The Many Uses of Coconut

 
It occurred to me the other day, as I was cooking with a couple of different coconut products, that I probably use some part of this marvelous nut each day. It’s no wonder.

Not only does coconut taste good, but it’s credited with numerous nutritional properties, among them anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory.  The coconut has been a staple of pacific islanders for centuries, and is said to promote weight loss, a healthy digestion, and provide immunity support.

For a quick round up of how I use this marvelous nut, daily, read on..

1) Coconut Water: Containing natural electrolytes, coconut water is the drink of choice for my son, and I’m really glad he loves it.  This is the perfect way to hydrate in warm weather, and an excellent choice before or after a work out. I love adding it to my smoothies, both the green and creamy ones, for a nourishing and hydrating boost to my day.

2) Coconut Pulp: I use fresh coconut pulp as “ribbons” to create coconut pasta, or I add a couple of tablespoons to my morning smoothie for taste and health benefits.  Dried coconut pulp can be purchased as flakes or shreds, and can be used in your smoothies too, or as a base to many raw desserts.

3) Coconut Sugar: Coconut sugar is my current go-to choice for a sugar substitute, especially when baking or creating treats.  It’s delicious and tastes sweet, not bitter. In a crystal form, it’s sometimes sold as Palm Sugar, and has a quality similar to raw sugar.  This is delicious in granola, for a crystal effect like cane sugar, or sprinkled on your morning oatmeal or quinoa.  Coconut sugar also comes in a liquid form, handy for making desserts and treats as well.

4) Coconut Aminos: I use coconut aminos as a soy substitute, since I’m soy intolerant, and it provides the same effect as soy sauce when I make a stir fry.  This is also great as a sushi dip. It’s made from coconut sap that’s been aged, and sea salt.

5) Coconut Oil: The mother ship of my kitchen, and bathroom! Seriously, I use this everyday for something.  Coconut oil is a heart healthy fat, and can be used safely (without going rancid due to it’s high heat tolerance) for frying anything.  My son loves his eggs cooked in this, I use it for vegetables too. 
In the bathroom, we all use this as a body oil, before, or during, or after a shower.  I like to add essential oils to mine, grapefruit in the morning and lavender at night. 
I comb coconut oil through my hair before I shampoo it for deep conditioning, and leave it on for at least an hour before washing. Some days I’ll do this and then go for a run, then shampoo and shower afterwards.
I use it on my face in the winter, if I’m feeling really dry, before I go to bed. This also makes a wonderful cuticle oil; rub a little bit around each nail (toes too!) before you go to sleep.

That’s my round up, how do YOU use coconuts in your daily routine?

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