Coconut benefits – Just a Fad or Here to Stay?
There are a lot of food trends generating buzz these days – kale, juice cleanses, sirahca – but one in particular has caught the attention of the Economical Chef: Coconut benefits – just a fad or here to stay? Lets dive in. The coconut first entered the spotlight in the form of coconut water in the early 2000s. Through this day, Vita Coco and Zico have sold coconut water by touting its health benefits and parading the athletes and celebrities that use the product. i.e. this frickin’ guy:
Although, it was not until around 2012 that coconut benefits of water really started to gain traction. And more recently, other forms of coconut are getting increasingly popular.
Besides exotic islands and palm trees, the coconut is most commonly associated with its countless health benefits. Coconut is packed with vitamins and minerals and the all-too-elusive healthy fats.
Check out the quick nutrition data on shredded coconut below:
Many people say that the above nutritional facts result in a handful a health benefits. Of course, it is hard to say anything definitively, which is why I wanted to provide you with the actual facts before the claims.
Nevertheless, here are some coconut benefits you could experience:
- Prevents obesity – because eating the healthy fats speeds up your metabolism
- Aids in digestion – because of the high dietary fiber content
- Improves heart health – again, because of the healthy fats
- Better brain function – because of the fatty acids found in coconut
The list goes on and on. So instead digging into more claims, lets get back to what we know for sure. There are many other forms of coconut besides shredded coconut.
The list is actually quite substantial:
- Coconut water
- Coconut oil
- Coconut milk
- Coconut flakes
- Coconut flour
- Coconut meat
If it a food, you can probably throw “coconut” in front of it and start selling:
- Coconut vinegar
- Coconut butter
- Coconut sugar
The coconut has even expanded outside of food products. It is now found in shampoo, soap, lotion and much more. Coconut is actually quite the businessman when it comes to diversification. But anyways, I digress…
In general, each form of coconut varies slightly in nutritional makeup, but they all boast similar nutritional facts and benefits to those listed above. The Economical Chef likes coconut because of its unique texture and healthy, filling fat. The other vitamins and minerals don’t hurt either. But are you going to feel 10 years younger after sprinkling coconut on top of your morning breakfast bowl? Probably not. The Economical Chef is a pretty big skeptic when it comes to sweeping claims like many mentioned above. But it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this popular super food for the facts we know! In fact, there are a lot of ways to add coconut to your diet – in a curry, on top of oatmeal, to cook chicken – but check out some of the top recipes on the web right now for more up to date from expertise.
Enjoy!