The Coconut Craze

I know you are all curious on the craze of all things coconut. Coconut milk, coconut water, coconut oil...coconut is popping up in everything including soaps and shampoos. 

So what does a dietitian think about this craze? 

I will give you my short version (for more in depth information, please feel free to email me!)

I love to eat coconut. The real deal. The yummy rich and creamy meat that comes inside the rough brown ball. I like unsweetened flaked coconut to use in recipes. My favorite is toasted coconut and you will want to have it on hand all the time! 

Coconut Oil: This stuff is great for basic treatment of dry anything on the body. Dry skin and a deep conditioner for dry hair.  Will I cook with it? Nope. Will I rinse it in my mouth? Nope.  Will I add it to a smoothie to make me skinnier? Nope. But it sure does make my dry winter skin look and feel amazing.

Coconut Water: This is a good substitute for someone who needs to replace electrolytes after a intense workout that last more than 90 minutes. It is a healthier version than other electrolyte drinks on the market. Does it replace plain water? Nope. Should you drink it if you exercise less than 90 minutes? Nope. Will it make me lose weight? Nope and nope.

Coconut Milk: There are 2 kinds: think condensed sweetened milk (found in a can and has substantial fat and sugar, great for that Coconut Thai Curry Soup recipe you always wanted to make) and as a substitute for cows milk. I personally am not a fan of Coconut Milk in place of cows milk because it lacks protein and a slew of other vitamins and minerals. I do recommend it for someone who may have dairy allergies as an alternative. 

So again, back to the real deal. Actual coconut. I always have some at home because it adds a lot flavor to foods and you only need a little bit.

Lately, I have been a huge fan of Greek yogurts with fancy mix-ins. Sunday, I was at home and had a bit of a sweet craving. All I had to do was dig in my pantry to come up with this coconut deliciousness. 

I gathered plain Greek yogurt, coconut flakes, almond slices and dark chocolate. 

I toasted 1 tablespoon of coconut and 1 tablespoon of almonds over medium heat for about 4-6 minutes, constantly stirring to prevent burning (they can be delicate little flowers and go from toasted to burnt in no time, ask Cool!).

I chopped up one square of my >70% cacao dark chocolate.

And my yogurt was ready to be ordained with these fancy and fun toppings.

Now doesn't this look like the best way to get your coconut fix?  

Not only was this satisfying, but from start to finish, it was the perfect amount of time to deep condition my hair with coconut oil on a Sunday afternoon and have a snack.  

~Crazy