Since 2007, I have been using coconut oil in most of my cooking. It was easy in Australia to find both extra virgin and expeller-pressed coconut oil at cheap prices. But in Singapore it has been more challenging. NTUC Fairprice Finest used to stock one or two brands of extra virgin coconut oil in its health food section, but has stopped for about a year. I have not seen coconut oil in Cold Storage either. The organic shops in Singapore usually carry one or two brands of coconut oil, but of the extra virgin variety and at twice as much as it costs in the US.
An acquaintance even resorted to buying a four dollar jar of coconut oil in Little India that was meant for the skin and hair. Although that is cheap, I strongly advise against using for cooking products that are meant for the body, because the oil contains a greater amount of dirt and impurities that you would not want to be consuming.
An acquaintance even resorted to buying a four dollar jar of coconut oil in Little India that was meant for the skin and hair. Although that is cheap, I strongly advise against using for cooking products that are meant for the body, because the oil contains a greater amount of dirt and impurities that you would not want to be consuming.
Due to the expensive prices of the coconut oil sold in Singapore, I have been buying mine from either Amazon.com or iHerb.com. I use Amazon.com when someone can carry it back for me, and iHerb.com otherwise, as it has good shipping rates. The selection of coconut oil at iHerb.com is more limited than that at Amazon.com, but its prices are quite competitive.
The coconut oil I have been using in cooking for the past 7 months is Jarrow Formulas' Extra Virgin Coconut Oil. Jarrow is a great brand that Robb Wolf consistently recommends and uses himself. In addition to the coconut oil I have tried a variety of Jarrow products, including their fish oil and L-Glutamine, and have always been happy with the quality / taste / freshness of their products.
According to the label on the jar, Jarrow's EVCO is "expeller-pressed in controlled indoor environment". This should mean that it contains less dirt and impurities as compared to the skin and hair coconut oil, and even coconut oil that has been extracted using "traditional methods" - another reason I chose Jarrow's coconut oil.
According to the label on the jar, Jarrow's EVCO is "expeller-pressed in controlled indoor environment". This should mean that it contains less dirt and impurities as compared to the skin and hair coconut oil, and even coconut oil that has been extracted using "traditional methods" - another reason I chose Jarrow's coconut oil.
I am close to finishing my jar of Jarrow's coconut oil, and have been pleased with the product. The coconut oil tastes fresh, the taste and aroma of coconuts is not too strong, and there is no dirt or sediments in the coconut oil.
Late night snack: Okra with coconut oil and chiu chow chilli oil
Do note that even though the front label has the words "expeller pressed",
the oil in this product still has a mild coconutty flavour. If you
prefer coconut oil that is tasteless, go for the jar with the red label that states "Neutral Taste" and "Neutral Flavour".
Jarrow Formulas' EVCO is available at iHerb.com for US$11.87. If it is your first time ordering from iHerb, the coupon code "XOJ002" will save you US$5 on your first order.
try iherb.com for online purchase
ReplyDeleteYep that's where I get my coconut oil from if I have to get it shipped in :)
ReplyDeletehave you tried cocos.com.sg? I'm looking aroudn for a good source, but since i'm new to all of this, i would be looking to others, possibly more well-informed (as it turns out u probably are), for an opinion...
ReplyDeleteHi! No I haven't - am usually wary of unheard of brands and prefer to stick with the well-known ones (like Jarrow), plus to buy the well-known ones from popular stores like iherb.com because of the high turnover, which results in you receiving quite a fresh product.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, do you know how much it costs? They might be a different case, but from experience, health food in Singapore is usually sold at around double the price you can obtain the same from the US.
Thanks for replying, WC! :P (yes, I know that acronym is uh... But I trust you have some humour! :)
ReplyDeleteI have no idea about the price (still waiting for them to reply!), but I've since located something else as well. Check out "Nature's Glory" at http://www.natures-glory.com/. They're local (yes, I know), but they carry stuff from overseas as well... Have you heard of them, or have any opinion about them? They claim to be the "organic pioneer in Asia outside Japan since 1991" (http://www.natures-glory.com/mission.asp?PG=2)
Np :) Uhhh.... I don't know what else "WC" could stand for :)
ReplyDeleteNature's Glory - Have seen this brand in the supermarket. I have a packet of their toasted nori flakes, which I sometimes sprinkle over my food, and once tried making soup with their wakame. Your question made me think hard and as I haven't had fantastic or horrible experiences with the brand, and have not heard anything good or bad about the brand, I don't really have any opinion on them...
I guess the points you can consider are as follows:
(1) Process - Nature's Glory's website says little to nothing about how its coconut oil is extracted, refined or processed.
In comparison, Jarrow says that its neutral tasting organic coconut oil "is expeller-pressed from the dried flesh (copra) of the coconut palm fruit, and does not utilize any solvents in the manufacturing process". Its extra virgin coconut oil "is unrefined and expeller-pressed in a controlled, indoor environment. This specific process does not utilize any solvents and preserves the volatile compounds responsible for imparting the rich, familiar flavor of coconuts."
I do not usually believe whatever manufacturers claim on their products, but lots of friends in the US, in the nutrition and fitness industries, have a high regard for Jarrow.
(2) Price - Nature's Glory's "neutral flavoured" ccoconut oil is selling for S$24 per litre (roughly 920g?).
In comparison, Jarrow's expeller pressed coconut oil sells for USD$8.37 / 454g at iherb.com. That works out to about S$21.43 / 908g, not including shipping (which might be free, or just US$4).
(3) Freshness - An overwhelming majority of Singaporeans are still riding on the low fat wave, and believe that saturated fats are evil. Therefore whatever stocks of coconut oil there are in Singapore - I do not think they move very fast.
In comparison, an increasing number of Americans are turning to low carb, and the Paleo community in the US is already massive. Coconut oil flies off the shelves quite fast, so you can be assured that as long as you are buying from a reputable retailer, the product you get should be relatively fresh.
Hope this helps.
Yes, very much. Thanks, WC! (And as for not knowing what "WC" stands for... try asking somebody in their mid-30s? they should probably know :)
ReplyDelete1. Yes, u're right! I never noticed that. I kept seeing words like "virgin", and "organic" in the search result products, but yes, no mention of how they're extracted... One question, though. Does it matter if heat is applied during the process of extraction? I thought one of the advantages of coconut oil is that it's heat-stable. Of course, cold-pressed is like a guarantee, but I'm just wondering.
2. Is it really US$4 for shipping? If so, I would really consider. I've bought things from the US before, and I haven't seen US$4 shipping before!
3. Good point.
-J
Hi J, you are right - coconut oil is a stable fat and can withstand high temperatures well. So I think that there is little possibility of rancidity caused by heat. Some people think though that exposure to high heat (higher than that caused our cooking) will cause coconut oil to lose some of its nutritional value.
ReplyDeleteiherb.com shipping - Apologies for not being clear. It is US$4 for International Airmail shipping to Singapore for orders totalling at least US$40. Otherwise it is about US$6+. Sometimes iherb.com offers free international shipping, or a discount on its products. If you are a first-time customer, using the coupon code XOJ002 will get you US$5 off your first order and offset your shipping costs.
Yup, iherb's shipping rates are really good and I know a bunch of Singaporeans who keep ordering from them because buying even something small from anywhere else would cost like US$40+ in shipping!
did you mean around 17 dollars for 906g of jarrowswild child/?
ReplyDeleteIt is around US$17 and S$21.43 for 908g.
ReplyDeleteTry CocoNurture's Virgin Coconut Oil...
ReplyDeleteVisit: www.coconurture.com
I like CocoNurture's Virgin Coconut Oil... try it =) check this link: www.coconurture.com
ReplyDeleteCocoNurture is expensive!! Naturaworks coconut oil is way cheaper! :http://www.naturaworks.com/loving-planet-organic-extra-virgin-coconut-oil-500ml/
ReplyDeleteI'm starting to love CocoNurture culinary coconut oil. Since the day I'm taking it, the effect of my food allergy reduces.
ReplyDelete