The fundamental difference between refined and unrefined coconut oil is easy to understand. Refined coconut oil is processed and would almost always contain additives. Unrefined coconut oil is not processed, doesn’t contain additives and is thus tagged as virgin or pure. One could refer to the difference between refined and unrefined coconut oil in the same way as one treats virgin olive oil and its refined variants. However, there is substantial difference in the processes used and also the nutrients in refined and unrefined coconut oil.
Difference Between Refined and Unrefined Coconut Oil
The first difference lies in the way the oil is extracted. The oil is extracted from the meat of the coconut, which is called copra. When processing refined coconut oil, the oil is extracted from the copra and then bleached, followed by a deodorizing process. The natural coconut oil has a very strong flavor and distinct odor. Also, the oil may have contaminants when subjected to drying which is quintessential in this method of extraction. The copra is dried and then the oil is extracted. Once the oil is extracted and treated to high heat to get rid of the flavor and odor, the manufacturers may add sodium hydroxide. Some manufacturers use solvents during the extraction process to obtain more oil from the same amount of copra. To increase the shelf life of refined coconut oil, most companies add preservatives. The preservatives could be natural or synthetic.
Unrefined or virgin coconut oil is exactly what is extracted from the copra or meat of the coconut. There are two ways you can extract unrefined coconut oil. You can dry the meat and then press it mechanically to extract the oil. The other process is wet milling which involves extracting the coconut milk and then obtain the oil from it by boiling and fermentation followed by separation of the oil from the milk with the help of enzymes.
Unrefined coconut oil is obviously healthier and more nutritious. It is rich in lauric acid and phytonutrients. Lauric acid is also present in refined coconut oil, almost in same quantities if you choose a credible manufacturer. However, you would be missing out on phytonutrients and other antioxidants in refined coconut oil.
If you are using coconut oil for cooking then you may want to opt for refined coconut oil because it can withstand temperatures up to 450 degrees F. Unrefined or virgin coconut oil has a much lesser capacity, of up to 350 degrees F.
