Health Benefits of COCONUT FLOUR Part 2

What Health Nutrients are in Coconut Flour?

Minerals: Coconut flour is a source of electrolytes because it is rich in ions such as manganese, calcium, selenium, phosphorus and potassium—these minerals have shown to lower blood pressure and aid in the elimination of toxins from the body.

A Chelator*: Coconut flour can thus be considered a chelator because of its ability to remove (detoxify) metals from the body. The two minerals in greatest concentration, phosphorus and potassium, are necessary minerals for many functions including supporting bone and nerve health as well as maintaining a healthy digestive system.

*Chelation is a type of bonding of ions and molecules to metal ions. It involves the formation or presence of two or more separate coordinate bonds between a polydentate (multiple bonded) ligand and a single central atom.

Chelates play important roles in oxygen transport and in photosynthesis. A chelating agent is a substance whose molecules can form several bonds to a single metal ion. In other words, a chelating agent is a multidentate ligand.

Amino Acids: Amino acids are often referred to as the building blocks of life because they are the foundation upon which proteins are created. Consider a Lego kit for example. Imagine each block represents an amino acid that when attached with another amino acid in the correct order, can produce a truck, perhaps a building, or individual characters. Each block has its purpose and I am sure I don't need to explain how much disappointment a missing block can create, and as such a missing amino acid does not allow for rejuvenation.

The body breaks down consumed protein into amino acids and then absorbs it. It is used to build muscles and organs, to make hormones and antibodies, to be stored as fat, and to be burned as energy.

Although our bodies naturally synthesize amino acids, some essential amino acids must be sourced from food. Coconut flour provides 18 various amino acids necessary in promoting human health including valine, arginine, tyrosine, leucine, lysine and glutamic acid.

Amino acids work together to keep the entire body and its various systems functioning through growth and repair. The following provides a few examples of the important roles of amino acids in promoting health:

• Valine: Essential amino acid required for muscle growth. The reason why you feed your body a high protein smoothie after an intense workout is to provide the torn muscles the amino acids they require for repair and growth. After all, why would you want to do all of that hard work and not receive any of the benefits that healing provides?
• Arginine: Supports circulation and reduces discomfort resulting from diabetes and arthritis. Arginine also acts like an antioxidant by reducing lipid peroxidation, which is a harmful process that creates cell damage from free-radicals.
• Lysine: Essential amino acid, which is vital for scalp and hair health.
• Glutamic Acid: Although this amino acid is produced by the body, athletes involved in rigorous training benefit from added glutamic acid for muscle health.

Vitamins: Dried coconut meat contains 12 vitamins readily available for absorption by the human body including:

• folate
• manganese
• calcium
• selenium
• vitamin B-6, B-1
• potassium
• copper
• iron
• phosphorous
• niacin
• vitamin C - greatest in concentration

Vitamin C is excreted in urine and, therefore, your body requires this necessary vitamin to be continuously supplied through food.

Aside from the other various roles' vitamin C is responsible for, it is also vital in tissue growth and repair, and as an antioxidant. Antioxidants scavenge the body seeking free radicals, which create inflammation and age our cells and our appearance. Especially if you do not consume other sources of vitamin C daily from fruits and vegetables, it is essential to supplement your diet with a source of vitamin C to prevent common colds, illness, inflammatory conditions and cancer.

Stay tuned. In my next article I'll describe how flours affect blood sugar and a bit about my personal odyssey in developing Trauma-induced Type-2 Diabetes.

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