleached and deodorized and heated in a hydraulic press before undergoing further heat and filtering. As with all food processing, the addition of heat reduces the antioxidant content of refined coconut oil. Therefore, cold-pressed oil can be expected to have higher levels of antioxidants than its refined counterpart.
Flavor Benefits.
The second major benefit of cold-pressed coconut oil is the flavor. Unrefined coconut oil retains it’s natural, pure coconut taste This is especially ideal if you’re using coconut oil to for baking. Choosing cold-pressed coconut oil for baking recipes results in baked goods that possess the nutty and delicate flavor that coconut is known for.
Because refined coconut oil undergoes extensive processing, it doesn’t retain a coconut flavor. You can expect refined coconut oil to have a very neutral flavor where you’re unable to detect much, if any, hint of coconut.
Free of Additives.
Cold-pressed coconut oil is beneficial for people looking to avoid additives. During the refining process, additives are used to remove impurities and ensure a clean final product. Because pure cold-pressed coconut oil doesn’t undergo any refining, it’s naturally additive free.
A Place for Both.
There’s a place for both refined and unrefined coconut oil depending on the situation. Refined coconut oil is excellent for sautéing and stir-frying where you’re cooking at a higher heat point and desire a neutral flavor. Cold-pressed coconut oil is best for medium-heat cooking and excellent for baking and recipes where you want to impart a delicate coconut flavor.
Unrefined coconut oil is excellent if you’re adding coconut oil to your diet for its antioxidants and anti-microbial benefits. Because it retains more natural constituents than refined coconut oil, you’ll get the maximum benefits.
