Virgin Coconut Oil and MCT Oil: Valuable Fats

The coconut is a real all-rounder: the nectar of its flowers yields valuable coconut sugar, whilst refreshing coconut water is obtained from green and unripe coconuts. And many products are made from the white flesh of the coconut too, such as flour, chips, oil and milk. The fatty pulp also serves as the basis for coconut oil or fat. The Import Promotion Desk (IPD) supports producers from Sri Lanka who offer particularly highquality coconut oils: virgin coconut oil and MCT oil. The import promotion initiative ccompanies producers to the European market and connects them with European traders, e.g. at trade fairs.

SPECIAL FATTY ACIDS

Once the coconut is cracked, the inside comes to light. If the coconut is ripe it consists mainly of fruit flesh, with very little coconut water left. The white flesh tastes sweet and slightly nutty. It contains a mix of minerals, such as potassium, sodium, iron and magnesium, plenty of fiber and few carbohydrates. Also, the wide variety of vitamins in the flesh, including vitamin C, B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6 and E should be highlighted.

In addition, coconut flesh is high in fat and calories: it has a fat content of 36.5 grams per 100 grams. It contains mainly saturated fatty acids, that means medium-chain triglycerides (MCT). These fatty acids of medium-chain length, i.e. of six to twelve carbon atoms, can be split up and digested more easily than the usual dietary fats with long-chain fatty acids. Therefore, the body can convert them into energy more quickly.

One of these medium-chain fatty acids is lauric acid, which is the main component of virgin coconut oil. This is said to have an antiviral and antibacterial effect, protect against infections and be good for intestinal health.

COLD PRESSED: VIRGIN COCONUT OIL

The coveted coconut oil is produced from the fatty coconut flesh. Virgin coconut oil is of particularly high quality and is extracted gently by cold pressing. To produce virgin coconut oil, the flesh is separated from the nut and crushed. Before pressing, the fresh, watery flesh must be dried. The dried coconut, called "copra", is then cold-pressed in an oil mill. Virgin coconut oil is neither bleached, hardened nor deodorized.