CUCKOO FOR COCONUTS

If you’re going to be stuck on a deserted island except for one thing, opt for the coconut. It will keep you hydrated, provide you with food and the shells can become tableware. The coconut palm’s fronds will make a shelter for you and you could use the trunk to make a canoe and get off the island. Water, milk, cream or oil – this versatile fruit/nut/seed is a lifesaver!

Coconut Water
This may be the best sports drink known to man! In fact, trainer and nutritionist Ariane Hundt, founder of the Brooklyn Bridge Boot Camp, says she recommends it to her clients as a great source of hydration and electrolyte replacement without all the high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) that you find in most sports drinks. HFCS actually promotes fat storage in the body – counter to the whole reason you’re working out! Hundt points out that with just 15 grams of sugar per serving in coconut water, you can burn that in just 20 minutes of hard exercise.
   
Many elite class athletes are turning to coconut water, too, because it contains more potassium than you can get from a banana, which is great for exercise recovery. Dr. Sangeeta Bevli, a physician in Anaheim, Calif. says that coconut water is better nutritionally than whole milk because it has less fat, no cholesterol and fewer calories than you get in a glass of orange juice. It also has less sodium (25mg) than sports drinks (about 41mg) and energy drinks (about 200mg)! Celia Westbury, a health coach who grew up drinking fresh coconut water in Trinidad says, “Natural coconut water is safe even for babies and can enhance immune function.” Safe enough for babies, good for immune health, and 10 times more hydrating than water, it’s no wonder everyone wants coconut water in their team cooler!

Coconut Milk
Coconut milk is gaining ground as an alternative to dairy products for vegans and those who are lactose intolerant. You can find coconut milk ice cream, coconut milk creamer and a variety of other coconut milk products at your local store. Doctors use coconut milk as a remedy for osteoporosis, ulcers and sore throats. Many in the beauty world recommend it for conditioning hair, calming rashes and soothing dry skin. When it comes to the kitchen, many Asian cuisines use coconut milk as a soup base instead of cream. Add lemon grass or lime to coconut milk for a wonderful contrast of flavors.

Coconut Cream
Coconut cream is like butter and often has the meat pulp in it. Celebrity eco chef Brian Au, author of Raw Star Recipes: Organic Meals, Snacks & Desserts In 10 Minutes, points out that coconut in its raw state actually eats up bad fats (LDLs) while providing good fats (HDLs), so it’s a natural, healthy, versatile and tasty resource for cooking, especially if you’re going raw. He also says that in Sanskrit coconut means “everything you need in life,” which he finds to be perfectly true. He also predicts that coconut products are the next big food trend.
   
Renee Ainlay at Nature’s Juice Co-Op says that coconut cream is both water and fat soluble and it is a powerful solvent for breaking up stored plaque in the body from cooked fats, cooked cholesterol and medications. “Plaque hardening (of the arteries, nerve endings, brain and lymph just to name a few areas) is one of the most difficult stored toxins to remove,” she says. “Coconut cream will do this.” Coconut cream is a delicious substitute for butter on toast, with sweet potatoes, in oatmeal, in smoothies – you can use it in just about anything! You can even give it to your pets for their health, too.

Coconut Oil
Dr. Debra Jaliman, a board-certified dermatologist and media spokesperson for the American Academy of Dermatology explains, “Coconut oil is made of medium-chain fatty acids that penetrate the outer layers of the skin and help hydrate them. It is usually non-allergic.” Nutritionist and author of The Power of 4 Paula Owens agrees, adding that coconut oil “protects from free radicals and prevents dry skin, blemishes and liver spots. It even has the ability to restore and rejuvenate damaged skin. It heals and repairs, leaving the skin radiant and youthful.” She also notes that from a dietary perspective, coconut oil is quickly metabolized and does not require the liver or gallbladder to emulsify it. It also functions like an anti-oxidant and is great for thyroid health. So inside and out, coconut oil is a beauty of an investment.
  
Josef Brandberg, the fitness expert from the TV series “The PCOS Challenge,” says if you want a tighter tummy, switch from regular cooking spray to coconut oil! He pointed out that new research in the journal Lipids reveals that in a clinical trial, replacing a portion of the processed seed oil (soybean) with coconut oil is enough to “stimulate the loss of belly fat even when both groups are on the same diet and exercise program.”  The non-coconut oil group lost no belly fat.
   
Bye bye belly fat? Who wouldn’t want to add coconut oil to their diet? Dr. Tom Potisk, a holistic family doctor for more than 25 years (who is known as the “Down-to-Earth” doctor), explains that oconut oil (and water) contains lauric acid, which is anti-viral and anti-bacterial, as well as the type of fatty acids that benefit our cardiovascular, nervous and immune systems. “It’s an excellent oil to fry foods in because of its resistance to deteriorate into harmful compounds under high heat,” he notes.

What To Look For When You’re Shopping: Buy extra virgin and cold-pressed oil. Jackie Silver, author of Aging Backwards, and many other experts recommended Tropical Tra-ditions as their brand of choice when it comes to skin care. Jackie even recommends dropping some coconut oil in your bath for a nice silky feel.
   
Coconut waters are flooding the market. Marissa Vicaro, a holistic health and wellness coach, cautions people buying packaged coconut waters, “Be careful of sugar content. Stick with natural coconut water and avoid the flavored ones!” Coconut water is so popular, many manufacturers like Pepsi are jumping on the bandwagon. As with everything – read the label!
   
Coconut milk is available in most grocery stores, but be sure to read the labels on these, too. The fat levels can be high so you may want to select a light version. Coconut cream is distributed nationally by Nutiva as Coconut Manna. And for cream purists, check out Nature’s Juice Co-Op’s (naturesjuicecoop.com) raw, organic coconut cream that ships overnight and needs to be consumed quickly because it’s so fresh.
   
The folks over at Raw Guru (rawguru.com) warn that those white whole coconuts you see have been dipped in chemicals. “A natural coconut husk turns brown within minutes of husking so when the conventional processing takes place, the coconut is immediately dipped in their chemical(s) of choice as soon as the husk is removed, then the coconut is sent to the processing plant where it is polished or trimmed and dipped again. The last dip (this makes three dips total) is when the coconut is ready for final packaging [and] then wrapped for transport.” We agree, not so much! Buy the coconut with the green outer husk and crack it open yourself.

Who Knew?
Experts from healthcare, skin care and the kitchen agree: coconuts rule! Expect to see more innovative products at your grocery store. In the meantime, stock up on coconut water for superior hydration, coconut milk for a healthy dairy alternative, coconut cream for your heart and coconut oil for…well, just about everything! MS&F