الوصف

Coconut oil is made by cold pressing the fresh nut albumen (flesh equivalent) of the coconut. It is qualitatively different from coconut oil, also obtained from coconut albumen but by hot pressing of the dried pulp. It has thus lost its characteristic coconut flavor as well as some of its nutritional and health benefits. Copra oil is used in particular for the manufacture of monoi.

Coconut oil, like butter, is solid at room temperature and only liquefies above *5 degrees because of its high saturated fat content. It is also called "coconut butter".

It is native to South East Asia and Polynesia, where coconut fossils dating back millions of years have been found. Its Latin name, cocos nucifera comes from the word nux "nut" and fero "I wear". Today it is mainly produced in Indonesia, the Philippines, India and Brazil.

Widely used all over the world until the end of the *9th century, its popularity declined due to its (saturated) fats, which were said to be of little benefit to health. It was only recently, at the beginning of the ***0s that its popularity rose again, on the one hand with the discovery of its richness in medium chain triglycerides (MCT) with health benefits which counterbalance the harmful effects linked to its high content of saturated fat, but above all for its many cosmetic and beauty benefits.