Tropical Traditions - Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is on the rise as an ultra-healthy alternative to man-made chemical moisturizers and more environmentally-damaging/less healthy cooking oils. The benefits of using pure coconut oil are immense, and even a look at many natural products reveals coconut oil as a major ingredient. Suffice to say, it's hard to go wrong with the stuff, especially if it's organic, fair-trade, and non-GMO.

Moon-Shake!! was provided the opportunity to sample Tropical Traditions' superb, ultra-high-end Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, imported from the Philippines. Now, many coconut oils aren't necessarily organic, and the extraction process can leave out many of the oil's natural antioxidants. Tropical Traditions' Gold Label is their highest standard for coconut oil, hand-made and pressed to exacting standards. The result? A delicious, fully-edible alternative to other mainstream cooking oils (corn, sunflower, canola). It can also be used as a tasty and super-healthy alternative to butter (try it on toast), or as a skin moisturizer that doesn't leave the skin greasy, just baby-soft, with none of the harmful chemicals present in many "body" and "hand" lotions. And it's produced with no GMOs (genetically-modified organisms). Score more points there.

But enough of the sales pitch. This blog isn't about selling you anything, and we certainly aren't making anything from telling all this! We are unbiased, of course, and aren't easily swayed. Moon-Shake!! (and Mrs. Moon-Shake!!) tried Tropical Traditions Gold Label for a variety of household uses, and here we publish our results. 

Tasting the coconut oil raw, by the spoonful was first. It had a very light, pleasant, melt-in-your-mouth flavor. Coconut notes were present, but subtly, and not what you'd expect. The consistency turns to liquid over about 76 degrees, and it's a cream-white waxy solid below that. But either way, it's more than delicious, and packed with healthy benefits.

Next, we tried it as a frying oil. I made some Alaskan cod filets, and fried them in Tropical Traditions Gold Label. Worked well. I've had worse fish in restaurants, to be sure. No problems there. Also, we fried up some crab rangoon (yum!) in the coconut oil, and did a small batch in a separate skillet with regular imported Italian sunflower oil. Comparatively, the coconut oil had less spatter, and a lighter, less oily or greasy texture than the batch made in sunflower oil. And it (the coconut oil batch) seemed cleaner, and added a light touch of coconut flavor! Win win.

Mrs. Moon-Shake!! then tried it in place of olive oil in baking some home-cut sweet potato cubes. The sweet potatoes ended up crispy, sweet, and not at all oily. Additionally, when pressed on her thoughts, she said "A little goes a long way". She possesses much wisdom, methinks!

Tried it as a coffee creamer, making the gourmet medium-roast coffee less acidic. The coconut oil didn't blend too well, but on the upside, the residue from drinking it kept our lips moisturized!

As a body lotion/moisturizer, the coconut oil made our skin oily just for a short time, but it seemed to evaporate or absorb reasonably fast. I even tried it as a hair/head wash for a day, expecting to have an oily, itchy head, but alas -- was perfectly fine on my short-cropped hair. The Mrs. used it on the ends of her (long) hair, and she reports it worked fine, with no residue or greasiness. Use on dry feet and elbows also proved to be fruitful, with, again, no greasy residue and genuinely softer skin.

To sum it all up, we really enjoyed our time with Tropical Traditons Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil. It's useful in the kitchen and for personal care, and it's safe to say we'll be purchasing more in the future. Give it a try yourself. Meantime, here's a link to their site.

Tropical Traditions site

Virgin Coconut Oil info


Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Since the FDA does not want us to discuss the health benefits of coconut oil on a page where it is being sold or given away, here is the best website to read about the health benefits of coconut oil: coconutoil.com

Beer: Sierra Nevada Estate Homegrown Ale

SIERRA NEVADA (Chico, CA) - ESTATE HOMEGROWN ALE - 4.25

A 6.7%ABV IPA, Sierra Nevada's Estate was a limited brewing that was revolutionary in that it utilized only ingredients (mostly organic, too) grown on Sierra Nevada's estate locally in Chico. My beer ratings are from 1 (awful) to 5 (awesome). A 4.25 is rare and exceptional, so check out this beer if you can find it!

Clean light amber in color, with a big, thick head of off-white foam. Gorgeous lace. Nose is moist, floral, pine hoppiness. A superb start! Taste is sharp and bold, with spicy and peppery hops and a thick malt presence underlying it, and residing at the finish. 

Very delicious, and a treat for IPA fans. Here's to hoping there's another harvest next year!

Sierra Nevada