Is coconut flour healthy, how does it affect blood sugar and is it gluten free? A nutritionist explains the nutritional profile of this popular ingredient.
What is coconut flour?
Coconut flour is a soft flour made from dried coconut meat. When the coconut milk is extracted from the coconut meat, it is then dried at a low temperature and ground into a flour suitable for baking.
Nutritional benefits of coconut flour
100 grams of coconut flour provides :
19 g protein
14.4 g fat
34.1g Starch
32.9g Sugar
22.6g Fiber
Top 5 health benefits of coconut flour
Pure coconut flour is a gluten-free product. However, always check the label, especially if you have celiac disease or a gluten allergy. Some brands may have added ingredients that contain gluten, or be produced in a facility that handles products that contain gluten.
2. It is high in fiber
Coconut flour is considered a high fiber food, with up to 45g per 100g. Government guidelines recommend that adults consume 30g of fiber per day. Therefore, one tablespoon (about 10 g) of coconut flour alone provides more than 10% of the recommended daily intake.
With most UK adults only consuming an average of around 18g a day, it's important to increase your fiber intake as it has been shown to be linked to a number of health benefits, including reducing the risk of colon cancer.
3. It can help control blood sugar
Coconut flour appears to have a lower glycemic index than wheat flour, which has a higher sugar content. Indeed, coconut flour is rich in fat and fiber, which slows down the release of sugar. in the blood.
4. It can help heart health
Including coconut flour in the diet increases the amount of fiber, which can help control cholesterol.
More research needs to be done in this area, and the advice remains that coconut products should be consumed in moderation to keep total fat intake within the reference daily intake (RDA) limits of 70 g of total fat and 20 g of higher molecular fat
5. Source of protein
Coconut flour is a source of protein, with an intake of 18 g per 100 g, against only 12 g for the same amount of flour.
However, the protein in coconut flour is an incomplete protein, which means it contains only five of the essential amino acids that we need in our daily diet.
The word "essential" means that we must get these amino acids from food, because the body cannot make them on its own.
Protein is important in nutrition as it plays an important role in the growth and repair of the body, as well as functions such as immunity.
Is coconut flour safe for everyone?
Generally safe for most people, coconut flour makes a great alternative to wheat flour. High in fiber, it can cause gas in the stomach, especially if they are not used to including fiber foods in their diet.
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