Omega Nutrition Virgin Coconut Flour - 17.5 oz.

COCONUT FLOUR - Organic, Virgin

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Now you really can have your cake and eat it too! Omega Nutrition's Certified Organic Virgin Coconut Flour makes food naturally sweet and rich tasting without the guilt. Coconut Flour is gluten-free, a good source of dietary fiber and is a suitable product for people on restricted carbohydrate diets. Try Omega Nutrition's Certified Organic Virgin Coconut Flour in cakes, muffins, cookies, smoothies, buns and bread.

Coconut flour is uniquely different from all other wheat alternatives. It is naturally low in digestible carbohydrates and contains no gluten. It has less carbohydrates than soy or nut flours while high in fiber and a good source of protein. Coconut flour is 4 times higher in fiber than oat bran, 2 times higher in fiber than wheat bran, and 3 times higher in fiber than ground flaxseed. Unlike other fibers, coconut flour/fiber can be used as a flour to make delicious bakery products and main dishes that are much tastier than other wheat alternatives. Coconut flour also contains more protein than white or rye flour and cornmeal. It has about as much protein as you find in buckwheat and whole wheat flours.Breads made with coconut flour are light and soft and have a wonderful taste and texture.

Coconut Flour vs Alternative Flours
Wheat alternatives are usually flours made from rice, soy or potatoes. Even though these products do not contain gluten, most substitutes for wheat are still high in carbohydrates. Unfortunately, the taste and texture of products made with wheat alternatives are not nearly as appetizing as the products they replace. In addition, these products are often loaded with flavor enhancers and sweeteners to help make them more palatable. Normally, products made with wheat alternatives are enjoyed only by those who are forced to do without wheat and have no choice.

Coconut Flour/Fiber and Digestive Health
Fiber is the house-cleaner of the digestive tract. Many studies have discovered a direct relationship between high-fiber diets and digestive health. Fiber is one of natures ways of keeping our intestines clean, healthy and functioning smoothly.

In addition, a healthy colon is home to an abundance of micro organisms. Good bacteria (probiotic flora) live off fiber in our foods. They produce by-products for us that are very beneficial, such as certain vitamins and short chain fatty acids. These nutrients especially benefit cells lining the intestinal tract and support good intestinal health.

Coconut Flour as a Functional Food
Functional foods are those that provide health benefit beyond their basic nutrition. According to Dr. P. Trinidad of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), coconut flour is rich in dietary fiber that slows the digestion and assimilation of carbohydrates contained in food it is added to, while aiding in the digestion and absorption of vitamins and minerals. The physical and chemical properties of dietary fiber have an important role in the release and absorption of nutrients in the Gastro-Intestinal Tract (GIT).

In her research, Dr Trinidad used three parameters to determine the functionality of coconut flour as food: fermentability, mineral availability, and the glycemic index. The fermentability showed that there is a significantly greater dietary fiber content in the coconut flour than other local fiber sources like banana, cassava, wheat and rice flours. She also found that the minerals available in coconut flour are: iron, zinc, calcium, and phytic and tannic acids. Moreover, as coconut flour itself is already a good source of dietary fiber, it does not affect the mineral content of other food when the coconut flour serves as an additive. Thus, she believes coconut flour is a promising functional food.