Coconut For Coconuts

There is a craze right now that's permeating our cooking and even our beauty habits.It seems we cuckoo for coconuts - in every form.  It's all over these days from flakes to oils, in our best dishes and on our cuticles. Is it too much or does this tropical stunner actually have benefits.

First of all the coconut is not a nut but a drupe, or an offspring with a fleshy outer part covering a seed or pit (think more peaches and plums). The name coco derives from the Portuguese word for skull, thanks to the face like indentations in it sailors who first saw it on their travels were amused by this , hence the name. The meat or the interior white flesh is called copra when dried and used in baking and cooking. The oil and milk from it is used both in food and beauty products. Then there is the coconut water which is everywhere these days.It grows primarily in tropical climates and is not what would be considered domesticated. The meat itself is high in carbs and fat.A one hundred gram serving can yield a whopping 354 calories. with 89% of it being saturated fat. This also applies to coconut oil too which is high in  saturated fat and lauric acid, the last being responsible for raising cholesterol to sky high levels.Ditto for the coconut milk  which is derived from the oil.It is  better to stick with the low calorie , low carb,   coconut water .It also  has a significant amount of  electrolytes  - good for those playing sports.

So is being coconuts for coconuts worth it? The fruit is , for baking and candy making. The copra does have the perfect taste that meshes well with chocolate, vanilla and even lemon cake. As we all know it's a great decoration for Easter cupcakes and holiday meringues.The flakes are also  excellent gracing curries  and other Asian dishes. Again, it's good if you want a splurge  but not  good if you  have it a few times a week.? It also doesn't apply to an Almond Joy or Mounds splurge.then If you do want; a healthy fix of coconut   then try Zola's dark chocolate coconut nuggets instead. What about coconut oil? Health conscious  home chefs could try the one Lou Ana puts out ,The Southern California company makes theirs non -hydrogenated and zero calories which is perfect for any kind of cooking and baking. It also aids in losing weight, speeding up metabolism as well as helping to fend off staph bacteria along with several different kinds of cancer. Coconut oil is  also good for softening cracked heels, cuticles and sun fried hair, Coconut water is another must have.Again Zola, a brand new, sustainable company has different waters that are perfect with a meal or just as a refresher. Also Vita Coca is another good choice with even a newly added cafe latte to drink..

The coconut craze will be wth us for a while. Take what you will from it and use it to benefit your diet and lifestyle. You can go mad for the health aspects of them.

Lou Ana Coconut Oil - Go Coconuts For It

One of the most trending food and beauty items right now is coconut oil. It is everywhere with both home and professional chefs clamoring for it. They should buy LouAna's Coconut Oil. It's is a kitchen necessity, with uses for everything, from cooking to beauty maintenance.

The century old Lou Ana Company has jumped on this trendy bandwagon.The 122 year old company has been producing a variety of oils for Southern California kitchens and most of the US. Generations of home chefs have been using it for their family's fried chicken recipes as well as for the recently popular  holiday fried turkeys. The company started out selling  the usual every day  oils, safflower, peanut and vegetable. All  are fat free and rid of transfat. Their latest foray , coconut oil, is no different.It is non-hydrogenated, worth 0 percent transfat, ideal for frying and sauteing. It can be used for baking too. It makes for a better and relatively healthier buttercream frosting than the ones made with butter or margarine. Using it will definitely improve one's health.Coconut oils aids in heart health, being high in lauric acid which helps prevent high blood pressure and high cholesterol.It's great for those on diet because it speeds up metabolism, and helps to burn calories. Everyone knows about its' beauty benefits.It's excellent in softening rough skin and works better than fancy skin cremes in diminishing fine lines. This all purpose oil gives hair an amazing shine and is an excellent cuticle cream. (especially if you use those nail stickers  that dry out the nail bed.) LouAna has the regular coconut oil but also sells an organic kind They have just come out with a non stick spray for grills and griddles. This last can also be sprayed on poultry too, before roasting to give the bird a nice evenly browned skin.

Lou Ana has teamed with chef and The Chew host, Carla Hall for recipes. Chef Hall is a huge fan of coconut oil.It's highlighted in every one of her  dishes from main meal to dessert Her famed hot fried chicken is fried in it.  Hers is a healthier recipe than the traditional fried chicken, because she sautes the breaded pieces in the oil, rather than deep fries them. As I've found out  coconut oil gets hot very quickly and can also smoke too. Be cautious when using it,.She also uses it for crisping up her Dijon tarragon salmon and  braised short ribs. It's also in her eggplant casserole  as well as in her pear cranberry pot pie  Chef Hall even makes yummy walnut cinnamon cookies with it. I liked working with the oil however I used a bit too much the first time - not a good idea. There was a heavy oily aftertaste thanks to an over enthusiastic home chef. Some home chefs are put off by coconut oil, fearing their main dishes will taste like Mounds Bars. Not the case. The oil is tasteless and odorless having been distilled from the kernel or meat of the mature drupe, eliminating the distinct, tropical flavor. The purified oil is   then emulsified to produce the solid form. It melts at 76 F so keep in a cool place come summer.

Try Lou Ana's new line of coconut oils and coconut oil sprays.It's healthy and good , despite being trendy. Use it for delicious dishes and better baked treats.