Coconut: A Super Food

Let’s set the record straight regarding coconuts and coconut oil: They are, indeed, nourishing superfoods. If you are concerned about the fat content in them, guess what? The human body needs good fat, and this is one of the good guys you want. Don’t be deceived by the word “fat”; certain good fats are amazing assets for nutrition and optimal health. The fat in coconuts is used as an energy source as well as a cushion for organs and a conductor of electricity. That’s just a few things on the list of good fat deeds. Coconuts for life, son!

History: It remains uncertain where coconuts (Cocos nucifera) originated. Some say they might have come from the southwest Pacific, then introduced to East Africa. Written references have come from the “Periplus of the Erythraean Sea”, written about 60 A.D., as well as sanskrit mentions going back as early as the 4th Century B.C. The first English language reference to coconut was 1555. Coconuts were eaten in Egypt in the 6th century A.D. and Marco Polo gound them in India and other places in Asia. The coconut, due to its seed that floats, was able to travel the oceans (their fiber and oil were the ultimate botanical boat) and populate the warm climates of the globe. Today, the coconut is an important commercial crop in many tropical countries, including India, Indonesia, Thaliand, Malaysia, Sri Lank, Tanzania, The Philippines, and Brazil, contributing significantly to their economies.

Description: They all have a thick husk covering, and a hard shell that surrounds the rich coconut meat. Young green “thai” coconuts are green on the outside with white soft (sometimes slimy) coconut meat inside. Young coconuts contain more water then mature coconuts. Mature coconuts are soft of a medium wood tone on the outside with hard white coconut meat on the inside. Lower water content, more coconut meat.

Nutritional info: There is much nutritional value in the three parts of the coconut – the water, the oil and the meat, which can be transformed into coconut milk.

• ✴ A cup of shredded coconut contains: 142 mg potassium, 13 mg of magnesium, 4 grams of fiber, less then 3 grams of sugar and 13 grams of healthy (MTC’s) fat.

• ✴ Coconuts are mainly medium-chain fatty acids or MCT’s (medium-chain triglycerides), which are easier to metabolize (break down).

• ✴ The body prefers medium-chain fatty acids for energy rather then to store them as fat around your hips. So, coconuts and coconut oils are better fat type to ingest for people who have trouble digesting fat.

• ✴ These medium-chain fatty acids are mainly composed of a particular fat called lauric acid. Lauric acid is antiviral and antimicrobial – 50% of the fat in coconuts is lauric acid, and in the human body it turns into monolaurin, basically a bug killer.

• ✴ A great thing about lauric acid is that, although it kills bad bacteria, it doesn’t kill the friendly intestinal microorganisms we need for healthy digestion.

• ✴ Lauric acid is found in mother’s milk and protects infants from viral and bacterial infection.

• ✴ Respected lipid biologist Mary Enig Ph.D. cleared up false believes regarding fear of saturated fat. Her studies on the effects of lauric acid and coconuts in general has shown positive effects on immunity.

• ✴ About 7% of the fat in coconuts are an MCT called capric acid. The body turns capric acid into monocaprin, which has also been shown to have antiviral effects.

• ✴ Supporting healthy gut ecology, MTC’s are also known to kill candida and other fungi in the intestinal tract.

• ✴ The real sports drink, coconut water is a natural electrolyte (natural energy drink) source, very mineral-dense with 19 different amino acids.

• ✴ Polynesian islanders who consume most of their fat calories from coconut oil have an exceedingly low rate of heart disease.

• ✴ Studies have shown that coconut oil does not raise blood cholesterol.

• ✴ Compared to other oils that easily oxidize by heating, coconut oil is 300 times more resistant to oxidation (high point of 450˚ F), which makes it a far better choice for cooking than refined oils and hydrogenated vegetable oils (margarine, canola).

• ✴ Coconut oil has incredible antioxidant power and is an immune system supporter.

• ✴ Some of the micronutrients in coconuts include: high mineral content of potassium, magnesium, manganese, copper, and iron. Phytonutrients like: galactomannan, pectin, shikimic acid, squalene, vanillin. Also traces of: B vitamins, some vitamin C and E.

Application: Drink the coconut water and eat the meat as is. The meat can be used to make coconut milk, raw desserts, vegan curries, musses and even vegan ice cream. You can add the water or meat to smoothies, use the coconut oil to saute veggies or pour over beans. If you buy the coconut oil, get it raw and extra virgin.

Sources: The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth by Jonny Bowden PH.D., C.N.S., Healthy Healing by Linda Page Ph.D, Staying Healthy with Nutrition by Elson M. Hass MD.

Coconut

Top Four Health Benefits of Coconut Oil and Milk

Looking for more energy, clearer skin, a lovely figure, and stronger bones? Well… The benefits of coconut oil and milk could be your answer! Coconut milk is one of many nutritious and delicious substitutes for cow's milk. Coconut complements pineapple, peach, and mango with a rich creamy flavor. Coconut milk is not only a great way to add flavor and cream to a smoothie, but many of the benefits of coconut oil and milk don't get a lot of publicity.

There are several types of coconut that you can blend into a coconut smoothie. Coconut oil, coconut cream, coconut milk, and the shredded coconut are just a few of the main ones. Out of all those options, I find that coconut milk adds the best flavor and texture to a coconut smoothie.

#1 - Beneficial Oils from Coconut

Coconut milk is high in saturated fat, nearly 25 grams (225 calories) in half a cup, but the fat in coconut milk is healthy fat. The fatty acids in coconut milk are of the medium chain triacylglycerol or MCT type.

The distinguishing feature of MCTs so important to coconut nutrition is that they are burned faster than other types of fatty acids, and they are especially beneficial for providing energy for the lymph nodes and liver.

MCTs are absorbed only by the older, more highly differentiated fat cells, rather than fat cells formed after exposure to certain medications (such as the diabetes drugs Actos and Avandia). Once inside the cell, they form smaller droplets that are more easily joined by enzymes and more quickly converted into energy by the cell. MCTs are less "fattening" than other kinds of fatty acids.

#2 - Microbial and Antibacterial Benefits

Coconut milk, like the "meat" of the coconut, is rich in the benefits of coconut oil. Virgin coconut oil is 50 to 55 percent lauric acid. This fatty acid stops microbial growth. As a result, foods prepared with coconut lasts longer. Coconut oil stays fresh at room temperature for up to a year.

The lauric acid in coconut milk is also effective against the principle bacterium involved in acne, Propioniobacterium acnes, due to its antibacterial properties. The lauric acid survives digestion, enters the bloodstream, and is attracted to the sebum created in pores of the skin. Dissolving in the sebum, it can slow down the growth of the acne bacteria that feed on excess sebum. Not so much that they cannot do their job of "clean up," but it is enough that they are less likely to multiply out of control and become those dreaded blemishes.

#3 - Benefits of Coconut Oil with Weight Loss

Although too much of a good thing is possible, even when you are considering the benefits of coconut oil. As it is with any food, moderate amounts of coconut oil from coconut milk stimulate thyroid function and encourage weight loss.

Even the Asian farmers avoid feeding coconut to farm animals they want to fatten up. Using coconut oil in moderate amounts, up to about 2 tablespoons (30ml) a day, in place of other oils, may help you lose weight (about 1 pound or half a kilo a month) even if you eat the same portions of other foods. You can get the same result from using 1/4 cup of coconut milk a day in your smoothies.

#4 - Benefits of Coconut Oil - Stronger Teeth

Coconut milk helps prevent gingivitis. Indian dental researchers of coconut nutrition have found that the fleshy tissues surrounding the teeth survive longer in coconut milk than they do even in other antioxidant preparations.

And coconut milk is even a great source of calcium. Dr. Regine van der Hee from Unilever Food and Health Research Institute in Holland was quoted in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association that "coconut milk is as good a source of calcium as yogurt," and that actually about 10% more calcium is absorbed from coconut milk than from cow's milk.

Tips for Blending a Coconut Smoothie

Coconut milk is not the watery fluid inside a coconut. Instead, it is an oily, milky, sweet fluid extracted by squeezing the freshly extracted meat of the coconut.

Thick coconut milk is made by squeezing the fresh coconut meat through a cheesecloth. Thin coconut milk is made by after soaking the coconut mash in water and squeezing it a second and third time. Both forms of coconut milk are excellent sources of coconut nutrition, but thick coconut milk is higher in beneficial fats and lauric acid.

Don't store unopened, canned coconut milk in the refrigerator. It will solidify and you won't be able to pour the milk out of the can very easily. Have your coconut milk at room temperature and add cold ingredients to coconut milk in the blender, not coconut milk to cold ingredients.

A little coconut milk goes a long way. You probably don't want more than one cup of coconut milk in a two-cup smoothie. Coconut is delicious made into a chocolate coconut smoothie recipe or pina colada smoothie recipe!

Store the unused coconut milk in a glass container in the refrigerator or freeze in an ice cube tray. Allow time for it to come to room temperature before using it in your next smoothie. You could double your coconut smoothie recipe and share it with a friend.

Some people can be allergic to coconut. You might want to try just a very tiny amount of coconut milk first before you try an entire smoothie. You will want to avoid coconut milk altogether if you have ever had an anaphylactic reaction to coconut or coconut oil.

Selected references:

Gopikrishna V, Baweja PS, Venkateshbabu N, Thomas T, Kandaswamy D. Comparison of coconut water, propolis, HBSS, and milk on PDL cell survival.J Endod. 2008 May;34(5):587-9. Epub 2008 Mar 19.

van der Hee RM, Miret S, Slettenaar M, Duchateau GS, Rietveld AG, Wilkinson JE, Quail PJ, Berry MJ, Dainty JR, Teucher B, Fairweather-Tait SJ. Calcium absorption from fortified ice cream formulations compared with calcium absorption from milk. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009 May;109(5):830-5.

Yang D, Pornpattananangkul D, Nakatsuji T, Chan M, Carson D, Huang CM, Zhang L. The antimicrobial activity of liposomal lauric acids against Propionibacterium acnes. Biomaterials. 2009 Oct;30(30):6035-40. Epub 2009 Aug 8.

Coconut Water - One of Earth's most Perfect Drinks

Coconut water is water that comes from a green, young coconut (not the aged, brown, fuzzy kind you find in the grocery store). And it’s fat free, unlike it’s aged sisters, whose water has hardened to a sweet meat that is high in fat. 



Did you know that as little as 11 fluid ounces of coconut water contains more potassium than a banana? And the same size serving of coconut water contains more than 15 times the potassium found in the average sports drink!

Ten reasons why coconut water is worth adding to your diet:

1. It contains the five essential electrolytes: potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, and calcium.

2. It replenishes the body’s fluids after a workout
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3. It provides immune support and detoxification
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4. It cleanses the kidneys and eases stomach aches.

5. It regulates function of the intestine
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6. It improves muscle performance and allows for quicker muscle recovery after a workout
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7. It promotes smoother skin and healthier hair and nails
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8. It boosts circulation by carrying oxygen and nutrients to cells.

9. It promotes heart health, weight loss and mental acuity.

10. It reinforces proper alkaline balance

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Coconut oil is great for your skin and health

What Coconut Oil DOES NOT Do:

* Does not increase blood cholesterol level.
* Does not promote platelet stickiness or blood clot formation.
* Does not contribute to atherosclerosis or heart disease.
* Does not contribute to weight problems.

What Coconut Oil DOES Do:

* Reduces risk of atherosclerosis and related illnesses.
* Reduces risk of cancer and other degenerative conditions.
* Helps prevent bacterial, viral, and fungal (including yeast) infections.
* Supports immune system function.
* Helps control diabetes.
* Provides an immediate source of energy.
* Supports healthy metabolic function.
* Improves digestion and nutrient absorption.
* Supplies important nutrients necessary for good health.
* Supplies fewer calories than other fats.
* Promotes weight loss.
* Helps prevent osteoporosis.
* Has a mild delicate flavor.
* Is highly resistant to spoilage (long shelf life).
* Is heat resistant (the healthiest oil for cooking).
* Helps keep skin soft and smooth.
* Helps prevent premature aging and wrinkling of the skin.
* Helps protect against skin cancer and other blemishes.
* Functions as a protective antioxidant."