Coconut oil - price differences?

[pepi2005]

Hi everyone, I'd like to switch home cooking to coconut oil for health reasons, but during my latest visit in a supermarket, I was surprised to see huuuuge price differences in the available products - between 150 THB and 600 THB for a bottle of about the same size.

 

Can anyone shed light on why - despite seemingly similar methods of pressing the oil etc. according to the labels - there are such large price differences (or even better, can recommend a good quality oil for a reasonable price)? I suppose that the most expensive product doesn't necessarily have to be the best quality-wise…

 

thanks,

p.

[Farangwithaplan]

much like olive oil, you can get first press "extra virgin" oil which is the most expensive. The press drops for subsequent presses. And there was me in my youth thinking the extra virgin olive oil came from really, really, ugly olives ????

 

Edited July 8, 2019 by Farangwithaplan

[garrya]

The expensive ones are the so-called virgin (cold pressed) coconut oil. These are the healthier and cleaner ones.

 

The cheaper ones are coconut cooking oil and they are produced differently. They are not cold pressed and they are treated with some sort of chemicals because of the way they are produced.

 

I find it funny that in the UK a litre of extra virgin coconut oil could be as cheap as £4(160 baht), but here, where the coconuts are grown and oil is made, the price starts around 500 baht. Lol. 

 

[cooked]

I just cook with lard, which is easy to make.

[Oxx]

18 hours ago, pepi2005 said:

I'd like to switch home cooking to coconut oil for health reasons

 

If it's for health reasons you'd be better off switching to something like sunflower oil.  Coconut oil is about 90% saturated fat (which is bad for you).  It's worse than butter (64% saturated) or lard (40%).

 

There's been a lot of hype surrounding coconut oil's supposed "health benefits", mostly from people selling coconut oil.  And that's all it is, hype - the claims have not got solid scientific backing.

[expatfromwyoming]

16 minutes ago, Oxx said:

 

If it's for health reasons you'd be better off switching to something like sunflower oil.  Coconut oil is about 90% saturated fat (which is bad for you).  It's worse than butter (64% saturated) or lard (40%).

 

There's been a lot of hype surrounding coconut oil's supposed "health benefits", mostly from people selling coconut oil.  And that's all it is, hype - the claims have not got solid scientific backing.

We shall put it into factual account shall we- Coconut oil may be comprised of 90% saturated fat, but scientists categorically state that its fat is largely made up of lauric acid, which is a medium-chain saturated fatty acid (MCT) that actually has a better effect on the heart than the other saturated fats.

Now that is not hype!!!!!!!

Most sunflower oil sold here are processed versions of the oil which are hexane extracted. Some are also hydrogenated presenting the health risks from transfats. The good stuff is about the same price as Virgin oil and coconut.

[JAG]

It's jolly good for shaving!

A small bottle of the extra virgin, (80 Baht in 7/11) lasts for a couple of months. Wet your face, rub in a couple of drops, add soap to your chops and off you go..

Edited July 9, 2019 by JAG

[worgeordie]

Have a look at Rice Bran oil,supposed to be healthier than soy,and

palm oil, I have used it for years,about 60 THB ltr.available most

supermarkets.

regards Worgeordie

[garrya]

7 hours ago, Oxx said:

 

If it's for health reasons you'd be better off switching to something like sunflower oil.  Coconut oil is about 90% saturated fat (which is bad for you).  It's worse than butter (64% saturated) or lard (40%).

 

There's been a lot of hype surrounding coconut oil's supposed "health benefits", mostly from people selling coconut oil.  And that's all it is, hype - the claims have not got solid scientific backing.

With all due respect, you should update your knowledge on diatery guidelines. The "normal" refined sunflower oil is one of  the worst oils in the world. It doesn't contain antiinflammatory omega 3's at all. Only the cold-pressed versions are healthy, but you won't get them in most of the countries.

 

As for the saturated fats, its negative effect on our arteries and heart health has repeatedly been debunked in recent years. You can find various studies on the internet. More and more governements and health services are changing their dietary guidelines and blame trans fats and hydrogenated fats. 

 

I have been eating large amount saturated fats in my whole life and I wouldn't find a person with a better blood profile than mine. Triglycerides down, HDL high up, LDL moderate, liver functions all in the midrange. This is with eating lard, pork, beef, lamb, eggs and recently coconut oil on a daily basis.

 

[pepi2005]

I agree - there are (what I'd consider as) top fitness and health professionals who strongly recommend cutting on carbohydrates, even plant-based food, eating meat on a regular basis (well, of course not the cheap, hormone filled or stressed cow/pig/chicken meat if possible, although I doubt we get that on our typical Thai markets... ????) and to *avoid grain-based oils* - coconut oil was explicitly recommended.

 

I found several 1L-bottles labeled "extra virgin" for 500-600 Baht (the regular cooking oil is prices at 115-250 Baht per liter), but will probably order online where I could also find 500ml bottles "extra virgin" for a bit less of half the price which feels enough for a few months.

 

Thanks for your feedback, guys!

[cooked]

8 hours ago, pepi2005 said:

I agree - there are (what I'd consider as) top fitness and health professionals who strongly recommend cutting on carbohydrates, even plant-based food, eating meat on a regular basis (well, of course not the cheap, hormone filled or stressed cow/pig/chicken meat if possible, although I doubt we get that on our typical Thai markets... ????) and to *avoid grain-based oils* - coconut oil was explicitly recommended.

 

I found several 1L-bottles labeled "extra virgin" for 500-600 Baht (the regular cooking oil is prices at 115-250 Baht per liter), but will probably order online where I could also find 500ml bottles "extra virgin" for a bit less of half the price which feels enough for a few months.

 

Thanks for your feedback, guys!

I was interested and did some googling. Ordinary, cheap, coconut oil isn't actually harmful, but is of less health benefit than extra virgin oil. I only use it in my bullet proof coffee anyway. That makes over half my calories of the day consumed by 6am, using lard for cooking.

[garrya]

3 hours ago, cooked said:

I was interested and did some googling. Ordinary, cheap, coconut oil isn't actually harmful, but is of less health benefit than extra virgin oil. I only use it in my bullet proof coffee anyway. That makes over half my calories of the day consumed by 6am, using lard for cooking.

The only problem with the cheap coconut oil is that they dry the shredded coconut outdoors exposing them to insects. Therefore, they have to treat it with some sort of chemicals but they won't say what sort of chemical they use.