The nutritional benefits of coconut

The coconut has shaped memories for each one of us: from spooning the white milk into Indian and Thai curries, drinking tender coconut in summer to having coconut ice cream. “Coconut sugar contains a fibre called inulin that slows down glucose absorption in blood, keeping glucose levels under control,” says Chennai-based dietitian Deepalekha Bhattacharjee. Sarika Nair, a Mumbai-based dietitian and founder of SlimnHappy, says, “Since coconut sugar has the same number of calories as regular table sugar, with even vitamins and minerals present in just traces, my recommendation would be to avoid all kinds of sugars and to reduce their intake in your daily life.” The new oil Over the years, rice bran and olive oil have taken over from mustard and coconut oils as the cooking medium in kitchens. Coconut oil is perfect for using to sauté or stir-fry, since its high saturated fat content makes it suitable for high temperatures,” explains Nair. “Both refined and unrefined coconut oil contain the same amount of beneficial fatty acid,” says Nair.