Monday, December 12, 2011

Aunt Patty's Organic Coconut Oil


Aunt Patty's -- Organic Coconut Oil

Coconut's have so many amazing properties. Coconut trees have been revered in tropical regions and called the tree of life because they have so many different uses (see my post on coconut water). One of the uses I will cover today is the oil. Coconut oil should be cold pressed, virgin and organic if you are wanting to attain its health benefits. The unrefined version of this oil can be used for cooking, internally, and topically. I have personally used coconut oil for baking, sauteing, tropical, Thai or eastern dishes. I also use it internally for a boost of energy and to aid in weight loss. It can be melted into its liquid state and be rubbed onto your skin to alleviate dryness and will kill certain types of fungal infections on the skin. Aunt Patty's Organic Coconut Oil is the most economical of the brands I have found and is a local company. Dr, Bruce Fife has written several books on the uses of coconut oil and coconut products, I suggest going to the coconut research center to learn more. I give this product 5/5 stars.



Thursday, December 8, 2011

Coconut Almond Kind Bars

ALMOND & COCONUT

Looking for a low glycemic, energy raising, appetite appeasing, taste satisfying, nutrition bar? I love coconut and I love almonds so when I seen the coconut almond bar by Kind, I was excited to try it. It had big shavings of coconut and toasted almonds, with a lightly sweetened finish. I was surprised that it didn't make me feel sick after eating it like most energy or nutrition bars do, as they are usually full of sugar or filler ingredients. The only thing I would change is the soy lecithin. I am not a big fan of un-fermented soy products for various reasons. They are really sticky too, so a word of caution goes out to those with fillings, I don't have any fillings (no pun intended), but I know my husband would have a hard time chewing these up. I give this product 4/5 stars.


ALMOND & COCONUT
We look better nakedTM
Ingredients : Almonds, dried coconut, honey, non GMO glucose, puffed rice, chicory fiber, soy lecithin.
Vitamins and Minerals : Vitamin A (0% DV), Vitamin C (0% DV), Calcium (4% DV), Iron (6% DV)
Serving Size : 1 Bar (40g)
  • Calories :

    210
  • Fat Calories :

    120
  • Total Fat :

    13g
  • Saturated Fat :

    6g
  • Trans Fat :

    0g
  • Cholesterol :

    0mg
  • Sodium :

    10mg
  • Potassium :

  • Total Carb :

    19g
  • Dietary Fiber :

    4g
  • Sugars :

    10g
  • Protein :

    4g

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Numi Moroccan Mint Tea

I am not particularly a mint tea kind of girl, but I have to say this is quite possibly the best Mint tea I have tasted yet. It's not that I don't like the taste of mint, it's just that I never had a mint tea that didn't taste bitter or hay like. We used to have mint growing all over at my childhood home in California. As kids, my brother and I would eat the leaves right off the plant. While searching for a decaffeinated tea for my cleanse I was on, I saw Numi's Moroccan Mint was on sale. The label stated that it was hand picked and organically grown in Africa and is the sweeter "Nana Mint" variety. The other teas that were on my list given to me by my doctor were not sounding appealing. I had to choose between mint, fenugreek, dandelion, ginger, or comfrey. Peppermint sounded like the best choice. I did a little research on the benefits of mint to see why it would be on the suggested list of herbal teas. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center here are just a few of the benefits:

"In test tubes, peppermint kills some types of bacteria, fungus, and viruses, suggesting it may have antibacterial, anti fungal, and antiviral properties. Several studies support the use of peppermint for indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome"

They also site it as being useful for tension headaches, lowering blood sugar, reducing cold & flu symptoms, and is soothing when used on certain skin irritations.

Whether you are using it for it's medicinal properties or just drink it for the taste, Numi's Moroccan Mint is worth a try.

Source:
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/peppermint-000269.htm