How to Make Coconut Oil will be explained here. It will guide you on how to make Nigerian coconut oil.

How to make virgin coconut oil in Nigeria

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It will give detailed, easy, and explicit steps to follow to successfully produce an original Nigerian coconut oil even from the comfort of your home.

Before now in Nigeria, coconut oil was thought to be meant for people in remote areas and villages as it was mostly produced locally.

People in the urban area saw it as a local product and opted for chemically produced creams for their skincare. But, the reverse is the case now, Nigerian coconut oil has become one of the most sorts after oil in Nigeria.

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Research and findings have proven that coconut oil in its natural form has a lot of uses and health benefits to the skin in particular and is safer than chemically produced creams.

It has become very relevant, gained a lot of attention, and has flooded the Nigerian market today. People now venture into making it either for individual, subsistence, or economic purposes.

Some entrepreneurs have even gone as far as processing and packaging it to meet the set standards and sold it in supermarkets, stores, etc.

What is coconut oil?

Coconut oil also known as “copra oil” is an edible oil, extracted from the fleshy part of a matured coconut. It is resistant to spoilage, taste, and odor.

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Materials/Ingredients required to make Nigerian coconut oil:

1. Matured coconut(s).
2. Hammer or any blunt object.
3. A stainless steel pot or saucepan.
4. Knife.
5. Muslin cloth/Sieve with a fine mesh.
6. Grater/ Electric blender.
7. Chiffon.
8. Chopping board.
9. Plastic bowls.
10. Water
11. Warm water
12. Gas cooker/Stove.
13. A Refrigerator.

How to Make Nigerian Coconut Oil

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Here are Steps on how to make Nigerian coconut oil:

1. Break the coconut with a hammer or any blunt object.
2. Separate the coconut meat from the shell with a knife (you can peel off the brown skin for pure coconut oil.
3. Rinse the pieces of coconut thoroughly with water.
4. Cut them into smaller pieces using your chopping board and knife.
5. Blend the pieces of coconut with a small quantity of warm water for easy rotation of the blender blades. (A grater could also be used to substitute for a blender).
6. Pour the blend into a sieve or muslin cloth to extract the coconut milk. You can press with your hands to squeeze out all the content.
7. Pour the coconut milk into a sieve with a finer mesh to remove the tiniest particles.
8. Empty the coconut milk into a plastic bowl, cover it, and refrigerate overnight. In the absence of a refrigerator, keep the coconut milk in a plastic bowl for about 2 hours after which a natural separation will occur.
9. The next morning, or after some hours the coconut oil will separate from the water and cake at the top of the bowl. The cold temperature is responsible for this separation.
10. Scoop the caked white coconut oil and put it in a clean dry stainless steel pot. The residual water can be used to prepare meals example, white coconut rice.
11. Cover the pot and heat at a low temperature (60 degrees for about 2(two hours) until the oil is separated from the latik (solids that are formed when coconut cream is cooked). Regulate (reduce) the heat if you notice any smoke.
12. Put down the pot of coconut oil and allow it to cool.
13. On cooling, sieve with a cheese or chiffon cloth to remove the latik.
14. Store in a clean dry bottle or container.
15. And your Nigerian coconut oil is ready for use.

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Benefits of Nigerian coconut oil

1. Coconut oil provides nourishment for the skin and slows down the effect of aging due to its antioxidant properties.
2. It stimulates hair growth, used for hair treatment and conditioning.
3. It contains substances that promote the production of body hormones.
4. It is helpful in the treatment of depression and anxiety.
5. It assists in regaining weight loss if consumed regularly.
6. It can improve sleep if taken daily.
7. Coconut oil facilitates digestion and prevents constipation.
8. Studies have revealed that coconut oil helps to improve mental ability and health.
9. It is edible and can be used for a great variety of cooking.
10. It helps fight yeast infections and boost immunity against diseases and infections.
11. It is a proven home remedy for those with hemorrhoids.