Contents
Exotic coconut flour is becoming more popular every year. If several years ago we didn’t even hear about it, then today you can buy it in large supermarkets or online stores. How to explain such a massive passion for this product?
Tropical coconut pulp flour is a popular product in the countries of Southeast Asia (India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Malaysia). It is used in cooking, traditional medicine, cosmetology.
Chemical composition
Coconuts are quite high-calorie foods. Coconut flour has an even higher calorie content than fresh pulp, since the substances in it are dried, and therefore concentrated. 100 g of this product contains 460 kcal.
It contains 19-20% protein, 12% fat and 9-10% carbohydrates. Coconut proteins contain many essential amino acids that are not produced or are not produced in the human body. The high protein content in dried chopped pulp makes it a valuable source of essential amino acids.
A positive fact is that coconut proteins do not contain gluten, so the flour from its pulp can be used as an alternative to wheat flour by people who are gluten intolerant.
Coconut fats are represented by polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are contained in residual quantities in this product, since the crushed pulp is degreased during production before drying. But it also has saturated fatty acids, in particular lauric acid, which has a pronounced cosmetic effect.
It tastes sweet due to the presence of simple carbohydrates (glucose, fructose, sucrose) in it. In addition to sweet mono- and disaccharides, it contains a lot of fiber.
The exotic coconut product is also rich in B, C, E and K vitamins and minerals (potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, calcium, copper, selenium, iron, zinc, manganese).
Useful Properties
Due to fiber, coconut flour belongs to the list of products united under the name “metabolic therapy”. This means that coconut pulp powder absorbs well the toxic substances accumulated in the intestines, cholesterol, simple sugars. By reducing their absorption in the intestine, this product exhibits a hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic and detoxifying effect.
Due to the ability to reduce the level of glucose and cholesterol in the blood, as well as due to the high potassium content, coconut flour:
- helps to reduce blood pressure;
- has a cardioprotective effect;
- shows antiarrhythmic effect;
- makes the vessels elastic;
- improves blood flow;
- normalizes microcirculation in peripheral tissues.
With a significant caloric content, it has an average glycemic index – 45. With this glycemic index, it is useful for diabetics to replace part of wheat flour in bakery products or other dishes with coconut. This will reduce the glycemic index of the entire product.
The powder from the dried pulp of the scythe can be added to dishes for losing sweets, then it will allow not to add sugar as an ingredient, which will reduce their potential calorie.
Lauric acid, entering the human body, turns into monolaurin. Monolaurin exhibits antiviral and antimicrobial effects and stimulates regenerative processes in the skin. In addition, lauric acid is a strong antioxidant, therefore it protects the skin from the harmful effects of external factors (wind, frost, sun) and prevents cancerous cell degeneration.
The iodine contained in coconut flour improves the functioning of the thyroid gland, and calcium strengthens bones and teeth.
Its fiber helps normal digestion, prevents the occurrence of constipation, especially during a diet. As a source of vegetable protein, this product is recommended for people who suffer from celiac disease (celiac disease) and vegetarians.
Possible harm
Coconut flour is a hypoallergenic product, therefore it rarely causes allergic reactions. But in our latitudes it is an exotic product and not all people perceive it adequately by the digestive system. Another reason that limits the consumption of dishes with coconut flour is a tendency to diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome.
This product is also contraindicated in young children because it contains a lot of indigestible fiber and may cause digestive upset in the form of nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain or severe diarrhea.
Application in medicine
Directly coconut flour in the treatment of diseases is not used, but dishes with its use will be useful for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, in particular for dyskinesia of the gallbladder and ducts. Substances contained in exotic flour, increase the tone of the bile duct walls and thus have a choleretic effect. Fatty acids contribute to the dilution of bile, and therefore well help with cholelithiasis.
It is useful to replace bakery products and baking for baking coconut flour for people suffering from circulatory system diseases (arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis, arrhythmias, cerebral circulation disorders)
High-grade proteins, fatty acids and vitamins improve quality and increase the amount of sperm in men. Regular use of products with coconut flour by women improves their hormonal levels, relieves inflammation of the genital organs, contributes to lengthening the reproductive period of women, postponing menopause.
Proteins and vitamin-mineral complex in coconut flour is used in sports nutrition, as it promotes muscle building and increases endurance during sports training.
This product can be an excellent substitute for wheat or other cereal flour for patients with celiac disease, whose body does not perceive gluten grains. Patients with diabetes may include meals based on this tropical product in their diet. This will help to reduce blood sugar levels, as well as improve the blood supply to the organs, whose vessels have undergone diabetic damage.
The use of dishes with the addition of coconut flour is undoubted for those who are struggling with overweight. Fiber normalizes stools, reduces the absorption of nutrients from the intestines, and also helps to restore intestinal microflora. Especially useful for the diet of dairy products and coconut flour.
Used in cosmetics
Replacing a portion of cereal flour with coconut pulp powder has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and its appendages (nails, hair). Useful substances of tropical flour together with yeast, when used internally in the form of yeast baking:
- nourish the skin and moisturize it;
- smooth and tone the skin;
- strengthen hair follicles;
- restore the integrity of the skin after abrasions, cuts, wounds;
- have anti-burn effect.
Based on this exotic product, various cosmetic products are prepared: scrubs, creams, lotions, shampoos.
How to produce
Coconut flour is produced from the pulp of this tropical fruit. To do this, ripe nuts are peeled, the pulp is crushed, pressed to obtain coconut oil. The remaining fat-free cake is ground. Thus, coconut flour is produced on an industrial scale. This product is not cheap, and you can buy it far from every store. It’s easier and cheaper to cook this flour yourself.
How to choose and store
If you still decide to buy coconut flour in the store, when buying, you need to pay attention to the packaging – it must be whole and dry. Flour quickly dampens, so it is preferable that it was sold in a moisture-proof packaging, for example, in a foil bag. After opening the package, this product should be stored in an airtight container at + 20 ° C for no longer than 6 months.
Cooking application
Coconut flour is widely used in Asian countries instead of cereal flour. But this is not an ordinary product. Unlike cereal flour (wheat, rye, oats, rice), when using it as an ingredient in a dish, you need to know some nuances:
- Coconut pulp flour is able to absorb a lot of liquid on itself, therefore, when kneading dough from it, the amount of liquid needs to be increased.
- Stir the dough must be very careful, because it is easy to form lumps.
- Since coconut flour does not contain gluten, it does not have the ability to stick together, therefore, in recipes with coconut flour, gluing ingredients, such as eggs, are required. For each glass of coconut flour, it is recommended to take 4 chicken eggs.
- If when cooking dishes, tropical flour was used instead of wheat flour, it must be remembered that it is sweet. Accordingly, in the recipe you need to reduce the amount of sugar or other sweet ingredients.
This product can be thickened kissel, smoothies, cocktails, soups, mashed potatoes. From it you can make bread, muffins, pastries, cookies, add to the breading for fish and meat.
Cooking at home
To do this, you need to purchase coconut. Chips need to be poured with boiled water at room temperature in a ratio of 1: 4. It is necessary to insist for 4 hours, then using a blender to bring to a homogeneous mass. The resulting mass must be filtered. To do this, a small sieve or gauze, folded several times, is useful. The liquid after pressing can be used in pastry dishes. The cake after pressing is spread in a thin layer on parchment and dried in the oven (at a temperature of 90 ° C). Then the dry mass of coconut flakes is ground to a powder state.
Conclusions
Coconut flour is a tasty and healthy product. It contains a lot of high-grade gluten-free protein, healthy fats and little carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are mainly water-soluble fiber. This product is rich in vitamins and minerals.
Due to its composition, coconut flour is useful for digestion, the activity of the heart and blood vessels, female and male genitalia. Coconut dishes can even be used by diabetics and people suffering from celiac disease.
Due to the high content of fiber, dishes prepared from it can be used by people on a diet, despite the high calorie content (460 kcal in 100 g). But the same fiber can cause dyspepsia in those prone to diarrhea.
Coconut flour in dishes does not behave like wheat, so when cooking, in which the cereal ingredient is replaced by tropical, you need to take into account some nuances, for example, add 4 chicken eggs to each cup of flour.