Simply Nature Organic Coconut Oil

When it comes to oils for cooking and food preparation, Aldi has a good variety. I use a lot of olive oil in my kitchen, along with some extra virgin olive oil, vegetable oil, and occasionally avocado oil or peanut oil. One type of oil that exploded in popularity a few years ago is coconut oil, and Aldi sells that, too.

Coconut oil is unique because it adds a distinct flavor and mild aroma to anything you use it in. While it does come with some health caveats, which I’ll address shortly, here are a few things you can do with coconut oil (with some suggestions courtesy of Aldi Reviewer’s followers on Facebook):

• Use it in place of butter or shortening in baked goods (I find the coconut flavor nicely complements chocolate brownies or pumpkin bread)
• Use it to grease baking pans or skillets when cooking
• Put a spoonful in your coffee, chai, or smoothie
• Add to scrambled or fried eggs
• Use as cooking oil for Asian dishes
• Use as a skin or hair moisturizer or as a lip balm
• Use as a makeup remover

Simply Nature Organic Coconut Oil at Aldi costs $4.49 for a 14-fluid-oz. jar at the time of publication. It’s competitively priced compared to most brands of coconut oil sold at Walmart.

It’s a Regular Buy, which means it’s in stores year round.

It is non-GMO, cold pressed, and unrefined, using virgin oil. It is certified organic by OneCert. It’s also a product of India, Mexico, Philippines, Sri Lanka, or Vietnam, and it’s packed in the U.S.

The jar label states that natural product color may vary, and the only ingredient is 100% organic virgin coconut oil.

Nutrition information and ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)

A 1-tablespoon serving has 120 calories, 14 grams of total fat (18% DV), 12 grams of saturated fat (60% DV), 0 mg of sodium, 0 grams of carbohydrates, and 0 grams of sugar.

Coconut oil lasts a long time, with a jar I purchased in August of 2020 marked with a best-by date of May of 2022. It’s best to store it in a cool, dry place such as your pantry. It is solid and scoopable at room temperature but will melt or liquify if stored at or above 76 degrees Fahrenheit. (I usually heat it briefly in the microwave before adding it to brownie mix to make it easier to stir into the batter.)

The coconut oil from Aldi works as well and tastes as good as any other brand I’ve used. I used it in a recipe for homemade ice cream sandwiches that were dipped in melted chocolate mixed with a small amount of coconut oil and then put in the freezer to harden. The coconut oil added a definite-but-not-overpowering sweet and fragrant flavor to the chocolate.

It goes without saying that if you don’t like coconuts, you won’t like coconut oil because it does add flavor and scent to whatever you use it in, and that sets it apart from other cooking oils such as vegetable oil.

With all that said, I don’t buy coconut oil often. That’s because while it’s trended among health-conscious consumers in recent years, nutrition experts have concerns about its high saturated fat content, which raises bad LDL cholesterol levels along with raising good HDL cholesterol levels. If you use coconut oil, though, virgin coconut oil is best, and that is what Aldi sells.

This doesn’t necessarily mean you should stop using coconut oil all together, especially because it can add a unique flavor to baked goods and curries. Rather, you can use it in moderation and understand that it’s not necessarily a superfood to indulge in unlimited quantities.

And of course, if you limit how much coconut oil you eat, that leaves more to use as a naturally fragrant beauty product.

The Verdict:

Simply Nature Coconut Oil is unrefined, cold pressed, and uses virgin oil. It works as well as any other brand we’ve tried. Just realize that consuming it does come with some caveats about saturated fat and cholesterol levels.