Coconut Oil and Palm Oil

Staple for Long Term Storage and Regular Use

BOTH have indefinite shelf life
(although the expiration date often reads 2 years and others, 10 yrs)

Order most frugally from Tropical Traditions using the Buyers Club Membership:

• Coconut Oil LINK
• Scroll ALL THE WAY to the bottom of page-The text is in Blue.
• The cheapest price per weight is $105 for 5 Gallon Bucket (~ 7*5=35lbs).

• Palm oil Shortening LINK
• Scroll ALL THE WAY to the bottom of page-The text is in Blue.
• The cheapest price per weight is $78 for 33 pound box.
• The box comes with a sealed bag (zip-lock style) inside another bag (twisted closed).
  

Alternative purchasing:
(1) Watch for sales which bring smaller quantities to the same $/amount, but membership would need to be timed right also.
(2) Buy with friends in a group buy so the Shipping and Membership fee is split up.
(3) Small containers During Thanksgiving Holidays are on sale at Fry's and Sprout's bringing the price to nearly the same per amount. In addition, it is handy to buy a few of these so that you have small containers to refill and keep handy in kitchen/ bath.

Coconut oil is a healthy oil that is to replace (unhealthy) Canola, soy, peanut, and other 'dead' oils typically labeled as "vegetable oils". It Can be Used in Any Recipe.
Use it for any recipe that calls for oil (or butter, fat, etc). It can be used in high heat and baking, but switch to palm when frying, such as meats.
The version that I recommend above for purchase has no smell or taste (no Coconut proteins).
It is solid at room temperature but melts just above (such as when you use it as lotion (wonderful!)) and so is very liquid in my house in the summer time.

Palm oil is a healthy oil that is to replace hydrogenated Shortening (crisco type) which is (simply stated) a poison. It can be used in baking such as pastries and pie crusts AND for Hot frying, such as in cast iron pan, or when deep fat frying.
This is NOT Hydrogenated. It is solid like shortening for most of the year. At over 80 degrees or more, outer portions melt a little bit. It has NO taste or smell and is pure white.
(There is more than one type on the site, I recommend the shortening. The other product listed here is virgin palm oil which is red, flavored, and not commonly used in American cooking.)

For those of you who want more information:

Palm Oil is the most commonly used oil in the world when the US is taken out of the list. Coconut oil comes soon after in that list. They have been extracted and eaten for millennia by peoples where coconut and palm are grown, which includes very hot places. They are completely safe and very beneficial to health and wellness. They are one of the few places outside of Mammal milk that provides Lauric Acid; which is a large portion of the fatty acid chain in coconut/palm oil. (this is the 'miracle' immune boost in Mother's Milk). Coconut oil is the perfect staple for making Baby formula and food when weaning and wonderful for food storage for families even if for this reason alone. (powdered milk is very insufficient and potentially damaging for infants (and adults); more on that under milk)

There are a few higher quality coconut oils (processed less, taste and smell like coconut, higher nutritional value, contains coconut proteins, etc), but they cost more and (in my opinion/research) don't provide enough additional benefit to outweigh the cost. This one is still processed in a healthy, traditional way so the oil retains it's natural properties and is good for us. For those interested in the higher nutritional content - the primary difference is the antioxidant content which specifically would benefit cancer concerns and skin/aging concerns.

Different Oils provide different balances of vital nutrients to our diet, So, in ratio to Other Oils, lipids, Fats:
Butter and animal fats (ghee, lard, cod liver oil, etc), should take up the largest portion in your diet, Coconut and Palm can be second in amount, and Cold-Pressed Extra Virgin Olive oil, Sesame, Nut, Avocado etc be third.

The ones you want to eliminate are Hydrogenated (such as Crisco type shortening, Margarine) and Denatured such as Soybean, Canola, Cottonseed, Peanut oil, Corn and blends of these that are commonly labeled "vegetable oils." However, those do make great bio-diesel fuel, if you would like How to directions. ;)

To read more about what makes some fats healthy and "vegetable oils" unhealthy, Here are a few sites to start on. (1) post list 'overview' (2) simple: Coconut (3) lengthy: Lipids & Fats (4) Coconut oil article site (5) List of benefits (6) books (diet): Eat Fat, Lose Fat