What Is the Difference Between Clarified Coconut Oil & Yellow Coconut Oil?
Coconut oil is naturally white at room temperature or clear when melted. A couple of very different circumstances result in yellow coconut oil. Clear, melted coconut oil is not the same thing as clarified coconut oil, which is more commonly referred to as fractionated coconut oil. Does this Spark an idea?
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Coconut Oil With Added Yellow Coloring
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Coconut oil sold for making popcorn is often tinted with yellow food coloring. When packaged for retail customers, it is typically sold in clear jars, so the yellow color is visually appealing. Yellow oil will yield yellow popcorn, as well. This product is typically made with hydrogenated coconut oil made from dried coconut flesh, known as copra, and extracted with a process involving the use of chemicals and high heat. Unfortunately, the hydrogenation process creates unhealthful trans fatty acids.
Overheated Virgin Coconut Oil
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Virgin coconut oil is derived by shredding fresh coconut flesh, mixing it with water and allowing the oil to separate naturally. Pearly white when solid, it melts to a clear liquid at 76 degrees Fahrenheit. Its mild flavor and high smoke point make it a good cooking and frying oil free of trans fats. However, when heated beyond its smoke point of 360 degrees Fahrenheit, it turns dark yellow.
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Fractionated Coconut Oil
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Fractionated coconut oil, also known as caprylic or capric triglyceride oil, is a clear, shelf-stable oil from which the long-chain fatty acids have been removed, leaving behind medium-chain fatty acids. It is sometimes referred to as MCT, short for medium-chain triglyceride. Companies that use this substance in their personal care products sometimes refer to it as "clarified" coconut oil in consumer literature, perhaps because of perceived marketing appeal.
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- Photo Credit coconut image by AGphotographer from Fotolia.com
