Virgin coconut oil contains small amounts of antioxidant compounds that may help curb inflammation, a harmful process thought to worsen heart disease.
The energy content of both virgin coconut oil and regular oil is the same. However, since normal coconut oil is hydrogenated, it may contain some trans-fat. But virgin coconut oil is rich in medium-chain fatty acids, has good cholesterol and almost negligible amounts of trans fatty acids.
The main difference between refined and unrefined coconut oil is how they are produced. Both unrefined coconut oil and refined coconut oil are made by pressing coconut meat, but refined coconut oil undergoes additional processing, such as bleaching and deodorizing.
Unrefined and refined coconut oils both have their place, but unrefined has an edge when it comes to nutritional profile—it's higher in antioxidants and polyphenols, compounds that give the oil many of its health benefits. It's also free of additives that may be used during the refining process.
Unrefined coconut oil, sometimes called virgin or extra-virgin coconut oil (there is no difference between virgin and extra-virgin), is made with fresh coconut meat that is pressed to extract the oil.
Since inflammation is more prominent on the skin and appears as clear red patches on your face, coconut oil should be applied topically on the affected areas to soothe and relax irritated skin. You can use it by pumping out a few drops onto your palms, and gently massaging your face with it.
"If you have oily skin and are acne-prone, coconut oil shouldn't be applied to acne-prone areas." Steer clear of applying coconut oil to your face, chest, upper back and shoulders, as these areas of skin have the most oil glands, and do test patches on other areas of your body before going all in.
The Difference Between Extra Virgin and Virgin Coconut Oil
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. There is actually no USDA recognized grade of extra virgin coconut oil -- just virgin coconut. The term "virgin" typically means that the oil is unrefined and typically cold pressed.
Cooking is probably the best known and most common use for coconut oil. Organic coconut oil is ideal for cooking with very high temperatures due to its high saturated fat content. This tasty oil is very resistant to oxidation at high heat due to its high levels of saturated fat, 40% of which is lauric acid.
It can be used as a topical application or ingested orally. Applying it directly to the area of pain can help reduce inflammation as well as help lubricate and strengthen the joints. Coconut oil can also be added to food or a smoothie as part of an overall healthy diet.
By promoting blood circulation to your affected joints, coconut oil helps relieve pain. You may experience better results if you warm the oil first and then massage into your painful joints or muscles. It works by reducing infections in joints.
The Bottom Line. Hands down, avocado oil is a healthier option for regular use than coconut oil due to its fat profile and antioxidant properties. Fenn agrees: "We have solid scientific data that supports minimizing saturated fat in the diet to reduce your risk of heart disease and Alzheimer's.
Both olive oil and avocado oil are considered good fats and are an excellent source of monounsaturated fatty acids, which can help improve heart health. On the other hand, olive oil is slightly more nutritious on the whole because it contains more potassium, calcium, iron and vitamins.
The key difference between coconut oil vs olive oil is in their saturated fat content. Coconut oil has 6x as much saturated fat per tablespoon as olive oil, per the USDA. Other differences between coconut oil vs olive oil include their health impacts, their taste, how they're produced,, and their primary cooking uses.
Coconut oil can hydrate the skin and help it retain moisture. It may also help reduce inflammation, promote wound healing, and have antibacterial properties.
Thanks to its antibacterial properties and antioxidant factors that can help the body strengthen itself against disease, coconut oil when used regularly can help reduce inflammation and pain caused by arthritis.
Coconut oil helps to hydrate skin and reinforce its natural defensive barrier to better retain moisture which means coconut oil for dry skin is fantastic. The anti-inflammatory properties that coconut oil has means it has the ability to help treat acne, which is an inflammatory condition.
What Should I Look For When Buying Coconut Oil. An easy way to check if you're buying quality coconut oil is to make sure it's certified organic and verified Non-GMO. The next step is to confirm that Virgin Coconut Oil is cold-pressed, made without hexane, and never deodorized or bleached.
Organic Virgin Coconut Oil is typically going to be a lot more expensive than either of your refined versions of coconut oil (either organic or non-organic) because it's a much higher quality oil.
In terms of purity, yes. Cold-processed virgin coconut oil is much better in quality than cold-pressed virgin coconut oil. In the cold-pressed process, low heat is used to produce oil so there's almost no difference between cold-pressed coconut oil and refined coconut oil.