King of Nuts-Coconuts (Weight Gain category)

These water-bearing nuts are much more than a cool evening drink, but find a place among the weight-gaining category of foods. Coconuts- or better known as The King of all Nuts is an Indian delicacy- which has most commonly been associated for the cool water and flesh (Kernal)- the white layers of thick fibrous skin in it; as well as the key ingredient for Indian chutneys.

By just, including this nut in your daily diet you can be sure to add those extra kilos! A coconut is loaded with fats and is estimated that 90% of its fat is saturated fat. It has less sugar than most fruits and contains many more proteins than well-known fruits like banana, apples, and oranges. Although, this fruit has high amounts of saturated fats in it, it yet has less fat than any of the other nuts like almonds.

Depending how it’s eaten a coconut varies in its calorie content; one whole coconut has 140 calories in it, whereas when eaten in its shredded form it has 283 calories in it.

Coconut can be eaten in various forms- be it in solid or liquid form.

Coconut branches out to coconut milk, and coconut water in its liquid forms; and its fleshy meat (Kernal) in its solid form. Surprisingly though, coconut has found its place among other foods like in ice-creams, flavour boosters to curries, milk-shakes, pastries, etc.

Common food items where coconut can be used:

1. Add coconut milk to your Indian Curry to bring about a rich, sweet and milky taste.
2. In fact, coconut milk is the base of most Thai curries
3. Sprinkle shredded coconut on top of your pastries to get an enriched sweet flavour.
4. Add in coconut pieces to your milkshake and bring in a rich delightful flavour.
5. Add in coconut while making chutney to bring about its delicious taste.
6. Shred up the coconut fibrous skin, to provide a delicious snack.
7. Flavour up your Indian dishes by adding in coconut pieces or coconut milk.

Coconut, by nature contains many fatty acids- out of which 92% is saturated fatty acids, 6% monounsaturated fatty acids, and 2% polyunsaturated fatty acids. Many different oils like virgin coconut oil, refined coconut oil, hydrogenated oil, fractionated coconut oil are made using coconut; and can be used for cooking purposes. Coconuts also have medicinal properties and have anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti- viral properties. It can be used as a laxative and can be used for healing mouth ulcers.

Calorie-catching facts!

• Coconut chutneys differ in their calorie content, but roughly contain 56 calories, where calories from fat are 48!
• Calories in coconut milk are estimated at 552 calories, where 515 are calories from fat
• Calories in coconut ice-cream are 329, and calories from fat are 30.2 gm.
• Coconut (Thai) curry has roughly 234 calories, and with chicken in it has 479 calories.]
• Coconut flakes contain 80 calories, where 41 calories are calories from fat.
• Coconut water contains 46 calories, where calories from fat are 4.
• Coconut cake has 239 calories, where 117 are calories from fat.

Indulge in a coconut diet, and you can be sure to put on that extra weight! Incorporate this delicious kernel in your food substances and it won’t be too long before you notice the changes!