The politics of the food industry can sometimes be very complex and machiavellian. In the 1980s there was a campaign to discredit tropical oils, spearheaded by the American Soybean Association and other industry sponsored groups. Eventually, research proved the claims against coconut oil to be unfounded. Dr. C.

For decades coconut oil has been absent from most of America?s pantry shelves. Why? Politics and economics. Coconut oil was heavily used in the U.S. at one time for frying, baking, and that great tasting theater popcorn. According to Dr. Bruce Fife, author of The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil, beginning in the 1980?s some very powerful lobbying groups in the U.S. began to condemn all saturated oils.

Coconut oil is about 87-92% saturated fat, so should be avoided. Coconut itself is high in saturated fat, so should only be eaten occasionally and in moderation. Top

While this claim has been widely disproved in many scientific studies and journals, unfortunately this perception is still around. The tropical oils were very popular in the US food industry prior to World War II. The US is the largest exporter of soybeans.

Coconut oil is liquid above 75 degrees F. (25 C.), and below that it will be a solid fat. It can be stored in either form, and it can be liquefied easily by applying low level heat.

We make no claims about the dietary effects of coconut oil. There is, however, lots of research that suggests that coconut oil can contribute to weight loss. Following is some very clear information about the mechanism for this, from Cherie Calbom's book The Coconut Diet (Warner Books). While we feel excited about coconut oil, and include it as a staple in our own diets, we encourage you to do your own research, and even more importantly, experiment with it yourself and see how it works for you.

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No. Many people mistaken palm oil for coconut oil and thereby think that palm oil is similar to palm kernel oil. It is palm kernel oil that is similar to coconut oil in terms of chemical composition, physical characteristics and uses (see Figure 1). Besides fatty acid composition, palm oil also differs from coconut oil with regard to their impact on heart disease risk.

When purchasing coconut oil, one must determine between “virgin” and “refined.” The determining characteristic of virgin coconut oils is that they are made from fresh coconuts, and they have the distinct aroma and taste of coconuts present. Tasteless coconut oils are probably made from copra, not fresh coconuts. There are also some oils that are made from copra that are not fully deodorized and have a taste to them.

The good fats are the monounsaturated fat and the polyunsaturated fat. The bad fats are the saturated fat and the trans fat. Trans fat is naturally found in regular milk. Dairy Fresh Farms™ milk beverage is trans-fat free.

Both Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oils are very high quality, certified organic Virgin Coconut Oils. The main difference between the two Virgin Coconut Oils is that the Green Label Virgin Coconut Oil is machine made in larger volumes in a central location, whereas our Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is handmade in small batches in many locations by farmers and family producers.

Our cookie bakers tell us it is still necessary to use tropical oils for the production of compound coating. Many top bakers have tried to stop using it, but without it, their products do not meet production standards. There are currently eight varieties of Girl Scout Cookies produced by each baker licensed to produce Girl Scout Cookies. Each baker produces Girl Scout Cookie varieties without palm oil.

Virgin Coconut Oil contains no cholesterol. Contrary to popular belief, virgin coconut oil is safe for those with heart disease. Studies show that coconut-eating people such as Pacific Islanders have low serum cholesterol levels and have the least incidence of coronary heart disease. A study in New England showed that people who consume coconut oil had increased HDL (good cholesterol) because of the stimulatory effect on metabolism.

We do NOT recommend fish oil, not for babies nor adults, but high vitamin cod liver oil, which supplies A and D without giving too much EPA and DHA. The EPA in cod liver oil will not compete with the DHA--these two always occur together in food. And do not use the synthetic DHA/ARA, we have heard bad reports from this. The baby will get ARA from the butterfat in the milk. You should NOT give extra iron in the first six months. Iron competes with zinc, needed for neurological development.

We don't recommend coconut oil for deep frying--it does not have a high enough smoke point and breaks down at high temperature. We recommend tallow or lard for deep frying. It is when the oils are removed from the foods that they become dangerous to cook in. Inside the food they are protected. It is fine to cook foods containing polyunsaturates as long as you don't cook at too high a temperature or burn them. No, these vitamins are very heat stable. Only the Wulzen factor is lost.

The benefits of coconut oil are mainly from the nutrient value of medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs). The best comparison in nature as to the percentage of MCFAs being consumed in a diet is human breast milk. To equal the amount of MCFAs a nursing infant would receive in one day, an adult would need to consume about 3.5 tablespoons of coconut oil a day according to researchers.

Coconut oil is a food, not a medication, and therefore it does not have "side effects." Since individuals vary, there could be adverse reactions, especially if your body is used to a low-fat diet regimen. The most common reaction is diarrhea. While 3.5 Tbsp. is recommended as the daily intake by some researchers, it is probably best not to start with that amount, or eat it all at once. Spread it out over the course of the day, and reduce the amount you ingest if there are unwanted effects.

The best place to look up the nutrient data of coconut oil, including fatty acid analysis, is in the USDA database here. Just type in “coconut oil” into the search box, and then choose “Vegetable oil, coconut” and choose the amount you want to analyze. Note that this analysis is probably for refined coconut oil.

None. Coconut oil is not a source of Omega 3 fatty acids. These need to be supplemented in the diet from elsewhere (such as our Cod Liver Oil). The primary benefits of coconut oil are the nutritive value of medium chain fatty acids.

Since coconut oil is a food and is a staple for many living in Asia, it is considered safe for anyone. In coconut producing countries it is considered normal and good food for pregnant and lactating women, since it contains lauric acid which is also present in breast milk. However, the cautions of reactions as stated above should be noted.

Please see our complete explanation for the different kinds of coconut oil and how they are produced here.

Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is the same Virgin Coconut Oil that Tropical Traditions has sold for the past 6+ years, and has now been enhanced to the point where we have developed even higher standards for the production of this premium Virgin Coconut Oil. It contains the highest levels of antioxidants.

Yes! We have lived in the community where most of the coconut oil is produced, and we can personally guarantee that the coconuts used to produce our oil are completely organic. In addition, our coconuts and Virgin Coconut Oil producers are certified organic by a third party organization based out of the US (Organic Certifiers) which sends their own independent inspector yearly. We meet strict requirements for organic certification according to USDA/NOP organic standards.

No, coconut oil is NOT destroyed or changed chemically in anyway from its original form by using low heat. Unlike other plant oils, the medium chain fatty acids are very resistant to any change via heat. Even commercial oils heated to a very high temperature have their medium chain fatty acids kept in tact. This makes coconut oil one of the best oils to use in cooking, because it does not break down easily.

Tropical Traditions Green Label Virgin Coconut Oil is a high quality machine-made Virgin Coconut Oil. Certified organic fresh coconuts are first dried and then the oil is cold-pressed out by machine. As with other Virgin Coconut Oils, this oil retains the scent and taste of coconuts. Our Green Label Virgin Coconut Oil is made in a central location in the Philippines under strict quality control procedures to produce a consistent product that meets stringent USDA organic certification standards.

This is commonly heard but is not true. Nutiva's Organic Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil is quite beneficial to your body's health and well-being. It is cholesterol-free and contains medium-chain good fats and 50-55% Lauric Acid. Other brands sold in the United States are usually solvent-extracted from dried coconut meat (copra). They are also refined, bleached, and deodorized, and some are also hydrogenated.

Good fats are those that contain both essential acids (EFA's). EFA's are sensitive to destruction by light, oxygen and heat. Therefore, good fats must contain EFA's in their natural state, and they must be protected from the destructive influence of light, air and heat by being properly prepared and packaged. Good fats should also be unprocessed, because unrefined oils contain components other that EFA's that are very important for health.

Eggs are very good for you. The controversy over eggs has been a roller coaster ride for the American public. Eggs are natural, extremely nutritious, containing protein, nutrients, iron, and good cholesterol. Our bodies need good cholesterol . Bad cholesterol is found in the saturated fat and skin of meats, in oils (except olive oil), margarines, too much butter, and solid shortenings. Too many saturated fats and trans fatty acids are harmful to us, including raising cholesterol.