For The Love of Organics: Coconuts

Author: Charity Isely

For The Love of Organics: Coconuts

Find Your Nutritional Soulmate

Deliciously adaptable to all kinds of recipes, it smells like vacation, and when you’re pursuing a romance with healthy food, it’s relationship goals! If you’re ready to make a commitment to healthy fat in your diet, consider coconut your soulmate. It’s one of the best food sources of MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides), which bypass the lengthy absorption process of other fats and head straight to the liver to be metabolized and ready to energize. MCTs aren’t the shy type of fat that’s going to be hanging around in your tissue waiting for you to quit eating carbohydrates either—they’re ready to make the first move, providing efficient fuel for your brain and muscles. The most abundant MCT in coconut, lauric acid, is converted to monolaurin in the body, which is a potent antiviral, antimicrobial, and antifungal compound—talk about a relationship that’s got your back! When it comes to matters of the heart, the fat in coconut boosts good cholesterol, and when it comes to matters of the palate, it’s good fun. Now that’s a love affair worth having!

But First, Trust

Every great love story includes transparency. So before proposing that coconut become a regular part of your life, make sure you know how it’s grown. The increasing demand for coconut products has led to a rise in monoculture farming and chemical fertilizers. Native plants are removed to make room for younger, more productive coconut palms, destroying biodiversity, eroding soil health, and introducing a demand for toxic fertilizers. The negative spiral continues with detrimental impacts on water, air, soil, and human health. Choose the coconut that cares! Organic farming methods nurture biodiversity and ensure transparency, providing the vital element of all happy relationships, trust.

Keep It Fun

Now that coconut and your diet are official, it’s time to have fun! The dates you can make with this nutritious soulmate go beyond dinner, starting with your morning coffee, where it makes a wonderful replacement for your creamer. Invite coconut milk to drop in at the office or go on a hike—crunchy, naturally, sweet coconut shreds pair well with snacking. The velvety texture of coconut oil lends itself to all kinds of cravings, from roasted veggies to luscious baked goods. It’s a one-in-a-million find for many dietary needs, providing everything from glutenfree flour to the creamiest non-dairy alternative you can imagine. Take your relationship next-level with our recipe this month for Coconut Lime Shrimp, and be sure to let your new romance grow organically!

It Takes Two

To end this healthy love story, we’ll leave you with a final nod to February, the celebrated month of heart-shaped feelings. “True love is… one coconut, two straws.”