How to Make Your Own Virgin Coconut Oil

Virgin Coconut Oil is useful for a variety of purposes, including cooking and skin care. It is an unrefined oil, making it healthier for the body and skin than products that contain vegetable oils, which lack nutrients. Producing your own virgin coconut oil can save money, and it's a rather simple task if you have access to fresh and meaty coconuts. There are a few methods for making coconut oil. This one uses a cold pressed method that involves no heat.

Things You'll Need

• Fully ripe coconuts (quantity depends on how much oil you wish to make)
• Knife
• Nylon mesh bag
• Latex Gloves
• 2 Bowls
• Spoon
• Fine mesh colander
• Container for storage

Instructions

1. Split open coconuts, pouring the coconut water into a bowl.

2. Using a knife or a grater, collect the coconut meat (white moist product within the shell) and place in nylon mesh bag.

3. With gloves on, squeeze the mesh bag over the second bowl so coconut milk collects in the bowl.

4. Soak the mesh bag in the coconut water and milk mixture for a few minutes and then squeeze the bag over the second bowl to retrieve the last of the milk.

5. Place the bowl of coconut milk in a dark place, such as a cabinet, for 10 to 17 hours, keeping the temperature at 32 C. You will know the oil is ready when it has separated leaving a layer of water and a layer of proteins.

6. Carefully spoon the top oil layer into a fine mesh colander over a storage container to filter out any proteins and particles. You now have virgin coconut oil.

Tips & Warnings

• One coconut, depending on size, should produce 3 to 4 tablespoons of coconut oil.

• Small and unripe coconuts will not contain enough meat to produce a significant amount of oil. Be sure to choose larger, fully grown coconuts.

References

• Amazing Foods Corp.

Resources

• American Dietetic Association: Production of Coconut Flour and Coconut Virgin Oil