Have you ever had the pleasure of eating a fresh Thai coconut? The first time I enjoyed one was in Costa Rica, and I thought I was in heaven. It has a sweet, soft, gelatinous flesh surrounded by refreshingly clear water with the exotic taste of coconut! Delicious!
Did you know coconuts have lots of health benefits?
Coconut milk: Coconut milk is the combination of coconut water and coconut oil. Light is available which has half the fat and calories of regular. Coconut water is very hydrating due to naturally occurring electrolytes, enzymes and vitamins; and is used in place of blood plasma in some countries. The water filters itself through the tree for nine months which makes it a sterile source of hydration. Coconut milk contains No Trans fat or cholesterol, and actually helps to balance cholesterol levels. Some sources recommend it be eaten in moderation, and others say it’s abundant with healthy properties including breaking up accumulated fats in the system and metabolize them. This oil contains the highest amount of lauric acid next to mother’s milk, which is anti-viral and anti-microbial! See website links for more information.
Coconut oil: Coconut oil is a raw saturated fat containing mostly medium-chain fatty acids, which the body can metabolize efficiently and convert to energy quickly. The refined coconut oil has a more neutral flavor than the unrefined which has a distinctive coconut flavor. See website links for more information.
According to recent scientific studies coconut can be beneficial for heart disease,lower cholesterol is anti-microbial/anti-viral.
http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/coconut-oil-studies.html
Another publshised articles shows that coconut is rich in antioxidants/anti-aging, promotes thyroid function, promotes weight loss and protects against cancer.
http://www.aja.org.br/oleos/coconut_oil_good_saturated_fat.pdf
Many recipes contain coconut milk in my cookbook, No Wheat No Dairy No Problem, available on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com in mid-June 2009. See Recipe of the week on this blog site for a Strawberry/Fruit Smoothie containing coconut milk!
Enjoy and Be Well, Lauren
NO WHEAT, NO DAIRY, NO PROBLEM! 