The benefits and harms of coconut flakes for the body

Coconut is the fruit of a coconut tree, widely distributed in tropical climates. It is not known where this nut comes from. Now coconut palms grow on the warm coasts of all parts of the world. Some tropical peoples call these plants the "tree of life", because their fruits are used without waste in various fields of production. In Europe, the most famous product is coconut.

How to get coconut

Coconut consists of their outer shell, fleshy layer (pulp) and coconut water or milk. Chips are obtained by processing pulp. To do this, take a ripe fruit, divide it into parts and take out the fleshy layer.

The pulp is first crushed. There are three types of grinding:

1. Rude. The particles are large and retain the maximum properties of the whole nut. This is the best, but at the same time the most expensive option.
2. Middle. This is an intermediate option, it is precisely this that we most often see on store shelves.
3. Small. Such shavings are more reminiscent of flour and almost tasteless, but they contain a lot of fat. It is cheaper than analogues, but not suitable for desserts.

After grinding, the pulp is dried until it completely loses moisture and hardens. The finished chips are passed through a sieve several times to select large, small and medium particles. Then packaged, packaged and sent to different parts of the world. The largest exporters of coke chips are the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Cooking chips at home

This product can be prepared without much effort in your own kitchen. This is the only way to be sure that the chips are of high quality, fresh and tasty. The cooking process consists of the following steps:

1. Choosing the right nut. This is a very important point. The taste and juiciness of the chips depends on the quality of the pulp. The size of the fetus to be selected should depend on how much chips are needed. It is better to buy coconuts from October to December. At this time, they are just ripening. The nut should not have cracks, dents, diaper rash or other damage. The heavier the fetus, the better. Heavy coconuts contain more water and are tastier. The water should be clear, yellowish or whitish. An unpleasant odor or a different color than normal is a sign of spoiled coconut.
2. Coconut cutting. The process is simple, but very unusual for our latitudes. First you need to get rid of coconut milk. To do this, find black dots on its surface and pierce them with something sharp, flip them down with punctures and wait for the nut to be emptied. Then chop it with milk and gently remove all the white flesh.
3. Shredding. For this stage you will need a regular grater. It is better to choose a surface with large holes. There are no features in the rubbing process itself.
4. Drying. The crushed pulp must be spread on a flat surface with a thin layer and put in a dry, warm place. At the same time, direct sunlight should be avoided, otherwise the chips will be very dry.
5. Screening. This step is optional. If the shavings you need are of the same shape and size, for example, to decorate confectionery, it can be passed through a sieve.
6. Storage. You can store the finished product in a dry and cool place that does not have odors in an airtight bag for no more than one year.

Optionally, add vanillin, cinnamon or other spices to the finished chips, give it the desired color using food colors.

The benefits of coconut

An interesting fact is that shavings prepared in the right way preserve all the beneficial properties of the pulp itself. The benefits of this product are as follows:

1. Improving the digestive tract. According to traditional medicine, coconut flakes can cure diarrhea and vomiting.
2. Strengthening immunity. Coconut contains a large amount of vitamin C, which reduces the permeability of cells to viruses. With its help, you can prevent the development of a cold.
3. Anthelmintic effect. It is not completely clear how chips remove parasites from the body, but this method of dealing with them has been popular for more than a century.
4. Protection against atherosclerosis. Coconut has a lot of fat, but no cholesterol. The lipids contained in this product displace those from the body that cause atherosclerosis.
5. Stimulates the central nervous system. This happens, both due to the aroma and taste of the product, and due to the substances contained in it. Coconut flakes increase mood, improve memory, promote concentration, relieve fatigue.
6. Cancer Prevention. Coconut has many antioxidants such as ascorbic acid and tocopherol. They eliminate under-oxidized foods and active oxygen, which reduces the risk of developing malignant tumors.

It is impossible not to mention that coconut flakes, in addition to its beneficial properties, also have a specific taste. It is liked by both adults and children, it gives the dishes a special tropical color.

Harm coconut

This product is not dangerous, does not contain relatively toxic substances, does not cause addiction. You can use it without restrictions for people of any age. However, it is worth considering that coconut, like any other plant product, can cause allergic reactions.

In addition, this product is very high in calories. 100 g of chips contains about 590 kcal. This is a fairly high figure if a dieter uses chips. However, there is good news: 100g of coconut flakes is quite a lot. In such quantities it is not consumed.

Thus, we can conclude that coconut is an exotic, but very tasty and healthy product. It can be made in a store or at home yourself. The only thing worth remembering is that coconut can cause an allergic reaction and is a fairly high-calorie product.

Video: how to make coconut oil, milk and chips from 1 coconut