For this review, we’ve selected the two best-selling coconut oil brands, where one is organic unrefined (virgin) and the other is organic refined.
We discuss all the product details, how coconuts are sourced, quality & production process, our cooking test, a few tips to use it, and a few details about the producer.
While unrefined pure coconut oil is extracted with the lowest amount of heat to preserve its nutrition profile, refined oil is extracted slightly at a higher temperature still keeping its all-important medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) intact.
Unrefined coconut oil has a smoke point of 350 F (177 C) and comes with its fresh coconut taste & aroma whereas refined coconut oil has a higher smoke point of 400 F (204 Celsius) and comes with a neutral taste & aroma. If you need a more thorough comparison between unrefined & refined coconut oil, you can read our guide here.
Table of Contents
Viva Naturals Organic Extra Virgin Unrefined Coconut Oil Review
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Product Details
- Product ratings: 4.7 out of 5 (from 16788 online consumer reviews)
- Ingredients: organic extra-virgin cold-pressed coconut oil
- Sourced from fresh hand-picked coconuts
- Country of origin: Philippines (2nd largest coconut producer)
- USDA certified organic & non-GMO project verified
-
Free of pesticides, bleach, hexane, cholesterol, trans fat and it’s non-hydrogenated
-
Smoke point: 350 F (177 C)
- Melting point at 76 F (24C)
- Comes with healthy medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) and antioxidants
- Jars are made of BPA-free plastic
- Shelf life: 2 years
- 90 days money back guarantee!
How Coconuts are Sourced
According to Viva Naturals, they harvest their organic top-grade coconuts at its peak for optimum freshness and nutritional value from the best regions with rich fertile soils in the Philippines (2nd largest coconut producer) handpicked by skilled native farmers.
This adds human intuition & experience into the coconut harvesting process as opposed to large-scale farms where thousands of coconuts are harvested by machines daily which could compromise on quality.
In order to preserve the medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), antioxidants, freshness, flavor & aroma these coconuts are cold-pressed with their own proprietary extraction technique within hours of collecting the coconuts.
Again this is way better than storing coconuts in warehouses for weeks or months which could weaken its nutrition.
Why We Recommend Viva Naturals Unrefined Virgin Coconut Oil
If you ask three features to make a commercial coconut oil pure & healthy those would be,
- Sourcing from fresh coconuts
- Certified organic
- Cold-pressed
And this product has all those features ticked.
Though refined coconut oils are sourced with dried copra and may not come with desirable antioxidants due to the processing with high temperatures, Viva Naturals unrefined coconut oil is sourced from fresh organic coconuts and comes with the goodness of antioxidants!
It is unrefined, organic, and cold-pressed, a pure coconut oil which has a pleasant tropical aroma and a natural coconut oil taste to take advantage of if you fancy a bit of coconut taste into your recipes.
Being USDA certified organic, non-GMO project verified, non-hexane, non-hydrogenated and free of harmful chemicals mean the oil has 3rd party verified quality & purity that you can trust.
The quality is further backed by its great track record so far with a good positive rating coming from an impressive 16788 consumer reviews and a 90-day money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied to show that the producer stands by their product 100%!
How You Can Use it
- Cooking (sautéing, tempering curries)
- Baking (cookies, brownies, etc.)
- Salad dressings
- Make popcorn, coconut butter, and egg-free vegan mayonnaise.
- Substitute for butter (a great option for vegans)
- As a spread for your morning toasts and a dip for breadsticks, etc.
- Use it with oatmeal, soups, smoothies, or as a coffee creamer
- Dietary supplement
- Carrier oil for essential oils
- Hair conditioner
- Hair detangler
- Face & body moisturizer
- Massage oil
- Natural lip balm
- For dry hands
- Shaving cream
As far as the coconut oil health benefits are concerned, Viva Naturals coconut oil is a rich source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) which may help experience moderate weight loss, improve metabolism and provide nourishment for a healthy gut & digestive tract.
The lauric acid, capric acid, and caprylic acid of the oil provide protection against viral, fungal, microbial, and bacterial elements which could boost your immune.
Unlike olive oil which gets oxidised with high heat, this coconut oil is quite stable due to its saturated fats as long as you don’t need it for cooking with a temperature more than 350 F / 177 C (smoke point) which is good enough for most stovetop cooking except for high heat stir-frying & deep frying.
It has a shelf-life of 2 years and requires to be stored in a cool, dry place and does not require refrigeration. Viva Naturals containers are made of safe, BPA-free, food-grade plastic
Do note that it has a melting point of 76 F and may come in solid or liquid form though either form will not alter any of the nutrients or the quality of the oil. If you always need it in a solid form you can refrigerate it or store it at a place with a temperature less than 76 F.
Cooking Test
What we’ve noticed by using this oil was that heating was pretty fast. We stir-fried some vegetables for like 2 minutes, just to test how it would do under high heat. Boy, it was scrumptious! There was no strong and burning coconut smell even at high heat and the stir-fried vegetables turned out really great!
We also used it as a spread on our toasts and had a nice hint of coconut flavor.
One of the best tasting coconut oils we’ve used, hands down!
Details & Core Values of Viva Naturals
- USA based company
- Their focus is on ethical sourcing, sustainability, and being environmentally friendly
- Quality control in every step of the production
- Making products affordable
- Take care of workforce, suppliers & growers
- Making donations for charitable causes that make a profound impact
Nutiva Organic Neutral Tasting Steam Refined Coconut Oil Review
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Product Details
- Product ratings: 4.5 out of 5 (from 2266 online consumer reviews)
- Ingredients: organic refined expeller-pressed coconut oil (read our guide about the difference between refined & unrefined)
- Sourced from organic dried coconuts
- Country of origin: Philippines (2nd largest coconut producer)
- Neutral flavor & smell
- USDA certified organic & non-GMO project verified
-
Free of pesticides, bleach, hexane, cholesterol, trans fat and it’s non-hydrogenated
-
Smoke point is 400 F (204 Celsius)
- Melting point 76 F (24C)
- 23 oz. coconut oil comes in a glass jar and other quantities come in BPA, BPS, and phthalate free FDA approved food grade plastic containers
- Shelf life: 2 years
Why We Recommend Nutiva Organic Refined Coconut Oil
Nutiva sources sustainably farmed organic dried coconuts from Philippines (2nd largest coconut producer).
It is expeller-pressed and steam refined for a neutral flavor and odor (compared to unrefined coconut oil which has the coconut flavor & aroma) with a higher smoke point of 400 F (204 C). This makes it ideal for stir-frying & deep-frying adding more versatility in high heat cooking.
The quality is assured, as its whole process is USDA certified organic, non-hydrogenated, free of hexane & other dangerous chemicals while having no cholesterol or trans fat!
It is also a coconut oil product that shows a good track record with consumers which is evident by its positive rating of 4.5 out of 5 from 2266 consumer reviews.
An ideal product when your recipes require a cooking oil without any coconut oil flavor or odor making it one of the most versatile culinary oils.
How You Can Use it
- Deep frying (stable & extremely low oxidation due to high smoke point of 400 F)
- Cooking (stir-frying, sautéing, tempering curries)
- Great substitute for all types of cooking with canola oil, olive oil, vegetable oil or butter
- Baking
- To make popcorn and sauces without coconut flavor
- For skin & hair when you need odorless coconut oil
Nutiva organic coconut oil contains 62% of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) along with lauric acid and caprylic acid making it a good source of nourishment.
As we discussed before, MCTs are good for weight loss, better metabolism, healthy digestion and its fatty acids have antibacterial benefits. However compared to Viva Naturals unrefined coconut oil, it may not have the antioxidant properties such as phytonutrients.
All in all, Nutiva organic coconut oil can be used as an all-purpose oil for cooking & baking without coconut flavor & aroma, and also can be used as an odorless hair & skin care oil.
There is no need to refrigerate it and you can store it at room temperature without any exposure to direct sunlight.
Cooking Test
Since the oil was solid, it was much easier to spoon it into the frying pan. This time we tested the oil with deep frying french fries. At high heat we couldn’t detect any smoke.
As expected there was no imparted coconut flavor or smell, and the french fries looked & tasted as it supposed to be. The fries were golden, crispy, and delicious!
Details & Core Values of Nutiva
- USA based company founded in 1999
- Many products are vegan certified
- 1% of all sales go to sustainable agriculture which amounts to more than $3 million
- Their focus is on innovation, quality, well-being, community, social & environmental responsibility
- Support the Fair Trade Movement
- California Green Business certified
- Warehouse and headquarters in California are certified zero waste by the U.S. Zero Waste Business Council
- B Lab certified company (required standards: social sustainability, environmental performance, accountability, and transparency to the public)
Conclusion
Both Viva Naturals organic extra virgin unrefined coconut oil and Nutiva organic neutral tasting steam refined coconut oil are with no doubt top selling & healthiest coconut oil brands compared to other commercial coconut oil brands sourced from low-grade non-organic coconuts and extracted with harmful chemicals.
To put it in a nutshell, the basic similarities & differences between these two brands would be,
Similarities
- Sourced and processed according to organic standards
- No chemicals used
- Higher in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs)
- Enough smoke point for most stovetop cooking
- 2-year shelf life
- Melt at approx. 76 F (24C)
Differences
Viva Naturals Organic Virgin Unrefined Coconut Oil | Nutiva Organic Refined Coconut Oil |
1. Natural coconut flavor & aroma | 1. Neutral in taste & odor |
2. Smoke point is 350 F (177 C) | 2. Smoke point is 400 F (204 C) |
3. Made with organic fresh coconuts | 3. Made with organic dried coconuts |
4. High in antioxidants | 4. Antioxidants low to none |
5. Relatively expensive | 5. Relatively cheap |
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