Unheated-above-96°F fermented coconut oil occupies a specific and carefully defined niche within the Primal Diet. It is not interchangeable with coconut cream, and this distinction is foundational to understanding its proper role. Coconut cream, made by juicing the mature coconut meat through a gear juicer, is the superior form of coconut for internal use because it retains water-soluble fats, fat-soluble fats, oil-soluble fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and enzymes in their full natural ratios. Coconut oil, by contrast, is a pressed oil, meaning it has been mechanically extracted and separated from the whole food matrix. As a result, it contains only the oil-soluble fraction of the coconut's fats, stripped of the water-soluble components that constitute approximately 92–93% of the fat in whole coconut cream. This makes coconut oil, even in its best available fermented, unheated, cold-pressed form, a nutritionally shallow product relative to coconut cream, and its internal use is accordingly limited and specific.

Nonetheless, within the category of pressed oils, fermented unheated cold-pressed coconut oil is characterized as the least problematic of all available pressed oils. Unlike olive oil, flax oil, peanut oil, and other pressed oils, coconut oil does not become acidic in the body. This single distinction opens up a broader range of applications for coconut oil compared to other pressed oils and explains why Aajonus singles it out as a subject of ongoing investigation and sourcing effort.

The primary internal role of fermented unheated cold-pressed coconut oil is that of a cleanser and unclogger of organs and glands. It strengthens the liver and heart and heals vascular lesions. On the skin, its role shifts: instead of functioning as a cleanser, it functions as a health-stabilizer, though it is still inferior to coconut cream for deep skin nourishment. It may be used in place of olive or flax oils but is explicitly stated to not serve as a replacement for coconut cream.

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The critical temperature boundary for coconut oil, as with all pressed oils on the Primal Diet, is 96°F. At or below this temperature, coconut oil maintains all of its nutritive value without producing toxic byproducts. Above 96°F, the virtues diminish. This is the non-negotiable upper limit for any coconut oil to be considered acceptable for use on the diet.

For flax oil, 98°F is stated to be acceptable, but this exception does not apply to coconut oil. Aajonus explicitly states: "98 degrees F. for flax oil is okay, but not for olive, peanut or coconut oils." Coconut oil must remain at or below 96°F throughout the entire pressing process and all stages of handling to qualify as genuinely beneficial.

All pressed oils, including fermented unheated cold-pressed coconut oil, share a fundamental biochemical characteristic: they are approximately 90% solvent-reactive in the body. That is, the body takes up pressed oils primarily to use them as cleansers, solvents, to dissolve toxins, break down internal adhesions, dead cells, arterial plaque, lymphatic congestion, benign and malignant tumors, and oil-based toxic compounds in tissues. They do not primarily build or stabilize cells. They do not primarily lubricate tissue in the way that whole fats such as raw butter, raw cream, or coconut cream do.

This solvent-reactive nature means that consuming too much pressed oil will cause intense cleansing, potentially leading to fatigue, lethargy, nausea, and detoxification reactions. The body is essentially being flooded with a dissolving agent.

Unlike olive oil, flax oil, or safflower oil, which are described as "very acrid" and tend to dry out and acidify conditions in the body, coconut oil does not become acidic. This means the body can use it in more ways. It can be used for energy production and for protection of the body, in addition to its cleansing role. It is also stated that coconut oil builds the body to some extent, although this is not its primary function, whole fats and animal fats are far superior for building and stabilization.

This is the central limitation of coconut oil relative to coconut cream. The whole coconut is approximately 80% fat, 15% protein, and 5% carbohydrate. Of that 80% fat, approximately 92–93% consists of water-soluble fats. These water-soluble fats are the most important fats, they carry vitamins, enzymes, and nutrients that the oil-soluble fraction does not. They stabilize cells, nourish the nervous system, and are damaged even at very low temperatures, which is why they are rarely discussed by commercial processors.

When you extract coconut oil from the coconut, you are taking only the 7–8% oil-soluble fraction of the fat and discarding the 92–93% water-soluble fraction that remains bound in the cream and pulp. This is why the statement is made directly: "Oil is very, very shallow in nutrients. It has only the fat soluble vitamins and it will smother your tissue, it can't breathe very well." And further: "The coconut cream is water and water soluble fat, fat soluble fat, oil soluble fat, and that helps clean everything in the body. It is the most valuable cleanser there is."

When eaten a little at a time, the body uses coconut oil to: - Help unclog organs and glands - Strengthen the liver - Strengthen the heart - Heal vascular lesions

The natural fermentation process present in the properly made product helps the digestibility of the coconut oil. This is directly stated: "The natural fermentation process helps digestibility of the coconut oil." Fermented coconut oil that has become older and more fermented can smell and taste unpleasant, described as "nasty smell" and "nasty tasting", but is still considered good and functional.

On the skin, unheated fermented coconut oil functions as a health-stabilizer rather than a deep nourisher or cleanser. Its virtues for the skin were described as impressive. However, there is an important caveat: applying oil to the skin smothers the tissue and prevents oxygen absorption into skin cells. The oil occludes the skin, which can cause the person to overheat. For these reasons, coconut cream is consistently preferred over coconut oil for skin application.

Additionally, at a certain stage of aging and fermentation (described as when it becomes caustic, roughly after 3 months stored at room temperature in a dark cupboard), coconut oil that was previously beneficial on the skin will start to cause skin eruptions by ripping up scar tissue. At that point, Aajonus states he discontinues facial and skin use and transitions to eating it internally instead.

Fermented coconut oil is identified as excellent for brushing teeth. It is described as dissolving black deposits on teeth effectively. This is analogous to its oil-like cleansing function applied directly to the oral environment.

Coconut oil, specifically the fermented variety, was used experimentally by Aajonus to coat and preserve raw meat in jars. Raw meat strips were basted with coconut oil while still cool so the oil would adhere and harden. The jars were then filled so there was no air space. Some of this preserved meat in coconut oil was described as having a fermented quality, "nasty smell and all that, but still was good." The meat preserved in olive oil, by comparison, stayed in better condition without the fermentation quality. This is a documented edge case of coconut oil use beyond eating or topical application.

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The specific form that is approved is described as "unheated-above-96°F fermented coconut oil." The fermentation step is integral, it is not optional. Fermentation improves digestibility and is part of the natural process by which the oil is produced. There is acknowledgment that it is not yet fully known whether the virtues would increase further if the fermentation period of 12–19 hours were conducted entirely below 96°F, that particular variable had not been confirmed experimentally at the time of writing. What is confirmed is that heating above 96°F diminishes the virtues.

Cold-pressing below 96°F is the required method of extraction. Solvent extraction, which involves chemical solvents such as hexane (gasoline) or kerosene, is not acceptable. Many oils labeled "cold-pressed" in commerce use solvents rather than mechanical pressing, or heat the material before mechanical pressing. Aajonus warns that producers and distributors frequently misuse the label "cold-pressed" when temperatures during processing and bottling reach as high as 250°F depending on equipment speed and friction.

The instruction is explicit: "Write or call the producers or distributors of cold-pressed oils. Discover the maximum temperature each oil reaches at all times during processing and bottling." The key is speaking directly with the chemist who oversees the process at the factory, not the marketing department or a sales representative, who typically have no knowledge of the actual processing mechanics and temperatures.

When stored properly, out of the refrigerator, in a dark cupboard, in a house that is not excessively hot, unheated fermented coconut oil will remain non-caustic for approximately 3 months. After that 3-month point, the oil becomes caustic. At this stage, it can cause things like ripping up scar tissue and triggering skin eruptions on sensitive individuals. Once that threshold has been crossed, Aajonus transitions from using it on skin to eating it internally, where the caustic cleansing action is directed inward rather than applied to external tissue.

Coconut oil should be kept out of the refrigerator and stored in a dark cupboard. It should not be exposed to light, which can cause it to turn bitter and/or flat.

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This subject receives extensive and emphatic treatment. The sourcing problem is severe. Aajonus spent six months in negotiation with Wilderness Family Naturals to bring the temperature of their Philippine fermented coconut oil down from 103°F to 96°F. That product, the Philippine fermented coconut oil from Wilderness Family Naturals (wildernessfamilynaturals.com), is identified as a good oil and one that meets the standard, at least during the period covered by the transcripts.

A second approved source is identified: www.thaiorganiclife.com, described as "the only oil that is not heated above 96 degrees F" in a December 2009 communication. This is a Thailand-made oil that Aajonus personally oversaw, describing it as "perfectly pure" with no processing. It is noted to be almost twice as expensive as the Wilderness Family Naturals product.

A third source, described as made in Thailand for the Los Angeles buyers group, is mentioned but noted to be available only in limited quantity for that specific buying group.

At Wilderness Family Naturals, multiple varieties of coconut oil are available. The specifically approved product is the Philippine fermented coconut oil, not the other varieties. Aajonus makes this explicit: "When you find their varieties of coconut oil it's the Philippine fermented coconut oil." This product was brought down from 103°F to 96°F through six months of negotiation.

A question was raised about the Gold Label Standard Oil from Healthy Traditions, which uses the same fermentation process as Wilderness Family Naturals. Aajonus's response was that while the process is similar, Healthy Traditions lets the oil reach a much higher temperature than is beneficial. Therefore, that product does not qualify.

A product sold by Radiant Life was investigated and found to be heated to approximately 170°F before cold-pressing. The manufacturer claimed "no heat extraction", the deception arises from the fact that the coconut itself is heated or steamed before the pressing step, so the pressing phase genuinely involves no heat, but the input material has already been thermally damaged. Aajonus equates this with pasteurization and characterizes it as a deception. He notes that there is no meaningful difference between this product and virgin coconut oil from Tropical Traditions, which is also subjected to heat.

Aajonus recounts requesting documentation from coconut product suppliers who advertised their products as raw online. He describes demanding that the supplier provide a written statement from the actual manufacturer, not the retailer or distributor, whose name and contact information could be blacked out for confidentiality. The result: the manufacturer was steaming and pasteurizing the coconut before cold pressing. The product was misrepresented as raw. The conclusion: "No matter who tells you it's raw on the internet, everywhere, David Wolf, any of them, it is not raw."

A product called Organic Artisana Raw Coconut Butter, sold at Whole Foods, priced at approximately $9 for 16 ounces, was investigated. The product is described as 100% organic raw coconut pulp and cream together. The question was whether it was truly raw given that it was claimed to be kept under 110°F.

Aajonus's position is that 96°F is the maximum allowable temperature for coconut to maintain all nutritive value without producing toxic byproducts. Even if the product stayed below 110°F, that is above the 96°F threshold. Further investigation revealed that Artisana dehydrates the coconut at low temperature before juicing, but Aajonus points out that after dehydration, the process to transform the dried material into a gel, oil, or butter reaches as high as 175°F and usually no lower than 128°F. "When it is dried that way, machine temperatures reach as high as 175°F. Someone is not telling the truth." The recommendation is always to insist on speaking with the chemist who actually oversees the factory process.

Aajonus personally called a coconut oil company representative who had assured him that no heat or chemicals were used before, during, or after cold-pressing. He was awaiting a certified written statement and sample to verify the claim before making any recommendation.

A coconut cream concentrate from Healthy Traditions was investigated as a potential substitute for hand-pressed coconut cream. It was found to reach very high temperatures during processing and to be full of cellulose (fiber), which requires significant digestive energy to process without providing nutritional benefit. Not recommended.

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Fermented unheated cold-pressed coconut oil is categorized within the broader framework of pressed oils, which are 90% solvent-reactive. When consuming any pressed oil internally, including coconut oil, the context of the diet matters. The general guidance is that pressed oils should be consumed with a meat meal. The broader dietary architecture of the Primal Diet, with its emphasis on raw animal fats including raw butter, raw cream, raw eggs, and raw meat, provides the stabilizing, building, and lubricating fats that pressed oils cannot supply. Coconut oil should not be relied upon as a source of those stabilizing fats; it fills only the cleansing/solvent role.

For skin application, if any oil is used, the instruction is: "If I can't eat it, I don't put it on my skin." The same quality standard applied to internal consumption applies to topical use.

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On the skin, unheated fermented coconut oil functions as a health-stabilizer. Its virtues for the skin were found to be impressive by Aajonus during his personal use. However, it does not nourish the skin as deeply as coconut cream because it lacks the water-soluble fats.

Coconut oil provides a protective barrier for the skin in ocean water. Because coconut oil hardens at ocean temperature (around 70°F), it remains as a physical barrier on the skin when the water stays around 70°F. This protects against salt drying and damaging the skin cells. The practical protocol: apply coconut oil before entering the ocean so it forms a hardened protective layer. Traditional Pacific Islander practices are referenced as context.

Application after getting out of water is noted as appropriate. The instruction is to use it as a moisturizer after getting out of water, wiping off excess after 15 minutes.

Fermented coconut oil is specifically noted to be excellent for brushing teeth and dissolving black deposits. This is a topical oral application, not an internal consumption use.

Coconut oil combined with lye can be formed into a bar of soap. Aajonus supervised this process in Thailand, where his girlfriend used it as soap. He characterizes it as a better soap than any other commercially available option, even though lye is drying. The composition: raw coconut oil plus lye. Aajonus himself uses fermented coconut cream as his personal soap instead of this bar form.

Fermented coconut cream (not oil, though the two are discussed in the same context) is added to bath water. The fat floats on top of the water and coats the body as one gets out. The coconut cream ferments, is used in the bath, and Aajonus confirms this is acceptable.

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The consistent instruction is "eaten a little at a time." No large dose is ever recommended. As a pressed oil, the same general guidance for all pressed oils applies: no more than 1 tablespoon at a time, no more than once a day or every other day, consumed primarily with one meat meal.

In the context of using coconut oil in a sauce: "I suggest you only use a tablespoon of it to make a sauce if you're using olive oil. If you're going to use it in, like, four ounces of a sauce, don't have", the implication being do not have a full four ounces of pressed oil. One tablespoon is the maximum for a sauce preparation.

As a pressed oil, the overall guidance is: "I recommend the moderate eating of oils, no more than once a day or every other day, and that oils be consumed mainly with one meat meal."

For a tall person (6'5"), a maximum of two tablespoons per day of any pressed oil is mentioned. The implication for a smaller person is one tablespoon per day maximum.

After 3 months at room temperature, transition from topical use to internal-only use. Wipe off topical excess after 15 minutes. Allow the skin to breathe without any oils every few days.

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Cold-pressed-below-96°F oil mixed in equal portions with unheated honey is identified as one of three alternatives to the raw butter/honey mixture in remedies. Fermented unheated coconut oil qualifies as this substitute oil.

One tablespoon of fermented coconut oil may be used in a sauce for flavoring. It imparts a particular flavor. The quantity is limited given its solvent-reactive nature.

Detailed in the therapeutic protocols section above. Strips of raw meat are basted with cold fermented coconut oil so it hardens and adheres, then packed into airtight jars.

Fermented unheated cold-pressed coconut oil may substitute for olive or flax oil in any recipe that calls for those pressed oils, though it should not substitute for coconut cream.

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The primary derivative discussion centers entirely on understanding that coconut oil is a fraction of coconut cream, not an alternative equivalent. Coconut cream, made by juicing fresh mature coconut meat through a gear juicer such as a GreenStar or Champion, contains: - Water-soluble fats: approximately 92–93% of the total fat - Oil-soluble fats: approximately 7–8% of the total fat - Proteins: 15% of the whole coconut - Carbohydrates: 5% of the whole coconut - Water-soluble vitamins - Fat-soluble vitamins - Enzymes - All active ions and nutrients

Coconut oil contains only the oil-soluble fraction, approximately 7–8% of what is in the whole cream. When you ferment coconut cream and allow it to sit, the oil separates and rises. But by taking only that separated oil, you are removing what is most nutritionally dense and discarding it.

This is why Aajonus states: "Oil is very, very shallow in nutrients." The analogy he draws: "Just like in a plant. You take the oil, extract oil from a plant, it's only 7% of the plant. Very small percent."

The coconut cream, by contrast, is described as the most valuable cleanser there is, capable of making viruses and other solvents that will break down any kind of toxicity in the body, not just oil-based toxins. Coconut oil makes solvents that break down only oil-based compounds. Coconut cream can break down any type of toxicity because it contains both water-soluble and oil-soluble components.

Demonstrating this: if coconut cream is placed on a metal lid, it will turn the lid grey in about an hour. Butter, cream, olive oil, or flax oil on the same lid may take a week to begin having that effect. Coconut cream is the most powerful cleanser among all the fats used in the Primal Diet.

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The documentation of commercial fraud and misrepresentation in the coconut oil market is extensive and carefully detailed across the source materials. The pattern is consistent:

1. A company labels their product "cold-pressed" or "raw" 2. Investigation reveals that the coconut itself is steamed or heated (often to 170°F) before the pressing step 3. The company defends its "cold-pressed" label by pointing out that the pressing step itself involves no heat, ignoring that the input material has already been thermally destroyed 4. This is characterized as a deception

The specific case of David Wolfe and internet coconut products is documented as follows: Aajonus requested written documentation from the manufacturer (not the retailer or distributor). When the documentation finally came from the actual production facility rather than the marketing chain, it confirmed that steam and pasteurization were applied before cold pressing. "They steam it, pasteurize it before they cold press it. So, it's all misrepresentation."

Aajonus invested six months in negotiating with Wilderness Family Naturals to bring the temperature of their Philippine fermented coconut oil manufacturing process down from 103°F to 96°F. This represents a concrete, documented effort to create a commercially available product that actually meets the dietary standard. The process of lowering the temperature by 7 degrees required sustained engagement with the producer. This is the only product of its kind that Aajonus successfully brought to the required standard through direct intervention with the manufacturer.

A separate oil made in Thailand at thaiorganiclife.com is identified as the only oil not heated above 96°F as of December 2009. Aajonus personally oversaw its production. It is described as perfectly pure with no processing, but almost twice as expensive as the Wilderness Family Naturals product.

At the time of that publication, the statement was unequivocal: "Absolutely no coconut oil or butter is produced under 118°F (46°C), no matter what the labels claim." This represents the baseline condition of the market before Aajonus's personal intervention with specific manufacturers. The book was written before the six-month negotiation with Wilderness Family Naturals succeeded. It is important to note this chronological distinction, the book states the situation as of that publication date, while later workshop transcripts and Q&A communications document that he did eventually secure a source meeting the standard.

Standard commercial coconut butter is documented to be heated between 170–240°F. This is buried in a list of commercial product processing temperatures but is stated directly and unambiguously. Any product that has gone through standard commercial processing, regardless of what the label says, has been subjected to these temperatures.

The consistent investigative method Aajonus endorses is bypassing all marketing and sales personnel and insisting on speaking directly with the chemist who oversees the factory process. He states: "Many people who sell products have no idea of the mechanics involved and do not know all of the questions to ask their producers." The further instruction: when speaking with the chemist, require a written letter describing the process and the highest and lowest temperatures to which the product comes into contact with heat throughout the entire process, including before, during, and after pressing.

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