After talking with the Skinny Coconut Oil company, I was so fascinated by what I learned about raw coconut oil and its varying levels of purity and benefits, not to mention the processes involved in producing it. I wanted to know more. There is so much more involved in creating good quality coconut oil and I still had so many questions.

After trying Skinny Coconut Oil for myself and reviewing their product here on my site, I could taste, smell and feel the difference in their quality. Their coconut oil is a truly raw and truly pure coconut oil. So what about others? I asked the question: What makes raw coconut oil better? I wanted to know.

So I got back together with Skinny to find out. Below are and the answers I was seeking. I’m glad that I get to share them with all of you. Truly fascinating and valuable information.

1. I am just fascinated with your raw coconut oil. It is just so different from other coconut oil that I have used. I wanted to dive in and ask the question I’ve been dying to know the answer to. What makes your coconut oil different? What happens during the process of raw versus heated coconut oil?

It all starts with heat, or a lack thereof. Skinny is never heated over 100°F. This is important because over this temperature the enzyme bonds begin to break down, rendering the coconut oil less effective and difficult for the body to absorb. Every other coconut oil on the market heats above 100°F to extract the oil.

There are a couple of factors that lead to coconut oil being impure. Heat is the major one. Heating the coconut oil for extraction is a widely used practice. This allows for higher yields and margins, but sacrifices quality. The high temperature breaks down the essential fatty acids and enzymes that make coconut oil such a healthy product.

Another factor is the FDA’s allowed variance. Coconut oil producers are allowed a 20% variance, meaning 20% of the product can be something other than coconut oil, yet it can still claim to be “100% Pure.” This 20% is generally palm oil or some other tasteless oil, but we have found isopropyl alcohol and diesel fuel in certain brands on the market.

In essence, Skinny is different because of our non-heated processing, our quality coconuts, our true 100% RAW value and unwillingness to compromise.

2. Can you tell me a little about the history of raw coconut oil production. How and when was this process discovered?

True raw coconut oil production wasn’t privy to the market until Skinny came along. As I said before, many producers claim to be “raw” and “never heated”, but those are just marketing terms, not true statements about their oil.

Skinny started developing the Nutralock™ Technology about 5 years ago. We didn’t want to release our product until we had perfected the technology and process, which is why Skinny has only been on the market a little over a year.

This process was started by partnership with Tan as mentioned in our previous conversation, and is now patent-pending in multiple countries and being distributed to the world.

3. Can you tell me exactly how your coconut oil is made?

During the coconut-picking season, our local workers go out in the morning to garner the mature coconuts from the jungles. Those are then taken back to our plant to begin processing.

The coconuts are cracked open, the meat is scooped out. We then clean the coconut meat with purified water before wet-grating it, never allowing it to exceed room temperature or sit out because coconut meat will quickly ferment. We then put the coconut meat through our machine. This is a closed loop system that dehumidifies the coconut meat instead of heating it. What is left after this is similar to coconut flour.

This flour is then hand-pressed, extracting the oil. By doing this we completely eliminate heat and friction from the process.

4. Your website talks about the Nutralock System. Can you tell me about this?

The Nutralock System™ is the whole process I just explained above. It’s the entire process, from tree to jar.

5. So why do you use coconuts from Vietnam?

There are a few reasons.

One, they are non-plantation coconuts. In order to have the best coconut oil it all starts with the world’s best coconuts. And the Ben Tre Province, where we exclusively source, was awarded the “Tree of Life” award, an international recognition for the quality of its coconuts. Finally, we wanted to give back to the people of Vietnam.

During Matt and Luke’s trip there, they were taken back by the generosity and kindness of the people. Skinny & Co. was started because of the coconut oil, but it’s true passion is for the people of Vietnam.

6. Being produced all the way in Vietnam, how is your coconut oil shipped so as to preserve its high quality without spoiling?

We ship our oil either via ship or air freight to the U.S. We have bottling facility in North Dakota which bottles Skinny and puts it through multiple filtering channels and purity tests. Our oil is shipped temperature-controlled and in air-sealed containers and to ensure purity throughout shipping.

7. What is the shelf life of a bottle of Skinny Coconut Oil and how should it best be stored?

Skinny has a shelf life of 2 years, but seeing that coconut oil resists rancidity, it could stay fresh for much longer than that. Skinny does not require refrigeration, but it’s all personal preference. In your pantry Skinny may begin to melt (above 76°F), so some keep it in the fridge to avoid that. Either way is perfectly fine.

8. What makes 100% raw coconut oil better for you compared to heated?

A raw coconut oil is better because it keeps the enzymes intact. These are the nutrient value that makes coconut oil such a healthy source of saturated fat. Saturated fat, when kept in its natural form, is the healthiest fat you can consume.

When a coconut oil is heated, those enzyme bonds break down, making it more difficult for the body for utilize. This can lead to adverse affects to coconut oil, like weight gain.

9. Can you tell me a few of the health benefits one might expect from raw coconut oil?

Skinny increases brain clarity, boosts metabolism leading to weight loss, balances healthy blood sugar levels, provides cardiovascular health and strengthens the immune system.

10. If raw is so much better for us all, why do you think more companies don’t do it?

Simply, they don’t have the technology and it would cut into margins. Our Nutralock System™ is the first of its kind on the market. True raw oil production wasn’t seen as a possibility before our machine.

Processing a truly raw coconut oil takes much more time and comes at a higher cost. Skinny takes 12 coconuts per jar and takes three times longer than common practices. Hence, cutting into margins.

11. Your Mission on your website states: “to use our pure, wholesome coconut oil to cultivate a community of health-conscious individuals united by a passion to change the world.” Knowing all you know about raw coconut oil and its benefits, it’s plain to see that a lot of people can benefit greatly from it. What are a few things you are doing to raise awareness?

Getting our coconut oil into as many hands as possible is the best way for us to raise awareness. This may seem obvious because companies like to promote their own products, but the true way for people to tell the difference between a raw product and a non-raw one is to try it.

As you said yourself, you were shocked by the difference. If people could have the same experience you did, there’s no better way to raise awareness.

Now for those who haven’t tried Skinny, we have multiple ways to get the word out. We offer educational classes and podcasts to all of our wholesalers, our website is full of information, and we stay very current on our social media accounts. We also hold our customer service in very high regard, catering to their needs at all times.

Also check out Part 1 and Part 3 of my interviews with Skinny Coconut Oil.

From my kitchen to yours,

Tina Turbin

If you have any questions or suggestions just email me at Tina (at) Paleomazing.com.