Grown from the palm tree, otherwise known as “The Tree of Life”, coconuts are filled with healing properties that protect the body from free radicals thanks to their high amount of antioxidant levels. However, in their earlier years of being on North American markets, coconuts were wrongly accused of having high levels of saturated fat.
If a high-fat and unhealthy warning bell flickers in your brain every time you pass a product belonging to coconuts, know this:
Coconut Fat is Your Friend
Seriously. If you’re an avid avocado eater, you’re destined to be a coconut fat fiend. Believed by Pacific Islanders as being “the cure for all”, the fat in coconut meat contains medium-chain triglycerides, MTC oil (bulletproof coffee anyone?). This kind of fat is immediately transported to the liver and tuned into energy for your body.
MCT oil is widely known to help reduce and prevent neurological diseases as well as protects the heart, lowers cholesterol and provides a measurable amount of vitamins to your system. The saturated fats in coconut, unlike fat found in processed foods, helps reduce the likelihood of fat build up in the body’s arteries.
It’s Nature’s Mother’s Milk
Coconut milk contains a large amount of lauric acid – a fatty acid which is also in mother’s milk. Found in the oil of the coconut, lauric acid is an MTC that has a host of health benefits, not to mention its popularity of helping with weight loss. Research shows that it lowers blood pressure and can help aid high cholesterol. Additionally, coconuts provide an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, fiber, amino acids, magnesium, potassium and electrolytes.
Versatility is Key
One of the most amazing things about coconuts is how versatile they are. Coconut flour is a great replacement for regular baking flour, coconut milk is a delicious alternative to dairy, and pure coconut water is key to hydration and post-activity nourishment thanks to its incredibly high amount of electrolytes.
Coconut oil is hypoallergenic and is great for building your immunity. Put a teaspoon in your morning coffee for an extra dose of immune-building energy and to help combat afternoon cravings. Put a dollop in your hair before bed add some oomph to your locks and rehydrate heat-damaged hair. Smooth it on your skin to help with any eczema or swish a tablespoon of it around in your mouth to pull out any residue and to whiten teeth.
Coconuts have been revolutionizing the health food industry with their ability to cure, and that’s exactly why they’re a key ingredient in our Nagi bars. We’re coconut people – from the nectar to the oil to the meat. Why? Because they improve the body’s physical performance, promotes a healthy thyroid and relieves tiredness, which is definitely something that we’ll snack to.