And now, ‘virgin’ coconut oil

By now, not so few must have heard about it – and consumed it.

It is known by various names: virgin coconut oil (VCNO), pure virgin coconut oil (PVCO), or just virgin coconut oil (VCO).

VCNO (let’s just call it thus) is extracted from freshly shredded meat of choice for mature coconuts or what is called "non-copra."

"It is termed virgin because it is pure as in white; did not undergo hydrogenation or any heating process. It is unrefined, unbleached and has not undergone any deodorizing process unlike other coconut oil that are extracted through heat," said Divina D. Bawalan of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA).

Bawalan, a chemical engineer in PCA’s Product Development Department, added: "In the process, no chemical is added and it does not possess that ‘latik’ odor, but the fresh aroma of coconut milk."

VCNO was among those exhibited recently at the Philippine Trade and Training Center (PTTC) along Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City during the celebration of this year’s National Inventors’ Week (NIW).

Virgin coconut oil is said to be the most healthy and versatile of all vegetable oils because it is composed primarily of medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) or triglycerides.

MCFAs are quickly digested and transformed immediately by the body as energy because upon digestion, VCNO goes directly to the liver where it is converted into instant energy. Thus, it gives the person an instant energy lift and prevents the buildup of fat in the body. Moreover, VCNO contains lauric acid which, when combined with monglyceride, produces a substance that has the same composition as collustrum or mother’s milk, nature’s perfect food. This also means that VCNO does not produce fat ad cholesterol.

Here are more facts about the oil:

• Pure virgin coconut oil can be used in many ways: for cooking and frying of meat; for sauteeing vegetables; for salad dressing; as a natural form of supplement that can be taken orally; an as energy booster; as an added ingredient for soups, stews, and sauces; and for baking of breads, biscuits, crackers, cookies, and cakes.

• It serves as an ideal cleansing agent. Because of this, the body is rid of harmful toxins the natural way.

• VCNO can help lower the body’s sugar level, thus making it as a natural food supplement of diabetics.

• It helps fight common skin diseases (measles, herpes, eczema, and skin rashes) and viral infections (hepatitis C, leukemia, and pneumonia). – Rudy A. Fernandez