Have you heard of Doctor Murray organic virgin coconut oil before? You probably have not. Because it has just entered the market this Jan 2020. I got to learn about it via a product trial for its 16 fl oz (473 ml) jar. And after reviewing the product, I reckon it should become a good brand in the near future. What makes me so sure? When I opened the jar and peeled off the seal, the scent of fresh coconut rushed out immediately. This is a sign of a high quality virgin coconut oil.
But we have to prove further to make sure we're getting the best quality for our health and most bang for our buck.
1. Quality check
So now, let's apply my guidelines on choosing the best virgin coconut oil and see how it fares:
| Color | Clear as water |
| Essence | Yes |
| Odor | Fresh coconut |
| Container | Plastic |
| Made in... | Philippines |
| User reviews | |
| Hexane | No (It's organic) |
| Trans fat | No |
| Price |
Well, I'd say the quality of Doctor Murray organic virgin coconut oil is comparable to that of Nutiva organic virgin coconut oil which I'm using.
The murky bottom is the essence that settles to the bottom. All good quality virgin coconut oil should have this.
The only shame is that Doctor Murray uses plastic jar to hold their quality virgin coconut oil. Are you concerned about the plastic leaching risk?
I used to be very stringent and insist on getting only coconut oil stored in glass. But since the outbreak of COVID-19 and our income has dramatically shrunk, I've started to open up and look for opportunities to get quality virgin coconut oil at a more affordable price. Glass-stored virgin coconut oil is little more costly in general.
Of course, the risk is there when coconut oil is stored in plastic. But that risk can be greatly minimized by using PETE or HDPE. As long as the coconut oil inside the container smells great when it reaches me, I'm all for it now. And Doctor Murray did not disappoint me in this aspect.
2. Best bang for your buck
The greater the volume, the cheaper it gets. That's why I have stocked up several BIG jars (54 fl oz or 1.6 L) of Nutiva organic virgin coconut oil in my cupboard. Doctor Murray organic virgin coconut oil also comes with such a volume but with a relatively lower price. So, I decided to switch.
It has saved me quite a lot of cash yet without compromising on the quality. Check it out.
| Nutiva organic VCO | Doctor Murray organic VCO |
|---|---|
 54 fl oz (1.6 L) for US$24.95 |  54 fl oz (1.6 L) for US$19.95 |
New to this brand and need to get a smaller size jar to begin with? While Doctor Murray organic virgin coconut oil has discontinued its 16 fl oz (473 ml) size, you can get Nutiva organic virgin coconut oil in 14 fl oz (444 ml) jar to try out.
If you're wary of the plastic container used, Nutiva does come with a 14 fl oz (414 ml) glass jar of organic virgin coconut oil that will give you peace of mind.