Cold Pressed Coconut Oil

Cold Pressing is one of the preferred methods of extraction of coconut oil.

The quality and goodness of coconut oil depends much on the method of its extraction. Basically, there are two main methods of extraction of coconut oil. First one is cold pressing of copra (dried coconut kernels) and the second is boiling of fresh coconut milk. Since boiling or heating destroys many nutrients and volatile components, hence coconut oil obtained this way is not considered as good as that obtained by cold pressing, as cold pressing retains much of oil’s goodness. Again, the methods of cold pressing vary and so vary the oil’s fragrance, quality and price. Let’s check what those methods are.

• Machine Pressing: As obvious, this cold pressing is done with the help of an electrically or diesel-engine driven oil mill. Now, since this is done by machine, the oil undergoes some sort of heating (have you ever noticed how things get heated in a mixer-grinder?) and so it is not considered as good as the one obtained by oil mills driven by bullocks or men, despite of the fact the oil suffers lesser wastage when obtained by a power mill. Most of cold pressed oil used in the world is obtained this way.
• Bullock/Manual Pressing: The oil obtained this way is dearer since the production is less, consumes more time and energy and wastage is more. But again, this can justly be called the true Cold Pressed Coconut Oil. It has a better taste and fragrance than the former one, reasons being obvious. The higher price, lower availability and better quality make this cold pressed coconut oil the choice of the high society people (And it is not beyond your reach too. So, you can very well get some and feel proud that you have equaled them!).

The properties and benefits of Cold Pressed Coconut Oil are not different from the ordinary coconut oil available in the market, except for that bit of taste and fragrance when compared to the oil extracted by boiling. So, there is not much to write about. About the availability, but obvious, cold pressed coconut oil is abundantly available in all the zones where coconut oil is produced in abundance. To get the best results from it, just make sure that no artificial or synthetic additives are mixed with it.

This article is contributed by Aparup Mukherjee.

Sources of Information:

• Reports of Coconut Development Board of India,
• Reports of KERAFED.
• Text books of various courses of agriculture.
• Various other reports on internet.