2014.6.14
The Testing Ground: Nuts about coconut.
If you haven’t heard about America’s love affair with coconut oil by now, you’ve probably been living under a rock for the past few years. So it’s no surprise that a company has turned coconut oil’s health-boosting properties into a snack that’s tasty, cute and easy to eat.
Nutiva is a brand that focuses on organic coconut, hemp, chia and red palm products. They offer everything from coconut flour to vegan buttery spreads. one of their newest products are little bite-sized, lightly sweetened treats called O’Coconut that contain 1 1/2 teaspoons of organic coconut oil in each one and are only 60 calories apiece.
The main nutrient Nutiva wants consumers to gain from this snack is a healthy dose of lauric acid, a good-for-you fatty acid that’s found in breast milk. They also provide an energy boost that can satisfy a sweet tooth.
It’s safe to say that if you don’t like coconut, you won’t like this product. However, if you’re like me and you get weird looks when you admit to Mounds being your favorite candy bar, this snack is just for you. O’Coconut treats taste a little like a Mounds bar, actually, but with much less sugar and no chocolate coating. You also could compare them to a soft coconut cookie. I loved the texture of the finely shredded coconut. The Hemp and Chia version has a slightly nutty flavor with a little bit of crunch, plus omega-3 benefits from the chia seeds.
While I doubt these little bites will do much to quell major hunger pangs, I think they’re great to throw in a purse or lunchbox so you always have a nutrition boost on hand. If you love coconut, O’Coconut bites also are ideal to add to the family candy bowl without worrying about unhealthy fat or sugar. O’Coconut is available at all Whole Foods locations and online at nutiva.com.