Food: Coconut Oil [edit]

Other Names:椰子油 (Chinese), زيت جوز الهند (Arabic), Óleo de coco (Portuguese), Huile de noix de coco (French), Aceite de coco (Spani... All Translations

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Edited by: Kevin Dinh Tu

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Coconut oil is extracted from the kernel or meat of matured coconut harvested from the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera). Throughout the tropical world it has provided the primary source of fat in the diets of millions of people for generations. It has various applications in food, medicine, and industry. What makes coconut oil different from most other dietary oils is the basic building blocks or fatty acids making up the oil. Coconut oil is composed predominately of a special group of fat molecules known as medium chain fatty acids (MCFA). The majority of fats in the human diet are composed almost entirely of long chain fatty acids (LCFA). The primary difference between MCFA and LCFA is the size of the molecule, or more precisely, the length of the carbon chain that makes up the backbone of the fatty acid. MCFA have a chain length of 6 to 12 carbons. LCFA contain 14 or more carbons. The length of the carbon chain influences many of the oil’s physical and chemical properties. When consumed, the body processes and metabolizes each fatty acid differently depending on the size of the carbon chain. Therefore, the physiological effects of the MCFA in coconut are significantly different from those of the LCFA that are more commonly found in the diet. MCFA and LCFA can also be classified as saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated fatty acids. Coconut oil contains 92% saturated fatty acids. All of the MCFA in coconut oil are saturated. They, however, are very much different chemically from the long chain saturated fatty acids found in animal fat and other vegetable oils. Because coconut oil has a high amount of saturated fatty acids it also has a relatively high melting point. Above 76°F (24°C) coconut oil is a colorless liquid. Below this temperature it solidifies into a pure white solid. Coconut oil is very heat stable so it makes an excellent cooking and frying oil. It has a smoke point of about 360°F (180°C). Because of its stability it is slow to oxidize and thus resistant to rancidity, lasting up to two years due to high saturated fat content. {| table width=410px cellpadding="2" style="border:1px solid darkgray;" align="center" |+ style="background:green; color:white" |Fatty Acid Profile of Coconut Oil ! width="110" align="left"| Fatty Acid !! width="100" align="center" | Saturation !! width="100" align="center" | Carbons !! width="100" align="center" | Percent |- align="center" ! align="left" | Caproic | Saturated || 6 || 0.5 |- align="center" ! align="left" | Caprylic | Saturated || 8 || 7.8 |- align="center" ! align="left" | Capric | Saturated || 10 || 6.7 |- align="center" ! align="left" | Lauric | Saturated || 12 || 47.5 |- align="center" ! align="left" | Myristic | Saturated || 14 || 18.1 |- align="center" ! align="left" | Palmitic | Saturated || 16 || 8.8 |- align="center" ! align="left" | Stearic | Saturated || 18 || 2.6 |- align="center" ! align="left" | Arachidic | Saturated || 20 || 0.1 |- align="center" ! align="left" | Oleic | Monounsaturated || 18 || 6.2 |- align="center" ! align="left" | Linoleic | Polyunsaturated || 18 || 1.6 |- align="left" | colspan="4" | Coconut oil contains approximately 92.1% saturated fatty acids, 6.2% monounsaturated fatty acids, 1.6% polyunsaturated fatty acids. The above numbers are averages based on samples taken. Numbers can vary slightly depending on age of the coconut, growing conditions, and variety. |}

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[edit] About Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil is a colorless oil that is taken from the flesh of a coconut. Coconut oil is a tropical oil with many applications. It is extracted from copra (the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut). Coconut oil constitutes seven percent of the total export income of the Philippines, the world's largest exporter of the product.

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