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Did you know that many companies use petroleum byproducts (like hexane solvents) to produce their coconut oil? We will soon discuss the health ramifications of this soon...
But first, what is hexane solvent and why should you care?
Hexane (n-Hexane) is a chemical byproduct of crude oil (petroleum) that is highly flammable, a known irritant and both environmental and health hazard.
It is commonly used as a solvent to extract vegetable oils such as canola, corn, cotton seed, grape seed, rice bran, safflower, soy bean and sunflower oils.
But also coconut and olive oil!
A solvent is a liquid that is used to dissolve, suspend or extract other materials. This helps companies to extract the oils out of whatever food they are working with, whether it be from a bean, fruit, grain, nut or seed.
Ok, so how do we know what to look for when buying one?
Wherever possible, always choose an oil that meets the following criteria:
- Certified Organic
- Cold-pressed
- Raw (where possible)
- Unrefined
- Extra-Virgin
- Non-GMO
Certified organic and non-GMO will greatly educe the risk of glyphosate exposure. Please read our glyphosate blog here.
Raw, cold-pressed and unrefined will ensure your oil has not been heated and processed with chemicals. It won't be bleached or deodorised.
Looking for the highest quality coconut oil?
Look no further than Perfect Organic Raw Coconut oil! (of course). It ticks every box and will far surpass any coconut oil you'd find in the supermarket and even some health food stores. But why?
See for yourself:
✅ Made from the freshest coconuts
✅ 100% Pure
✅ Extra-Virgin
✅ Cold-pressed
✅ Certified Organic
✅ Non-GMO
✅ Glyphosate-free
✅ Free from Chemical Solvents (hexane)
Hexane Health Ramifications
There's no doubt about it, hexane exposure can cause both short-term and long-term health effects.
Any chemical on the 'Special Health Hazard Substance List' is a chemical you should probably avoid (if you want optimal health and disease-prevention). n-Hexane is a substance that made this list. ☠️
Some of the short-term effects of exposure to this solvent include headaches, dizziness, confusion, nausea and other effects of intoxication.
Long-term effects may be central nervous system and nerve damage, negative brain effects, even permanent brain damage. long-term exposure may also cause peripheral neuropathy (tingling in feet, legs and hands), it may cause a persons muscles to become weak.
n-Hexane exposure may cause reproductive damage and increase the risk of cancer! ☹️
We recently wrote a blog about the negative health effects of vegetable oil consumption (read here), but at that point did not realise that olive oil and coconut oil made that list too so it is worth mentioning where to find a safe and healthy oil oil that's free from toxic hexane.
The one we recommend (upon much research), is the Braggs Organic olive oil. It is the only one I have seen that's certified organic, first cold-pressed, unfiltered and unrefined and completely free from chemicals. You could find it online or in selected health food stores.
But isn't Coconut Oil a Saturated Fat?
Yes, it sure is and just like butter it has had a negative smear campaign against it for many years but the truth is now being revealed...
It was branded as 'unhealthy' and 'artery-clogging' and this fear campaign was driven by the vegetable oil industry to make more money (of course)!
The vegetable oil industry is BIG business.
To brand butter, lard, coconut oil and other animal fats as bad would influence the oils/fats consumers would buy. Advertising and marketing campaigns can be very powerful and when you have foundations such as the Heart Association or Heart Foundation here in Australia getting behind polyunsaturated cooking oils, this can really confuse people even more!
Read more about this in our vegetable oils blog: 'Vegetable Oils May Be Public Health Enemy Number One'.
Saturated fats are a vital part of being and staying healthy as they contain essential nutrients and they are also much better for cooking because they are stable, non-rancid and have a higher smoke point.
Choose fats for cooking such as grass-fed ghee/butter, organic non-GMO raw cold-pressed coconut oil, tallow, lard, duck fat, goose fat, chicken fat etc.
Avoid canola, corn, cotton seed, grape seed, rice bran, safflower, soy bean and sunflower oil (even organic ones) at all costs! These oils are highly unstable (unhealthy), and they are always rancid (the chemical deodorisation process makes them smell fresh but they are not).
These oils are HIGHLY toxic and should not be in anybody's diet (who wants to be truly healthy). That is a fact.
I hope you enjoyed this article today and please share this information far and wide as it may help to improve the lives and health of many. 🙌🏻
References
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Hexane
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_oil
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum
https://www.britannica.com/science/solvent-chemistry
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive_oil_extraction
https://saferchemicals.org/get-the-facts/toxic-chemicals/hexane/
https://www.westonaprice.org/oiling-of-america-in-new-york/
https://www.teknoscienze.com/Contents/Riviste/PDF/AF5_RGB_2013_72-74.pdf
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Effect-of-different-solvents-on-the-oil-extraction-yield-from-hulled-and-non-hulled_fig3_320026371#:~:text=The%20best%20yield%20(49.41%25%20for,kHz%2C%20respectively%20Moradi%20et%20al.
https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.1067.9201&rep=rep1&type=pdf#:~:text=Cottonseed%20oil%20has%20gained%20importance,and%20hazardous%20for%20the%20environment.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11746-005-1148-4#:~:text=All%20commercial%20corn%20oil%20is,oil%20has%20been%20well%20characterized.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1745-4522.2009.01163.x
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13399-020-00846-3#:~:text=and%20%CE%B3%2Dorizanol-,Non%2Dconventional%20solvent%20extraction,bran%20oil%20extraction%20%5B85%5D.
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Effect-of-different-solvents-on-the-oil-extraction-yield-from-hulled-and-non-hulled_fig3_320026371#:~:text=The%20best%20yield%20(49.41%25%20for,kHz%2C%20respectively%20Moradi%20et%20al.
*Disclaimer: the information in this article is intended purely as information and not health advice. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent or cure and one should always seek expert advice from their trusted health practitioner.
