Organic virgin coconut oil has become very popular in alternative health circles, despite the fact that for many years it was considered a “bad” fat due to its high saturated fat content. However, it turns out that the saturated fat in organic virgin coconut oil, especially virgin coconut oil, is not the same as the saturated fat in other oils. It contains medium – chain fatty acids which are much easier on the body than the long chain fatty acids found in many other cooking oils. It also contains several compounds that are good for your health, including caprylic acid, capric acid, and lauric acid.
Not all Organic Virgin Coconut Oils are manufactured to the highest standards. Many brands process the oil at high temperatures, which removes some of the benefits. All of the early studies that reported negative effects of organic virgin coconut oil on cholesterol levels were done with partially hydrogenated coconut oil, whereas unprocessed virgin coconut oil appears to have positive health effects.