Desiccated Coconut

Desiccated Coconut – Nutritional Profile

Desiccated coconut is coconut flesh that has been ground and then dried.  The drying process preserves most of the nutritional content of the nut.

A single 85g serving contains a good selection of nutrients and has 388 calories of which 199 are from fat.

The total fat content is 24g (37% of recommended daily allowance) of which 22g (112% rda) is saturated.  It also provides 242mg (11% rda) of salt, 44g (15% rda) of carbohydrates, 8g of dietary fibre (34% rda) and 3g of protein.

There is also 1% of the recommended daily allowance for calcium and 7% for iron.

Vitamin B6 is found at 1% of recommended daily allowance and at the same levels for thiamine and riboflavin with niacin at slightly higher levels of 3% of rda.  Folate is also found at 3% of recommended daily allowance.

There is substantial mineral content as follows; calcium 9.35mg (1% rda), iron 1,3mg (7%), magnesium 43mg (11% rda), phosphorous 85mg (8% rda), manganese 0.8mg (41% rda)

Desiccated Coconut – Health Benefits

The fibre in coconut can play an important role in reducing heart disease.   The fibre present turns into a gel like substance in the colon.  The gel absorbs LDL cholesterol which is the undesirable type of cholesterol that leads to plaque build up in arteries.  It does not absorb HDL cholesterol which passes into the blood stream and serves to keep artery walls flexible thus reducing blood pressure.  The overall effect is to lower the risk of arteriosclerosis, heart disease and stroke.

This gel also retains moisture which helps keep the right speed during digestive transit so minimal affect from toxins cancer on the lining of the colon which in turn reduces the risk of colon cancer.

Coconut has been shown to have a low Glycemic index which means that it releases available carbohydrate into the blood slowly which means lower amounts of insulin are required to absorb sugars into cells and this is a major benefit for people with insulin based conditions such as diabetes.

Coconut has been shown to speed up cell metabolism by providing an immediate source of energy with fewer calories

Desiccated Coconut – Product History

Coconuts are thought to have originated in Melanesia and Malesia, the tropical areas north of Australia and into Malaysia.  The exact origin is unknown but they have successfully spread across most of the worlds tropical climates and thrive in the humid coastal conditions that exist there.

Coconuts grow across the world all coastal, tropical climates and they are an important foodstuff for millions of people.

They are grown in more than 80 countries with upwards of 60 million tonnes produced commercially every tear.  They require, above all, a high level of humidity which explains why this marine transported seed has never established itself beyond the tropics.

The Phillipines, Indoensia and India are the most significant producers with 19.5, 18.3 and 10.8 million tonnes produced respectively in 2010.  Next on the list comes Brazil with 2.7 million tonnes.

Coconut can be a food allergen and can result in anaphylaxis so care should be taken when eating it is a history of such conditions exists.

Desiccated (dried) coconut is also referred to as copra and is produced as a bi product of the valuable coconut oil and milk industries.  When not used for human consumption it is also caked for animal fodder.