Question Regarding Coconut Oil

[Twisty Stitches]

I read something somewhere about the differences in Coconut Oil but I don't remember exactly what it was that I read.
I have been using a pricey Coconut Oil I bought. It is labeled as a vegetarian dietary supplement. It smells really good and has a list of No artificial color, sweetener, preservatives, sugar, soy, gluten, wheat etc. Ingredients are Organic Coconut Oil.
I purchased another oil much cheaper at the Grocery Store. All natural, pure coconut oil. It says it is refined from the meat of mature coconut so there is no coconut flavor or aroma. The ingredients are coconut oil.

Is there a big difference on the quality of my soap by using one of these over the other? Which is better?

Thanks

LeAnn
Twisty Stitches
http://twistystitches.biz

 

[Genny]

I doubt you'll see much of a difference in your soap. I've used organic coconut oil & regular coconut oil 76 and noticed absolutely no difference in the soap after it cured, so I stuck with the cheaper coconut oil 76

 

[judymoody]

I use the cheap stuff.

If you want to buy locally, I can get a 2 pound container of LouAnna brand coconut oil for about $6 at local grocery stores or Walmart.

 

[Ancel]

2 pounds of coconut oil for $6!! That's incredible!

I live in an area where coconut oil is made by locals as a supplement to their income. We are surrounded by coconut trees and the people here for generations have used coconut oil to cook with, treat their skin and hair with, and clean with. The industry here is all small scale, backyard stuff with men, traditionally, grating the coconuts by hand, and squeezing out the milk either by hand or wrapping in a cloth and wringing out the milk. The milk is then mixed with a minimum of water and left to sit overnight. By morning the milk has separated into a layer of fat on top and watery milk below. The fat is carefully siphoned off and then the women, traditionally, cook it over a fire until it becomes oil. It can take hours to cook. A healthy sized mature coconut with a lot of meat produces about a half cup of oil. It's a labor of necessity. I've made it myself and came to realize that no oil in the world is fair trade, it's a long sweaty labor. And the result is used very carefully and with respect.

It's an interesting process to see the cream gradually become oil, first it looks like cottage cheese with whey, then it becomes lighter until suddenly you're looking at oil in the pot which has a lovely toasted coconut smell. If you weren't so careful with siphoning off the cream you end up with coconut 'cheese' at the bottom of your finished oil - looks just like cheese, but tastes like bacon (for this vegetarian anyway )

I buy my coconut oil from locals, and I pay usually $10 - $12 a pound. It's sold in 335ml bottles for $4 a bottle (a small soda bottle). As the average temperature here is in the high 70s to high 80s, I can't tell if the coconut oil is 72 or 92. I know it hardens in the fridge. I also can never be sure if it has been 'cut' with a cheaper oil, probably soy. But it works in my soaps and it smells wonderful, so I trust that it really is coconut. Organic, of course, since no one would put fertilizers or insecticides on these huge old palms.

I think the really cheap stuff must come from copra: where coconuts have been opened and left til basically they turn rancid and become very very oily, and then it's much easier to extract the oil. I'm sure it has to then be deodorized, hence the lack of scent.

 

[christinak]

There is no difference...when it's all batched up into soap you'll never know. Ancel, that is really interesting to hear...you never hear every side of a story! I always appreciate and think about where my stuff comes from!

 

[bodhi]

This is very interesting! I found a huge difference when using the copra vs. the unrefined and organic.

 

[kazmi]

Ancel thank you for letting everyone know. It makes one respect the labor, process and product!

I've only purchased the $6 LouAnna brand for soaping and an organic for cooking. I should give the organic a try in my soap to see the difference.

 

[Ancel]

Gosh, call me cheap but I'd go for the LouAnna Brand in my soap all the time :grin:

 

[judymoody]

Actually, you can get it a lot cheaper if you order on line. Wholesale Supplies Plus charges $18 for 8 lbs, shipping included. Soapers' Choice sells a 7 pound jug for $14 or 50 lbs for $61, not including postage.

 

[songwind]

The least expensive I've been able to find locally is 56oz for $14 at Costco. I'm going to make an order from WSP or Soaper's Choice this afternoon.