Coconut oil, known also as copra oil it is pressed from the meat of a coconut, the kernal, there are two processes wet and dry, there are also two very different types of coconut oil, refined and extra virgin.

On many occasion I discussed the quality of oils and that this should never be compromised, Coconut oil is a good example, of where manufactures can cut cost, increase yields and ultimately compromise on their product. Refined Coconut oil - £2.40 per kilo
Organic Extra Virgin - £9.50 per kilo - guess which one goes into Emma’s Soap?

Extra Virgin Coconut oil is a essential ingredient to making soap, it is the only oil that will lather is salt water, it produces large fluffy bubbles, the natural alternative to using foaming agents (SLR’s SLS’s) still widely used in commercial soaps.

The Best or Refined

As with many natural oils, many of the problems occur with the method of extraction, chemicals and solvents are used which leads to the question are you really getting any of the natural properties from the oils?

Refined Coconut oil widely used in the cosmetic industry it is bleached and deodorised via an industrial chemical process the coconut oil is then hydrogenated to increase its melting temperature and partial hydrogenation causes the unsaturated fats in coconut oil to combine with hydrogen and turn into trans-fatty acids. It lacks the typical smell and colour as well as the properties and benefits that the oil originally had. Furthermore conventional coconut oil processors use hexane as a solvent to extract up to 10% more oil than produced with just rotary mills and expellers. (I am not going to make scaring claims about hexane, it is something I personally wish to avoid, the World Wide Web can teach you about this solvent).

Extra Virgin Coconut oil

Extra Virgin, unrefined coconut oil is produced from the Kernal, the scrapped coconut meat is dried under controlled temperatures, this can be sola or via a kiln and avoids discolouration this also reduces moisture level of coconut to 8%. It is then expeller pressed by feeding the dried kernel into a pressing cylinder for cold- pressing and production of virgin coconut oil, preserving all its properties, scent, colour and taste

Coconut oil plantations

Coconut trees are spaced 9” apart allowing approximately 150 trees per hectare, with a standard tree bearing up 80 nuts a year, the nuts need to be left as long as possible to produce superior yield and quality up to 12 months. The yield of extra virgin coconut oil is small in comparison to the crop. Let me explain further, 1000 coconuts (minimum of 125 trees to produce) will yield 170 kg of kernal producing 70 litres of extra virgin coconut oil an income of approximately £600 per hectare of land! If refined with use of solvents then the yield is higher but the product quality far inferior. Thats way you pay £9.50 per kilo for Organic Extra Virgin and not £2.40 for a refined oil.

Emma only used the best ingredients and currently sources her Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil from Sri Lanka, we have been supplied with certification of inspection of the manufacturing process, it is a family run plantation that pay fair wages. In Sri Lanka most virgin coconut oil manufacturers, produce organic virgin coconut oil by default as most of the coconut plantations in Sri Lanka use organic compost fertilisers in the place of chemical fertilisers. Sri Lanka also boasts of 14,000 acres of organic coconut estates, producing organic virgin coconut oil for cosmetic and food industry requirements.

Emma’s delivery of Extra Virgin Coconut Oil.

With increased demand for this oil, there is concerns over the impact to the environment, with plantations expanding and removing native trees effecting biodiversity, farmers trying to increase yield, by using chemical fertilisers and solvent in extraction. We all need to ensure that we buy Organic and fair-trade, this helps to preserve the local ecology ensuring farmers are paid fa air price and that the farming methods operate in an environmentally sustainable method. By supporting the Organic fair trade, family run plantations, small holders, this will ultimately help to prevent monoculture coconut crops.

The Health Benefits

There are many claim of the benefits Coconut oil can bring to ones health with suggestions of it being the healthiest food on the planet! It is said to aid heart disease, high blood pressure, alzheimer’s, memory and brain function, kidney infection, liver protection, reduced inflammation, arthritis even cancer prevention.

However there are also world health authorities warning against large consumption of coconut oil it is warned that coconut oil contains the same level of saturated fat as beef dripping. In fact, it’s so oozing with artery-clogging saturated fat that lard is a healthier option.

I will let you research this area yourselves, my concern is the quality of the oil, where it has come from, if a fair price has been paid, the extraction method and most importantly how good it is for your skin.

On the skin

Being rich in vitamin E, is non-greasy, non-staining, when applied externally to the skin, the high levels of vitamin E in virgin coconut oil helps improve skin cell regeneration and encourages the development of an anti-bacterial layer above the skin.

Coconut allows the soap when wet to produce a rich creamy cleansing lather, with added moisturising aspects.

There are several tip for the hair to improve shine and strength, use as a natural make up remover, and even make a body scrub with added brown sugar.

All of Emma’s Soap contain Organic Extra Virgin Coconut oil with the shampoo bar and shaving soap both witch require more lather have more Coconut oil in them.