Coconut oil is extracted from coconut kernel and is in high demand across the South-East Asian and East Asian countries for its health wonders and the pleasant aroma and flavour. More than just being the chosen one in kitchen, this amazing oil has also found its place in traditional natural medicine and is even being used by pharmaceutical companies. A plethora of health resources makes it stay in demand and the west is also looking into this new option of healthy cooking.

• Oil stores a great reserve of energy in one of the most concentrated forms. Every 100g of oil packs in a whopping 884 calories to make you get active and running in life.
• Oil is very rich in saturated fats. It makes the oil have a noticeably long shelf life for cooking.
• Fatty acids present in coconut oil- whether it is a healthy choice is debatable. Experts are varied in their opinion. If some ask you to avoid it, there are many others who advise to use oil while cooking as they feel it adds to the goodness in your diet.
• Lauric acid is one of the most important fat elements present in this oil that is great for your health as it has properties to kill bacteria and fungi. Finding uses in both external and edible needs, this is the healing secret found in coconut oil.
• It has good cholesterol. As mentioned above, the content of this oil is rich in its nature with fats. Hence the cholesterol it adds to your body is the good cholesterol that you need.

It takes complete care of your health requirements and makes sure you chose this oil over all others for its many benefits.

Refined And Unrefined Coconut Oil

Today, people across the globe are using coconut oil for their daily needs. Coconut oil is available in two basic formats- refined and unrefined.Unrefined coconut oil is also known as ‘pure coconut oil’. It has undeterred qualities of the product and is high in all its nutritive fats. Whereas, refined coconut oil is the more processed, bleached and deodorized variant. But, what differentiates the wholesomeness in the two and which one is better? This is a question we will answer as we take you through a detailed analysis of the pros and cons of both the varieties.

Unrefined Coconut Oil

One could get confused about why it is recommended to use unrefined coconut oil when there is a variety present in the market that is processed to be more refined and hygienic. As you might guess from the name, this is the crude form of coconut oil that is just a product of oil extraction from coconuts with no further processing. It is in its unfiltered form and does not have other additives to change its composition. The alternates like virgin coconut oil, organic coconut oil and the popular organic virgin coconut oil are all classified under this category.

Unrefined coconut oil is preferred mostly for the following advantages, which make it a wise choice for many:

Taste: In the department of impressing your taste buds, unrefined coconut oil is a clear winner. As this type is not bleached or refined, it successfully retains the original flavour and taste of pure coconut oil. With extensive use in a variety of dishes, this has turned into a favourite choice for many cuisines in South-East Asian countries. If the food tastes authentic, you can be rest-assured that it is cooked in unrefined coconut oil.

Flavour: When you heat unrefined coconut oil in a pan before making a dish, you will be treated with the flavour of fresh coconuts that can be only found in this variant. In the refined versions, the deodorisation takes away this authentic fragrance from it.

Nutrients: Unrefined coconut oil does not go through the harsh stages of processing. Thus, with no exposure to heat and chemicals, it retains all its vitamins and antioxidants. Protein content is almost absent in refined oil, which is found in this type of oil.

Natural: During the process of refining, coconut oil is treated with sodium hydroxide and bleached. This makes it a more chemical laden product. Whereas, in the case of unrefined oil, there is no chemical interaction. This keeps all its properties secure.

Use of unrefined coconut oil is high when you speak of skincare or haircare. A great natural product for your cosmetic needs, this will make you deal with problems in the easiest and most organic way.

Unrefined Coconut Oil For Skin

Since ages people in the east have used coconut oil as their beauty secret. There are many properties of this common tropical gem that makes it a therapeutic wonder for many. Getting popular with the spread of the organic and natural skincare wave, unrefined coconut oil has grown to be a great option for a multiple number of skincare needs. Here are few for you to learn and apply.

A Great Moisturiser

This amazing cooking medium has the best capabilities to nourish your skin too. The oil is usually in a liquid state in the warm [Inserted: a ]regions. Although it is solid in colder regions, the oil has a texture like that of petroleum jelly- On application, our body heat melts it immediately and it can smoothly be spread on the skin. Seeping through the pores, it proves to be one of the most beneficial moisturising agents. Making your skin soft and supple, this oil keeps you hydrated in the driest of climates.

Make-Up Remover

We all love to get gorgeous and flaunt our beauty with pride. Make-up is a regular enhancer of our beauty. But it is painful to remove the make-up after a long day. It is essential to remove your makeup as your skin needs to hydrate and breathe. But the task of removing makeup is difficult for soft areas of your face. Coconut oil is known to be one of the best grease cutters that can lift away the thick coat of cosmetics in no time. Gentle on your skin and easy to remove the chemicals, coconut oil can be your ultimate saviour.

A Deep Cleanser

Our face goes through a lot of undesirable conditions in our everyday urban life. Starting from dirt from pollution, chemical based makeup, dehydration from air conditioning to the daily stress levels, it all makes the pores get clogged. Toxins too may seep in and affect our skin adversely. What is required is a deep cleanser for the skin. Coconut oil is the solution as it nourishes your skin by opening and softening the keratin caps and makes it easy for your skin to exfoliate.

Anti-Bacterial Wonder

Unrefined coconut oil is known to retain one of its most useful elements. Lauric acid found in this oil is a natural bacteria killer and a great protection from fungal infections. Any problem of acne can be dealt with great results when using unrefined coconut oil. It cures abrasions too. Regular use can guarantee a healthy and happy skin.

A Natural Sunscreen

As we know coconuts come from the tropics, it is a gift that carries properties to heal skin damage caused by the tropical sun. Unrefined coconut oil works great in protecting you from solar radiation when you are exposed to the sun for brief periods. Also, the antioxidants present in the oil can protect you from [Inserted: ,][Inserted: the ]harm caused by the ultraviolet rays of the sun. Soothing your skin and healing your burns, this oil is a true skin expert.

Stops Wrinkles

Experts have found that unrefined coconut oil has the property to go deep within the skin where it can heal damage and protect the collagen layer. This is the portion of our skin which causes wrinkles to occur if not cared for. The coconut oil keeps it sustained and makes sure you retain that youthful skin for a longer period of time and keep wrinkles far away from your beautiful face.

Unrefined Coconut Oil For Hair

With all the above merits this oil has for your skin, it also packs up a load of benefits when we take hair care into consideration. This is supposedly the most advantageous hair oil and has a whole bundle of offerings to treat any kind of hair. It is a simple and inexpensive product for hair growth and maintenance. So bid farewell to those chemically formulated hair products that are both harmful and expensive. Enjoy the ultimate care with these following paybacks:

• Unrefined coconut oil is the preferred product for hair care as it goes deep inside the scalp to nourish it and secures great hair growth by keeping the hair follicles in good health.
• The oil is overall a great option to nourish your scalp health. Keeping the hair hydrated and strong, it keeps away the problems of lice and dandruff.
• Due to the harsh conditions of the atmosphere and rising pollution, dry hair is a common problem for city people. Coconut hair works amazingly in this case to keep your hair healthy and protected.
• If you want celebrity-like hair that looks like a dream, those fancy hair products are not the ones that can get you there. Coconut hair naturally adds shine and shimmer to your hair and keeps it soft too.
• Split ends are another problem many women face and that makes them cut their lustrous hair shorter. Use this oil which can keep your hair nourished from top to bottom and split ends will be a thing of the past.
• The best reason why one should also get addicted to the use of this oil is that it stops hair fall. Giving more volume to your hair and protecting hair damage, this wonder will keep your hair safe and sensational.

Refined Coconut Oil

Though unrefined coconut oil is deemed to be the most sought-after and pure form of coconut oil and has a world of benefits, the fact is that refined coconut oil is the most widespread. Also called the RBD coconut oil, that stands for the terms refined, bleached and deodorised together, this is the oil that is sold the most off the rack.

In the unrefined form, many a time when the oil is extracted from the raw copra that are dried in the open sun for days, it contains contamination from dust, insect remains, fungal spore and a lot more. Thus the task to refine the oil becomes important if not mandatory. There is also no level of refining when the oil is extracted, as the process is still done at many places with traditional tools like a bullock-driven extracting machine or a simple motorised one. So the task of refining might be essential to confirm that the oil is clean and dirt free.

Refined Coconut Oil For Skin And Hair

Yes, it is definitely a fact that unrefined coconut oil has all its health and beautifying benefits intact and can be a great option for being an alternative cosmetic product. But, the fact is virgin and organic coconut oils are supremely expensive too. Whereas, refined coconut oil, which is tagged to be not much rich with essentials, is a much cheaper option to [Inserted: ,][Inserted: ,]buy. So are all refined coconut oils not good enough for your personal care? Well, we found out that the answer is NO. There are a number of brands of refined coconut oil that can be used for these purposes too. The reason is that all brands do not follow the same process of refining. There are many which to do follow harsh procedures to refine the oil and clear up the impurities by safeguarding a fair portion of its goodness.

Thus if you are planning to spend less for the natural treasure, go for options that are refined, but read the labels and find out the refining details. A lesser refined product can give you a portion of the goodness you are looking for. The same products can do well for your hair and skin and give the benefits we have discussed above.

So whether it is the refined one or the precious unrefined virgin category that you wish to use, coconut oil can be a great support. Helping you stay healthy and fit, this magic from the tropics will keep you glowing and beautiful too.

Source: fashionlady.in