Our Journey: Discovering Virgin Coconut Oil

I am a North Indian who grew up in South India.

Looking back, I feel incredibly fortunate to have experienced both cultures. Like many families, we naturally adopted practices from both traditions—whether it was food, festivals or everyday home remedies. One of those traditions was coconut oil.

I never imagined that this simple household ingredient would eventually become central to our brand and business.

How One Family Experience Changed Everything

When my niece was born in 2010, her dermatologist recommended pure virgin coconut oil as part of her skincare routine. We started researching and quickly found ourselves looking more closely at virgin coconut oil.

Back then, it was surprisingly difficult to find genuine virgin coconut oil. The coconut oil commonly available in stores was often made from roasted copra—dried coconut—rather than fresh coconut milk.

When we finally found true virgin coconut oil, the difference between what we were used to and this new coconut oil was huge. It was clear and light, with a fresh coconut aroma, almost like the faint fragrance that coconut water has rather than the nutty roasted smell.

It also felt remarkably light on the skin.

That experience led to a question that stayed with me:

Why did coconut oils made from the same fruit behave so differently?

My background in Biotechnology had taught me to read scientific research critically. Later, while studying Herbal Medicine, I became even more interested in understanding traditional ingredients through modern science.

Over the years, that curiosity grew into research, conversations with coconut oil manufacturers, comparison of extraction methods, product testing and feedback from hundreds of parents.

That journey ultimately led my sister and me to start Prakrta, meaning “Rooted in Nature.” Our first product, Tender Skin Baby Oil, was built around the same ingredient that started the journey - Virgin Coconut Oil.

Why This Guide Exists

Today, virgin coconut oil is much easier to find. But choosing coconut oil has also become more confusing.

You will see labels such as:

• Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO)
• Cold-Pressed Coconut Oil
• Wood-Pressed Coconut Oil
• Organic Coconut Oil
• Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
• Fermented Coconut Oil

These terms are not always used consistently.

So this guide has one simple purpose:

It is not to convince you to buy a particular product, instead It’s to help you understand coconut oil well enough that you can confidently evaluate any bottle you pick up, rather than simply relying on the marketing claim on the label.

Welcome to the Coconut Oil Olympics

We will compare four most commonly available types of coconut oil, using published research and practical considerations:

1. VCO from Coconut Milk — Centrifuge Extracted
2. VCO from Coconut Milk — Fermentation Extracted
3. Cold-Pressed Coconut Oil — from dried coconut/copra
4. Roasted / Heated Coconut Oil — from dried and roasted coconut

We will compare them on:

• Lauric acid
• Polyphenols
• Vitamin E
• Affordability
• Practical suitability for baby massage, skincare, hair, oil pulling and cooking

The goal is not to declare every other coconut oil “bad.”

It is to understand what survives the journey from coconut to bottle—and which oil makes the most sense for a particular use.

Before We Begin: One Important Terminology Note

One of the biggest sources of confusion in the market is the term “Virgin Coconut Oil.”

Many companies use Virgin Coconut Oil and Cold-Pressed Coconut Oil interchangeably, even though they may be referring to oils produced using very different raw materials and extraction methods.

Throughout this article, whenever I use the term Virgin Coconut Oil, I am specifically referring to virgin coconut oil extracted from fresh coconut milk, not oil extracted from dried coconut (copra).

This distinction is important because, as we’ll discover throughout this article, how coconut oil is made has a meaningful impact on its composition and characteristics.

So, let’s meet our contestants.

What Actually Makes One Coconut Oil Different From Another?

All coconut oils come from the same fruit. They are all rich in saturated fats, and lauric acid is their predominant fatty acid.

So how can two oils that come from the same fruit, look, smell and behave so differently?

The answer largely comes down to three things:

These factors can influence the retention of minor compounds such as polyphenols and tocopherols, as well as aroma, colour, oxidation markers, yield and cost.1,2

First, Let's Understand the Four Coconut Oils

Relative yield is a simplified comparison. Actual recovery varies substantially with coconut variety and processing conditions. Fermentation can be efficient under optimised conditions, so it is better to describe its yield as variable rather than universally low.1,2

The key point

“Cold-pressed” describes what happens during pressing. It does not tell you whether the coconut was fresh or dried first.

And that distinction becomes important in understanding the coconut oil type and quality

When you see Virgin Coconut Oil don’t assume that it is extracted from coconut milk.

Always read the label to understand if it specifies extraction type - Centrifuge / Fermented.

If it says centrifuge extracted, fermented, or extracted from coconut milk, you know it is the true VCO made from fresh coconut.

If the extraction method or raw material is not specified, the label alone or the usage of term Virgin Coconut Oil does not tell you whether the oil came from fresh coconut milk or dried coconut (copra). This oil termed as Virgin Coconut Oil is often misleading, but the industry and regulator have no set standards with regards to labelling.

Therefore, the due diligence as a consumer is yours to read the label.

Let move on to understand the key components starting with Lauric Acid

Event 1 — Lauric Acid

Does Extraction Method Change Coconut Oil's Most Abundant Fatty Acid?

Lauric acid is the dominant fatty acid in coconut oil, generally making up roughly 45–53%, although the exact value varies with coconut variety, origin and analytical method.3

Because lauric acid is such a defining feature of coconut oil, a natural question is:

Does one extraction method preserve substantially more lauric acid than another?

What Does the Evidence Show?

The answer is surprisingly simple:

Not by very much.

Comparative research shows that authentic coconut oils remain naturally rich in lauric acid across different extraction methods. In one 2018 comparison of wet and dry VCO processes, lauric acid ranged from 48.40% to 52.84% across the methods studied.4

Some comparative studies report slightly higher lauric-acid percentages in fresh-coconut VCO, particularly centrifuged or fermented oils, but the differences are generally modest.1,4

Why?

Because lauric acid is part of the coconut's fundamental fat composition. Extraction separates the oil; it does not change the fatty-acid profile.

💡 What This Means for Parents

If your goal is simply to choose an oil naturally rich in lauric acid, all authentic coconut oils perform well.

So don't choose an oil simply because the label says “high in lauric acid.”

The more meaningful differences appear when we look at the delicate compounds like Vitamin and antioxidants in the oil where processing makes a difference.

📊 Olympic Scoreboard — Lauric Acid

How close was the race? ★★★★★ Extremely close

Verdict: Lauric acid is largely determined by the coconut itself. Extraction method has only a modest influence.

Centrifuge extracted Virgin Coconut Oil Does show slightly higher level of lauric acid but not significantly higher

Event 2 — Polyphenols

Which Coconut Oil Preserves More of Coconut's Natural Antioxidants?

Polyphenols are minor plant compounds found in foods such as fruits, vegetables, tea and coffee.

Polyphenols make up only a tiny fraction of the overall coconut.

But that tiny fraction can have a disproportionately important role in the oil's antioxidant activity. Coconut oil contains several phenolic compounds, and these contribute to its measured antioxidant activity.5

This is what makes a minimally processed virgin coconut oil different from a more heavily processed coconut oil.

Research has repeatedly found a relationship between the amount of phenolic compounds present in virgin coconut oil and its ability to neutralise free radicals in laboratory antioxidant tests. 5

And unlike lauric acid, the polyphenols do get affected or depleted by processing.

What Does the Evidence Show?

A 2018 comparative study examined VCO produced by four methods, including chilling/centrifugation, fermentation and dry-processing methods. The fermented oil showed the highest total phenolic content and strongest DPPH radical-scavenging activity in that particular comparison.4

Other studies have also reported strong phenolic and antioxidant performance from fermented VCO, while research comparing fresh-coconut VCO with copra oil generally shows an advantage for wet-extracted VCO over copra-derived oil.6,7

The important point to note here is that phenolic activity is retained when the extraction is from the coconut milk vs dried copra

Why Does Processing Matter?

Drying changes the starting material before the oil is even extracted.

Time, oxygen and heat can influence sensitive minor compounds. Additional processing can create further opportunities for change.1,2

But there is an important nuance:

“No heat” does not automatically mean “maximum polyphenols.”

Some phenolic compounds have greater affinity for the water phase of coconut milk, so the way oil and water are separated also matters.1,2

This is why the evidence should not be reduced to:

cold extraction = more antioxidants

The method matters—but the details of the method matter too.

💡 What This Means for Parents

Natural antioxidant compounds are an important factor when choosing an oil

VCO from coconut milk has a meaningful advantage over oil from dried copra (commonly referred as cold-pressed coconut oil)

Among VCO from coconut milk, fermentation has produced particularly strong phenolic results in comparative studies, but the evidence is not strong enough to say that fermentation is always superior to centrifugation.4,6

📊 Olympic Scoreboard — Polyphenols

How close was the race? ★★★☆☆ More separation than Lauric Acid

Verdict: This is the first event where processing begins to make a meaningful difference.

Event 3 — Vitamin E

Which Coconut Oil Preserves More of Coconut's Natural Vitamin E?

Vitamin E is not a single compound. It is a family of compounds that includes tocopherols and tocotrienols.

Vitamin E is a vital nutrient and also a potent antioxidant in itself.

It is highly beneficial for skin and it also helps prevent the oil from going rancid due to oxidation.

So our question for this event is:

If we start with the same coconut, which extraction method preserves more of its naturally occurring Vitamin E?

What Does the Evidence Show?

This is where centrifuge-extracted VCO becomes particularly interesting.

A 2023 study comparing traditional and cold-centrifuged VCO found significantly higher tocopherol, total phenol and antioxidant activity in the cold-centrifuged oil.⁶

Another study comparing cold-extracted VCO with copra oil reported approximately 27.65 μg/g tocopherol in cold-extracted VCO versus 3.72 μg/g in copra oil.7

The exact numbers should not be treated as universal commercial values—they vary with coconut variety, maturity, extraction conditions and analytical method.

But the direction is important.

The real distinction is not simply “cold vs hot.”

It is:

Fresh coconut vs dried coconut.

Cold-pressed oil may be pressed without deliberate heating, but if the coconut was dried first, some of the processing has already happened before pressing begins.

Centrifugation starts with fresh coconut milk and separates the oil mechanically under controlled conditions, avoiding the copra-drying stage.¹,⁶

💡 What This Means for Parents

If your purpose is direct skin application or baby massage then you need to value the preservation of naturally occurring vitamins and antioxidants. For this purpose, the extraction method becomes more relevant.

Fresh coconut → coconut milk → gentle separation gives the strongest case for preserving these vitamins and antioxidants because it will also have higher skin benefit.

If you are looking for an oil to soother certain skin conditions like eczema or also known as atopic dermatitis or just dry irritated itchy skin, then VCO from coconut milk should be your first choice.

📊 Olympic Scoreboard — Vitamin E

How close was the race? ★★★★☆ not so close. We had a clear winner in Centrifuge- extracted VCO

Verdict: Vitamin E reinforces the importance of what happens to the coconut before extraction.

🏆 The Final Coconut Oil Scoreboard

After looking at the evidence, we can now compare the four categories across the qualities that matter most for this guide.

The star ratings are a simplified summary of the evidence discussed in this article. They are comparative rather than absolute measurements. Actual composition, yield and price vary by product and processing conditions.

🥇 Overall Winner: VCO from Coconut Milk — Centrifuge Extracted

🥈 Runner-up: VCO from Coconut Milk — Fermentation Extracted

🥉 Third: Cold-Pressed Coconut Oil

4️⃣ Fourth: Roasted / Heated Coconut Oil

Why aren't the first two tied?

Both start with fresh coconut milk.

Both can preserve many of coconut's naturally occurring minor compounds.

And fermentation can perform exceptionally well for phenolic and antioxidant measures.

But centrifugation has one practical advantage: it is a controlled mechanical separation process that can be scaled efficiently. Fermentation is more process- and time-dependent, and its yield varies widely with conditions.1,2

So when we consider nutritional preservation + gentle processing + extraction efficiency + affordability, centrifuge extraction gives us the strongest overall combination.

That does not make fermented VCO an inferior oil.

It simply means centrifugation wins when we consider both quality and practicality.

So Which Coconut Oil Should You Actually Choose?

After all this research, I don't think there is one coconut oil that is automatically “best” for every purpose.

The better question is:

What are you using it for?

These are practical interpretations of the evidence discussed here, not claims that one extraction method is universally superior for every use.

And for us, this is where all the research becomes a simple choice.

For cooking:

I personally use cold-pressed coconut oil. It is practical, affordable and naturally rich in lauric acid. Because cooking means heating it is unnecessary and futile to use VCO

For hair:

I would choose a good-quality coconut oil, whether VCO from coconut milk or cold-pressed coconut oil. Here, the fatty-acid profile—particularly lauric acid—is an important part of what makes coconut oil useful for hair and both oil types will help with the end goal

For skin:

I would choose VCO from coconut milk, preferably centrifuge extracted, because it combines fresh-coconut processing with strong evidence for retention of Vitamin E and antioxidants.

And for baby massage:

This is where the research matters most to us.

Research has shown that oils applied during neonatal massage can be absorbed through the skin. In a randomised study of 120 newborns, fatty-acid changes in the babies' blood reflected the type of oil used during massage.⁸

That does not mean every oil is automatically harmful or that topical oil should be treated as food.

It does mean that what we put on a baby's skin is not necessarily confined to the surface.

So for us, the choice became simple: Centrifuge-extracted Virgin Coconut Oil from Coconut Milk

Fresh coconut → coconut milk → centrifuge extraction → Retention of maximum vitamin and antioxidants.

Not because fermentation is a poor method.

But because when we consider nutritional preservation, gentle processing, extraction efficiency and affordability together, centrifuge-extracted VCO from coconut milk gives us the strongest overall combination.

And that is ultimately what this entire comparison has been about:

Not just what is in the coconut

But what survives the journey from coconut to bottle—and what makes sense for the way we actually use it.

References

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2. Divya PM, Roopa BS, Manusha C, Balannara P. A concise review on oil extraction methods, nutritional and therapeutic role of coconut products. Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2023;60(2):441–452. doi:10.1007/s13197-022-05352-0. PMID: 36712217.
3. Dayrit FM. The Properties of Lauric Acid and Their Significance in Coconut Oil. Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society. 2015;92:1–15. doi:10.1007/s11746-014-2562-7.
4. Ghani NAA, Channip A-A, Chok Hwee Hwa P, Ja'afar F, Yasin HM, Usman A. Physicochemical properties, antioxidant capacities, and metal contents of virgin coconut oil produced by wet and dry processes. Food Science & Nutrition. 2018;6(5):1298–1306. doi:10.1002/fsn3.671.
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6. Nivya EM, Panjikkaran ST, Aneena ER, Sharon CL, Lakshmy PS. Evaluation of quality of the virgin coconut oil extracted by traditional and cold centrifugation methods. The Journal of Research ANGRAU. 2023;51(2):56–62. doi:10.58537/jorangrau.2023.51.2.06.
7. Srivastava Y, Semwal AD, Majumdar A. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of bioactive components present in virgin coconut oil. Cogent Food & Agriculture. 2016;2:1164929. doi:10.1080/23311932.2016.1164929.
8. Varma SR, Sivaprakasam TO, Arumugam I, et al. In vitro anti-inflammatory and skin protective properties of Virgin coconut oil. Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine. 2019;9(1):5–14. doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2017.06.012.
9. Solanki K, Matnani M, Kale M, Joshi K, Bavdekar A, Bhave S, Pandit A. Transcutaneous absorption of topically massaged oil in neonates. Indian Pediatrics. 2005;42(10):998–1005. PMID: 16269830.

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