Superfood Spotlight: Raw Coconut

Coconut water has been all the craze for the past few years, but did you know that these bottled up beverages result in a product stripped of many of the natural benefits of a whole, raw coconut?

Coconuts come in many varieties, green and smooth or fuzzy and brown. In stores they are carved out like the bottom right. 

Although pasteurization is done to kill harmful bacteria growth, it also kills good bacteria as well as destroys phytonutrients, enzymes, and active ingredients. Eating an entire coconut, juice AND meat, is where we maximize the health benefits from this exotic fruit.

Sweaty and hydrating with raw coconuts  post dance class with my fellow pioneer from Utopia, Dedeker. And we ate the meat too!

Coconuts are great natural hydrators because they contain water along with the meat which contain natural sugars and salts, aka electolytes and minerals, including potassium, magnesium, and iron. Other vitamins include Vitamin C and B6.

The coconut meat contains a healthy fat profile such as medium chain triglycerides that can help to boost metabolism, as well as other immune boosting fatty acids. Coconuts also have great fiber content.

Most of us live in regions where coconuts do not grow naturally, however, you’d be surprised where you can find them. Just last week there was a man selling them right after a dance class I attended. Many natural food stores also carry coconuts, though accessing the center of these delightful fruits may be a challenge. Another easy way to incorporate them into your daily life is to use them in lieu of other wraps, as they are gluten free and far more nutritious than the regular old flour kind. Enjoy!