About this ingredient
Coconut Oil is a plant-derived edible oil extracted from the meat of mature coconuts (Cocos nucifera). It is widely used in food, dietary supplements, cosmetics and personal-care products.
Coconut oil is particularly rich in saturated fatty acids, with lauric acid being one of its major fatty acids. It also contains smaller amounts of myristic acid, palmitic acid, caprylic acid and capric acid. The fatty-acid profile can vary depending on whether the oil is virgin, refined, hydrogenated or fractionated.
Virgin coconut oil is generally produced with less processing and may retain more naturally occurring minor compounds and coconut aroma. Refined coconut oil generally has a more neutral flavor and odor and is commonly used for cooking and food manufacturing.
Coconut oil is sometimes used in nutritional products, energy-focused formulations, functional foods and personal-care products. It is important to distinguish coconut oil from MCT oil, because MCT oil is typically more concentrated in medium-chain fatty acids such as caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acids, whereas conventional coconut oil contains a broader mixture of fatty acids and is particularly rich in lauric acid.


