What Food can be used as a Sugar, Soy Sauce, Flour, Vinegar and Nectar with Exceptional Health benefits?

Have a guess?  Let’s see if you can get this one.  This tree is tall and usually found in tropical climates.  Its used along beaches and roads for decoration.  Any ideas yet??

OK, I will spill the beans.  It’s the coconut tree.

You see coconut trees are not just the perfect tree for water, oil, and palm sugar but the coconut tree has many other fantastic health benefits that you might not have known.  Be sure to check out my recent article on why you should consume coconut oil by clicking here.

Here are some startling Coconut facts courtesy of Coconut Secret:

If you’re anything like me, you prefer the basic facts highlighted for you in bullet point fashion ~ everything important you need to know about the naturally occurring health benefits of coconut tree products. So, I’ll get right to it!

• Helps Prevent Obesity by speeding up metabolism, providing an immediate source of energy with fewer calories than other fats.  People who consistently use coconut products report a stronger ability to go without eating for several hours with no effects of hypoglycemia.

• Improves Heart Health by providing healthy short chain and medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) that are essential to good health.  Close to 98% of all fatty acids consumed are composed of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA), which are very different from MCFA that have no negative effect on cholesterol ratios and help to lower the risk of atherosclerosis and protect against heart disease.  Studies have shown that populations in Polynesia and Sri Lanka, where coconuts are a dietary staple, do not suffer from high serum cholesterol or heart disease.  Unlike other fats, the unique properties of coconut also contain a large amount of lauric acid, which is the predominant fatty acid found in mother’s milk.

• High in Dietary Fiber rivaling other fiber sources such as psyllium, wheat bran, oat bran, and rice bran.  Coconut supplies an impressive 61% dietary fiber!   Foods contain two types of carbohydrates – digestible and non-digestible.  Digestible carbohydrates (soluble fiber) consists of starch and sugar and promote calories. Non-digestible carbohydrates (insoluble fiber) contains NO calories.  Since the body cannot digest the dietary fiber in coconut, no calories are derived from it and it has no effect on blood sugar.

• Low Glycemic Index (GI) measures how fast available carbohydrates in food raise blood sugar levels.  Coconut fiber slows down the release of glucose, therefore requiring less insulin to utilize the glucose and transport it into the cell where it is converted into energy.  Coconut also assists in relieving stress on the pancreas and enzyme systems of the body, in turn, reducing the risks associated with Diabetes.  Coconut Nectar and Crystals have a very low GI of only 35 (compared to honey with a GI of 55-83, and sugar with a GI of 65-100.)

• Reduces Sweet Cravings and improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose.  The healthy fat in coconut slows down any rise in blood sugar and helps to reduce hypoglycemic cravings.

• Improves Digestion and many of the symptoms and inflammatory conditions associated with digestive and bowel disorders, by supporting absorption of other nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and amino acids while also providing beneficial dietary fiber.

• Quick Energy Boost that provides a super nutritious source of extra energy.  Coconut is utilized by the body to actually produce energy, rather than to store it as body fat.  It supports improved endurance during physical and athletic performance. As well, it promotes healthy thyroid function and helps to relieve the symptoms of chronic fatigue.

• In addition, coconut contains No Trans-Fats, is Gluten-Free, Non-Toxic, Hypoallergenic, and also contains Antibacterial, Antiviral, Antifungal, and Anti-parasitic healing properties.  Coconut helps to aid and support overall Immune System functions.

Below are some fantastic products you can purchase at your local health-food store made from the coconut tree.

Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Aminos Soy-Free Seasoning Sauce contains 65% Less Sodium than Soy Sauce! Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Aminos Soy-Free Seasoning Sauce has many nutritional benefits, most notably is its impressive amino acid content compared to soy-based sauces. Commonly described as the “building blocks of protein,” amino acids are vitally important to human health. They contribute to the repair and rebuilding of muscle tissue, help to enhance overall brain and nervous system function, and assist in boosting the immune system and physical energy levels. Second, only to water, protein is one of the most important substances in our bodies, which is why it is nutritionally beneficial to consume a diet that is rich in amino acids.

• 100% Organic
• Gluten-Free
• Dairy-Free
• Vegan

Coconut Aminos vs. Soy-Based sauces
A comparison between coconut tree sap and soy shows that coconut sap contains up to 14 times the amino acid content of soy. Many soy sauces on the market are fermented by first soaking the soybeans in water and salt, and then adding specific cultures of molds, yeasts, and bacteria to help catalyze the fermentation process. Coconut Aminos is made from coconut tree sap, which comes out of the tree so vital, active and alive with nutrients, that it is only blended with Coconut Secrets’ own sun dried mineral-rich sea salt and aged, without the need for a fermentation booster or added water. As well, the majority of conventional soy sauces on the market are made with non-organic, genetically modified (GMO) soybeans. Long term use of unfermented soy-related products has led to an increase in soy allergies, a disruption in proper thyroid function, and an overload of estrogens in the body. Infants fed exclusively soy-based formula have 13,000 – 22,000 times more estrogen compounds in their blood than babies fed milk-based formula, the equivalent of five birth control pills per day.

Health Secrets of Coconut Aminos
When the coconut tree is tapped, it produces a naturally sweet, nutrient-rich “sap” that exudes from the coconut blossoms. This sap is very low glycemic and contains 17 amino acids, minerals, Vitamin C, broad-spectrum B vitamins, and has nearly neutral pH. Small batches ensure that organic Coconut Aminos, made from natural sap, is a raw, enzymatically alive product that never exceeds the temperatures of an average summer day in the tropics. The “Gran Molucas Sea Salt” used in Coconut Aminos, garners its name from the exotic, tropical island of Mindanao, the 2^nd largest island in the Philippines. It is surrounded on all sides by converging Pacific ocean waters ~ the Sulu Sea to the West, the Celebes Sea to the South, and the Philippine Sea to the East. A local culinary heritage in Mindanao, this unbleached, unrefined, naturally white sea salt, is fed only by the sun and the sea. It is hand-harvested by local salt producers working as their forefathers did, in the ancestral salt fields. After many days of labor, the salt is then sun-dried (to evaporate excess moisture) in open-air cages lined with clay bricks. The result is a distinctly flavorful and nutritious, mineral-rich, unrefined sea salt.

Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Nectar Low Glycemic Sweetener

Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Nectar Low Glycemic Sweetener is more nutritious than agave. Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Nectar Low Glycemic Sweetener is made from the sap of coconut trees that are grown without chemicals, pesticides, or herbicides. When the coconut tree is tapped, it produces a naturally sweet, nutrient-rich “sap” that exudes from the coconut blossoms. This sap is very low glycemic and contains 17 amino acids, minerals, Vitamin C, broad-spectrum B vitamins, and has nearly neutral pH.

Small batches ensure that this pure, low glycemic Nectar, made from this natural sap, is a raw, enzymatically alive product, minimally evaporated at low temperatures (only to remove excess moisture and to allow sap to thicken), never exceeding an average summer day in the tropics. Some agave syrups are hydrolyzed at temps up to 140° F. for 36 hours, the end product containing 90% fructose, compared to sap nectar which is only 0.5% glucose, 16% sucrose, and 82% inulin.

• 100% Pure Coconut Tree Sap
• Gluten-Free
• Sugar-Free
• Non-GMO
• Vegan

Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Flour is made from unheated Coconut. Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Flour contains 40% Dietary Fiber. Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Flour is made in small batches from unheated coconut meat and dried using a proprietary tumbler-dry method. Coconut flour is gluten-free, very low carb, actually lowers the calorie content of food, contains 40% dietary fiber, promotes lipid oxidation (helps burn fat), aids in digestive health, and helps balance blood sugar levels.

• 100% Organic
• Gluten-Free
• High Fiber
• Low Carb
• Unbleached
• Unrefined
• Vegan

Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Crystals are grown without chemicals, pesticides, or herbicides. Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Crystals sweetener is made from the Coconut Tree sap. This sap is very low glycemic and contains 17 amino acids, minerals, vitamin C, broad-spectrum B vitamins, and has a nearly neutral pH. Small batches ensure that Coconut Secrets’ Coconut Crystals sweetener, made from this natural sap, is a raw, enzymatically alive product, low temperature evaporated (to remove excess moisture and allow for crystallization). Most brown cane sugar is boiled at temps up to 221° F. The resulting product containing 93% sucrose, compared to Coconut Crystals which is only 16% sucrose.

• 100% Pure Coconut Tree Sap
• Gluten-Free
• Low Carb
• Unbleached
• Unrefined
• Non-GMO
• Vegan

Raw Coconut Vinegar

Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Vinegar is more nutritious than Apple Cider Vinegar! Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Vinegar has an alkalizing effect in the body, much the same as apple cider vinegar. Although vinegar is an acid food, when it is metabolized by the body, it becomes alkaline producing. The naturally occurring organic acids found in coconut sap vinegar, provide the body with important minerals such as potassium, calcium, sodium, and magnesium. These and other minerals form compounds in the body that convert acid body fluids into alkaline. These are known as alkalizing minerals.

Coconut trees are grown in rich volcanic soil, contributing to the sap’s high mineral content (especially abundant in Potassium – 192 mg per tablespoon of fresh sap). Coconut Secrets’ vinegar contains 17 health-promoting amino acids, broad-spectrum B vitamins, vitamin C, and naturally occurring FOS (a prebiotic that promotes digestive health). Apple cider vinegar enthusiasts say it can heal a vast array of ailments and prevent chronic diseases of aging, largely because it is chock full of nutrients. However, in truth, according to the USNDA Nutrient Database, a nutritional analysis reveals that apple cider vinegar has no measurable vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, or vitamin E, ~ and the fiber (pectin) and amino acid content is zero.

• 100% Organic
• Gluten-Free
• High in VOS
• Vegan

Resources:

http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/

http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/coconut-oil-studies.html