Coconut rice for health

 Coconut has been lauded as a health elixir of sorts.

Coconuts are highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5, and B6, and minerals including iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous.

Coconut Rice

Coconut oil contains lauric acid which helps raise beneficial HDL cholesterol. Lauric acid is als0 converted in the body into monolaurin, an antiviral and antibacterial that destroys a wide variety of disease-causing organisms.

One cup of coconut water contains more than 10 percent of your daily dose of potassium and is an important treatment for acute diarrhea in the developing world.

You can make your own coconut milk by using the following recipe from BBC Good Food:

Take water and unsweetened coconut flakes. Heat the water (make sure it doesn’t boil), add the flakes, and blend. Pour through a colander to filter out the coconut pulp, then squeeze through a cheesecloth to filter out the smaller pieces of coconut. Use immediately or store in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Use the coconut milk for some coconut rice (wali wa nazi):

Ingredients for Coconut Rice

2 cups jasmine rice ( or any rice you choose to use)
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Rinse and drain rice in cold water. Place in a saucepan with water, coconut milk, and salt. Place the pot over high heat and, bring the liquid to a boil. Stir and reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and cover the pot tightly with the lid. Continue cooking for 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand 10 minutes, covered. Fluff with a fork and serve. (Source: Food Network)Don’t forget to visit us on Facebook and Twitter. We highlight lots of great deals on our website and Foursquare, so don’t forget to check in each time you visit us, to unlock additional specials.