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Prepping Gold: Gone Nuts for Coconuts!
My conversion to coconut crazy wasn’t overnight; it happened over a number of years. This morning, I looked around the homestead (which is not in a tropical country, by the way, but in US Climate Zone 4!) and realized I was surrounded…by coconuts.
There are so many benefits to including coconuts in your daily life, and also in your preps. I am going to share my personal favorites with you.
In my youth, we rarely had coconut in the house, unless my mother was baking Nanaimo bars or some other sweet treat. So, I grew up with a sense that it was exotic and, well, not for me.
It wasn’t until I was far from home that I began to appreciate the value of this amazing fruit. From my travels abroad, I have fond memories of going to the “coconut guy” on the street for a thirst-quenching treat. For only a few cents, I could have him hack open a green coconut with his sword, keeping all that delicious water inside, add a straw and voila! A healthy drink with a fully biodegradable container!
Coconut for Health
Perhaps with the exception of when they DO appear in Nanaimo bars, the coconut is known to be one of the “healthiest fruits on the planet.” Their health benefits come from the “healthy fats they contain (medium chain fatty acids), antioxidants, and important micronutrients.”
Who cares about the fats they contain, anyhow? Well, it’s a pretty big deal! Because they are medium-chain, they “are easier to digest (compared to long chain), provide immediate energy and aren’t readily stored as fat” Ooooo! I really like that last bit, because I’m working on my weight loss as a prep.
Coconut in My Daily Routine
I begin each day with coconut. I use coconut oil for an age-old practice called oil pulling. I do this before I have my first cup of tea and before I eat. Oil pulling originates from Ayurvedic medicine and is at least 5,000 years old. To do it, you put around a tablespoon or so of the oil in the mouth and swish it around for an extended period of time.
Oil pulling is not what we here think of as gargling: a short bubbling of the liquid in our throat area. Oil pulling involves swishing the oil actively around your mouth, teeth, and gums for a more extended time of around 10 to 20 minutes. Once you are done, you do not swallow the oil, but spit it into the garbage. I actually spit mine into a jar which I then throw into the garbage when it is full. This prevents mess. Never spit the oil into your sink or toilet! You might think that’s obvious, but…I have known people who were doing just that.
The benefits of this practice are considered to be many:
reduces bacteria in the mouth
freshens breath-supports healthy teeth and gums
supports healthy sinuses (*I have always had chronic sinus problems, so I do whatever I can to support them!)
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Another benefit recognized is detoxification.
In my own mouth, I have also noticed less sensitivity in my teeth. I no longer need to use toothpaste for sensitive teeth, and make my own tooth powder, which I love. By the way, the evidence to support the chemicals they put in toothpastes for sensitive teeth might not be as convincing as you might think.
How is oil pulling a prep, you might ask? Well, if it really is SHTF and you can’t head to the local drugstore for more toothpaste, keeping this simple practice up could help keep your teeth and gums stay healthy. I just bought my usual huge 5-pound jar of organic virgin cold-pressed coconut oil. The best-before date is almost two years from now!
Given how versatile this oil is, I would be trading for it before I traded for many things. I never have less than 5 pounds in my stockpile. Hmmm. Note to self: Maybe that should be 10???
Coconut for Breakfast, Snacks, Lunches, and Treats
Onward with my day. Now, you are also going to be shocked at my next use of coconut oil: I put it in my tea!!! I used to put it in my coffee and found it to be a delicious substitute for cream. With only myself at home, I would not go through the cream quickly enough. As mentioned above, my coconut oil lasts for YEARS.
And Oh! the health benefits of eating (or drinking!) a tablespoon a day! How about an energy boost, weight loss, immune boost, improved bowel movements, better managed blood sugar levels, improved brain function, a healthier heart, and anti-cancer properties? Whew! Want to learn more? Check out this great article here.
Then, my first snack of the day is usually a few coconut smiles on a plate with some dried fruit and nuts. What are coconut smiles? They are roasted pieces of coconut flesh that, well, are shaped like a smile. When I gave up all sugar in my diet, I was on the search for healthy snacks. These are delicious and affordable. The bag sings their praises: high in fibre, and a source of magnesium and phosphorus. But here’s the kicker: 2/3 of a cup (admittedly a bit more than I usually eat, but bear with me) has 6 grams of fibre and only 2 grams of sugar! Now THAT’S a great snack. Yum yum. I’m eating a few extra ones right now to make my point. These are good at least a year out, so I buy a ton of them when they go on sale.
Moving right along to lunch, I eat a bit of shredded coconut in my yoghurt or kefir bowl. I find that I like the texture that it adds, along with all the nuts and seeds I add, such as hemp hearts and chia seeds. Mmmmmmm…. fiber-based goodness!
When invited to a recent BBQ at a friend’s place, I wanted to contribute to the potluck. So, I brought some dandelion cookies with me. The children were sceptical at first, but were won over by the taste. The recipe uses coconut oil as the baking oil.
If you are in a big SHTF event, these cookies are made with items you already have in your pantry or, are growing out in the lawn in spring. What a great prep that is! The recipe is even egg-free, and all items are shelf-stable if you use your own canned applesauce or store-bought applesauce.
Coconut for Heavy Labor in the Heat
I worked as a manual laborer off my homestead for years to bring in extra money. The summers can be incredibly hot here, and the body heat given off by cows in a milking parlor doesn’t help! It was routinely around 90 degrees in the barn or milking parlor as we shovelled and did heavy labour for hours on end.
What was my saving grace? Coconut water. As a laborer, I couldn’t afford to drink it straight up throughout the shift. I would mix it with water for perfect hydration. Although coconut water does have some sugar in it, I was working so hard on those shifts that it wasn’t a problem.
A number of years ago, I was living in Eastern India and travelled to Bangladesh. If you’ve ever lived in either of those countries, you will appreciate this: If they call coconut water a heatwave hack, then you gotta know it’s good!
How is coconut water a prep? Well, just checking my tetra packs, my coconut water is good for an entire year. Canned soda typically lasts only 6 months to a year. In a SHTF, I would be keeping some canned soda on hand, but only to trade for coconut-related items! Ha ha ha!
But there’s more! Those are just my regular uses of the wonderful coconut on my homestead on a regular basis. If you want more tips on why coconut oil is useful, check out this fantastic article by Daisy that offers you 80 MORE reasons to love the coconut and add it to your stockpile.
I’m Cuckoo for Coconuts!
Over time, I’ve really grown to love coconuts in all their forms. I believe that coconuts have enhanced my preparedness. Could you see yourself trying any of the uses of coconuts suggested here? Do you have your own favorite use that you can share with us? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.
About Rowan
Rowan O’Malley is a fourth-generation Irish American who loves all things green: plants (especially shamrocks), trees, herbs, and weeds! She challenges herself daily to live her best life and to be as fit, healthy, and prepared as possible.
The post Prepping Gold: Gone Nuts for Coconuts! appeared first on The Organic Prepper.
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