Coconut




September is Coconut Month here at Blue Mountain Organics!  We want to highlight one of the best-tasting and most nutritious super foods on the planet: 

  

What’s all the fuss about coconut?

Coconut (Cocos nucifera) belongs to the palm family (Arecaceae), so, unsurprisingly, it’s grown in the tropics and subtropics. The name coconut comes from 16th-century Portuguese sailors who thought the three small holes on the coconut shell resembled a face: "coco" means "grinning face, grin, or grimace."
Coconuts are not nuts, but rather single-seed drupe fruits (like peaches). Almost all parts of the coconut can be used: the water, milk, flesh, sugar and oil. Palm trees bear coconuts up to 13 times a year, and a mature tree can produce 60-180 coconuts per harvest.
Coconut attains superfood status because of its healthy fats. Over 90% of the fat in coconut oil is healthy saturated fat, and over 60% is made up of 3 medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs):
  • Capric acid
  • Caprylic acid
  • Lauric acid
Unlike long-chain fatty acids found in other plant-based oils, MCFAs are:
  • Easier to digest
  • Antimicrobial and anti-fungal
  • Made of smaller building blocks, allowing easier cell permeability for immediate energy
  • Processed by the liver, which means that they’re immediately converted to energy instead of being stored as fat
The kernel, or meat, of the coconut is also easy to digest and an excellent source of minerals like copper, calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium and zinc, plus a good source of potassium and B vitamins like folates, riboflavin niacin, thiamin, and pyridoxine.  

Coconut benefits our bodies in many ways:
Energy Boost
Coconut oil is not only easy to digest, it also gives you longer sustained energy and increases your metabolism. You can get the most coconut oil benefits from high-quality unrefined coconut oil because its medium-chain triglycerides are sent directly to the liver to become energy, not stored fat.  That’s why coconut oil is a favorite among triathletes training for long-distance events.
Immune Boost
Coconut contains lauric acid (monolaurin), which is known to reduce the growth of candida yeast, fight harmful bacteria, and choke out viruses. Coconut also improves digestion by helping the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins, calcium and magnesium.
Heart Health
Coconut oil is high in healthy saturated fats that boost fat burning and provide your body with quick energy. They also raise the good (HDL) cholesterol in your blood, which is linked to reduced heart disease risk. Oddly, although it’s a type of fat, coconut oil has even been shown to benefit the heart by lowering high triglycerides.
Brain Boost
Coconut’s medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) in coconut are shorter than those in most other fats. When you eat coconut, its fat goes straight to the liver as a quick source of energy. Then, the liver makes ketones, which can have powerful benefits for the brain, and may help treat epilepsy and Alzheimer’s.
Inflammation and Arthritis Prevention
High levels of antioxidants present in coconut work as both an analgesic and an anti-inflammatory.
And now for Blue Mountain Organics Products spotlight:
We supply the essentials: Coconut butter, coconut flour, coconut shreds, coconut flakes, coconut oil. It’s all just coconut, right? What’s the difference?
Yup, it’s all just coconut, nothing else added. But each of these products uses a different part of the coconut and has a different purpose and nutritional profile.

Coconut oil:
What is it? Oil extracted from the coconut. Ours is cold-pressed to keep it raw.
Why is it good for me? The fat in coconuts is mostly saturated, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad for your heart. Unlike animal fats, it boosts good cholesterol, is used more quickly by the liver rather than being stored as extra fat, and includes lauric acid, a powerful anti fungal.
What is it good for? Our coconut oil is virgin, which means it’s unrefined and retains a pleasant coconut flavor.
Use it as you would butter or oil in sweet and savory dishes, especially those that will benefit from a kick of coconut (curries, granola bars, etc.). It’s especially great for Thai cooking! Just keep in mind that coconut oil has a lower smoke point than most plant-based oils and is best not heated over 350 degrees.

Coconut butter:
What is it? Like a nut butter, it’s simply the meat of the coconut, ground into a yummy spread and baking ingredient.
Why is it good for me? A tablespoon of coconut butter gives you 10 grams of the good fats found in coconut oil, plus 8% of your daily value of fiber.
What is it good for? You can use it a lot like nut butter, though you’ll need to heat it a little if you want the same creamy, drizzle-able consistency that comes naturally to our other butters. It’s great in sauces, smoothies, oatmeal, raw treats, and more.  
Coconut flour:
What is it? To make coconut milk, you have to juice the coconut meat. Naturally, there will be some fiber-rich pulp left over. This is dried and ground into coconut flour.
Why is it good for me? Each two-tablespoon serving has less calories and fat than coconut butter or coconut oil at 60 calories and 1.5 grams of fat, but it’s still good for 10% of your daily value of iron and 10 grams of fiber.
What is it good for? Coconut flour is a great addition to gluten-free, Paleo-friendly, and keto-friendly baking. You just have to know a few things about it: First, that it soaks up about five times the liquid that wheat flour does. Second, that you shouldn’t sub out all the flour in a baking recipe for coconut flour. For the best texture, keep it at about 25% of the total flour.

Coconut flakes: 
What is it? Coconut meat, dried until crunchy. Ours is dried at low temperatures to keep it raw and nutrient-rich. Comes in large and small flakes.
Why is it good for me? A quarter-cup has about 110 calories, 11% of your daily value of fiber, and 8 grams of healthy fats.
What is it good for? You name it! The small flakes are especially great for baking and raw treats, and the large flakes, for coconut bacon, salads… 
Coconut Cacao Nib Cookie Balls
Makes approximately 20-1 inch balls.
Ingredients:
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions:
1.    Add all ingredients except cacao nibs in a food processor and process until finely chopped. 
2.    Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add cacao nibs and toss to mix. 
3.    Form 1 inch balls by squeezing crumbly dough together in your hands until ball forms.  Store in airtight container. Should be refrigerated for longer storage.




Hardening Chocolate Sauce
My Nutty Mylk and coconut oil make a smooth, creamy chocolate. Pour it on ice cream or other frozen treats, and it hardens into a crunchy candy shell! To get the full nutritional wallop, make sure you use organic, cold-pressed coconut oil and raw, organic cacao powder.
·         ¼ cup Blue Mountain Organic Coconut Oil
·         ¼ cup Blue Mountain Organics My Nutty Milk  (both Almond and Cashew work great)
·         ¼ cup Blue Mountain Organics Cacao Powder
·         ¼ cup maple syrup
·         Pinch of Blue Mountain Organics Sea Salt (optional)
Instructions: Melt the coconut oil in a small pot or bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Drizzle on ice cream or other frozen treats and watch it magically freeze into a chocolate coating!






Healthy Coconut Mayonnaise:
makes 1 cup

Ingredients
  • ½ cup Blue Mountain Organics Coconut Butter
  • ½ cup warm water 
  • ¼ cup Blue Mountain Organics Extra-virgin Olive Oil 
  • 1 clove garlic 
  • ¼ teaspoon Blue Mountain Organics Sea Salt (optional) 
  • ½ teaspoon vinegar
Instructions: Warm up Coconut Butter by placing in a covered bowl over warm water for a few minutes.
Add all ingredients to blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  Place in refrigerator for 10 minutes to thicken. Store in refrigerator, warm mayo up before using.


Walnut Mushroom Burgers
Makes 4 burgers
Ingredients:
 
Instructions: Soak chia seeds in water for at least 15 minutes.
Toast walnuts in a pan on medium heat or in the oven at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until toasted but not dark.

Saute onions sprinkled with salt in 2 teaspoons olive oil on medium heat until browned and caramelized.  Add garlic and sauté a few minutes more.  Add spices and sauté a few minutes more. Place onion mixture in bowl and set aside. 
Sauté mushrooms in 1 teaspoon olive oil on medium heat until soft and browned (about 8 minutes)
Add cooked mushrooms, soaked chia seeds, almond, coconut flour and tomato paste to onion mixture and toss until well mixed.  Place half the mixture in a food processor with the stock and process until moist and chopped well.  Mix both mixtures together and form into patties.   Fry patties in hot oiled (1 Tablespoon olive oil) pan on medium/low heat until well browned on each side.




Blue Mountain Organic Confections:
Macaroons: Chocolate, date-sweetened (nut-free), and vanilla chocolate-dipped
Type of coconut used? Small flakes.
How coconutty, on a scale of one to ten? Nine. If you love coconut, you’ll love these.

Trail mix: Coconut Mulberry Chia Delight, Island Magic Trail Mix, Berry Powerful Trail Mix
Type of coconut used? Large flakes.
How coconutty, on a scale of one to ten? Six? Don’t know. What do you think?

Love Bites: Tropical, Ginger
Type of coconut used? Flakes.
How coconutty, on a scale of one to ten? Four.

Candy bars: Coco Joy, Mint Joy, Almond Snackraw
Type of coconut used? Meat.
How coconutty, on a scale of one to ten? Five. Coconut isn’t the dominant flavor, but it’s there.

Raw wraps: Tomato, Basil, Java, and Curry
Type of coconut used? Meat.
How coconutty, on a scale of one to ten? Three. You mostly taste the other stuff, but coconut lends a nice richness.

Chocolate Sauce
Type of coconut used? Coconut oil.
How coconutty, on a scale of one to ten? One. You mostly taste the chocolate, but coconut oil gives this sauce a great spreadable texture.

And coming soon…
Gluten-free, Paleo-friendly Pizza Crust Mix made with coconut flour
and Brownie Bites with Cacao Nibs and Coconut!

Check out these articles about coconut and health:
Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.: Arecaceae): In health promotion and disease prevention https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1995764511600783

The role of dietary coconut for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/role-of-dietary-coconut-for-the-prevention-and-treatment-of-alzheimers-disease-potential-mechanisms-of-action/1C610ECEA7E7D7CD3E7323A0477E6731/core-reader


Coconut oil in human diet - nutrition value and potential health benefits http://www.ojs.ukw.edu.pl/index.php/johs/article/view/4887
American Society of Nutrition   https://nutrition.org/coconut-oil/


 




 




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