Does coconut oil have preservatives?

Coconut oil does not need to have preservatives like BHT, BHA and TBHQ to prevent it from turning bad. The purpose of adding these common preservatives in many fats and oils is to actually act as antioxidants to prevent the fats and oils from oxidizing and becoming rancid.

Coconut oil has 80 – 90% saturated fats that are super good antioxidants. These intrinsic antioxidants are the reason why coconut oil does not go rancid easily.

I've put my virgin coconut oil to the test by keeping it for 4 long years without opening. Virgin coconut oil generally has a shelf life of 2 years.

Time's up and I remove the lid. The naturally-occurring fragrance in my virgin coconut oil still smells good. I add it to my food and my food taste just as delicious as if the coconut oil has just been made.

So, does coconut oil need preservatives?

Definitely no. Those common preservatives I mentioned early on are usually used in fats and oils that have high amount of unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats are very prone to oxidation and hence, spoil easily.

Despite the fact that coconut oil does not need preservative, some manufacturers still go to the extreme to saturate their refined coconut oil further. They want to make their refined coconut oil last even longer via hydrogenation. Hydrogenation creates trans fats. So, if you ever come across hydrogenated coconut oil, don't buy.

Hey, did it dawn on you that you can actually use the preservative-free coconut oil as a food preservative?

Yes, coconut oil works well as a natural preservative. Its high saturated fat content can help to minimize the oxidation and hence, slowing the spoilage of food.

FussyBody.com

Your no-frills coconut oil guide to stunning health

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