Coconut Flour

What is Coconut Flour?
Made from the left overs of coconut milk, coconut flour is the ‘residue’. It is made from the meat of the coconut, which is dried, defatted and then finely ground to a powder consistency. Coconut flour is unlike any other flours as it is 58% fibre! This means it is 4 times higher in fibre than oat bran, 3 times higher than flaxseed meal and 2 times higher than oat bran.

Fibre has been strongly linked to aid digestion, promote heart health, reduce cholesterol, aid in detoxification, and protect against colorectal cancer, type 2 diabetes, overweight and obesity and possible overall mortality.

 Benefits of Coconut Flour

• Gluten Free
• High in Fibre
• Naturally sweet
• Grain free
• Low GI
• Low in carbohydrates
• Rich in nutrients
• Healthy and delicious
• Versatile
• Sulfite free
• Source of protein
• A little goes a long way!

How to use coconut flour
Because of the high fibre content replacing coconut flour in place of regular flour in a recipe often doesn’t work out. I suggest using a recipe until you become familiar with it. You will find when baking with it it absorbs a lot of water so the recipe is often a batter texture.

Coconut flour can be used for pancakes, breads, cookies, muffins and just about anything. It also makes a great crumb alternative for vegie burgers, meats or fish. Try delicious bread recipe below..

Coconut Flax Bread

Oven preheat: 200 degrees

 Ingredients:

•  ½ cup coconut flour sifted
• ½ cup flax seeds ground
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 5 eggs
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1tsp. apple cider vinegar
• Optional: pepitas, sunflowers, chia seeds

 Method:

1. Grease small loaf pan
2. Mix all dry ingredients together
3. Combine all wet ingredients
4. Add dry and wet ingredients together, batter will be thick
5. Pour into loaf pan and bake for 40 mins or until golden
6. Cool completely before slicing

Sources:
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Fibre_in_food