Organic coconut flour

Coconuts provide us with delicious flesh, clear coconut water, coconut milk, and high-quality oil. The flesh is available fresh, dried, and grated, as flakes, and, last but not least, as coconut flour. The nut’s bright white, fibrous flesh can be eaten raw. It is very rich in fat and nutrients. Coconuts are very popular because of their distinctive, pleasant flavor and versatility. In Asian cuisine, coconut is an important ingredient in many dishes. The milk takes the edge off the dishes’ intense spiciness. Coconut flour, which we use in our BERTRAND drinkable meals, is also becoming increasingly popular because it is gluten-free, lactose-free, vegan, high in protein, and low in carbohydrates. It has good baking properties and can replace up to 25 percent of the amount of “regular” flour. We use coconut flour primarily because of its highly balanced blend of minerals.

How organic coconut flour is made

Botanically speaking, the coconut is not actually a nut, but a one-seeded drupe. It grows on the tropical tree “Cocos nucifera,” which can reach heights of up to 30 meters. The leaves of the coconut palm grow at the top of its unbranched trunk and form strongly pinnate fronds. From the sixth or seventh year onward, inflorescences develop in the axils of the leaves.
Producing coconut flour requires great care and craftsmanship.

1. CULTIVATION

   For optimal growth, the coconut palm needs a warm, humid climate. It cannot tolerate frost at all. The inflorescences contain around 40 female flowers and several thousand male flowers. Wind, bees, wasps, and ants ensure pollination. The fruit takes around 12 to 15 months to develop. Growing it in mixed cultures enriches the soil with nutrients, which, in organic farming, makes it possible to avoid chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

   WARM AND FROST-FREE

2. HARVEST

   Coconuts can be harvested year-round because the tree bears fruit at different stages of ripeness at the same time. Each tree can produce up to 80 fruits per year. The highest yield is not reached until after the twelfth fruiting cycle. Harvesting is not without danger. In some cases, knives attached to several-meter-long poles are used to make the nuts fall from the palm. Due to their weight and speed of descent, the nuts become dangerous projectiles and can cause the most severe injuries if they strike the harvest workers. In some regions, people also climb the trees and cut down the nuts. In certain areas, trained monkeys carry out the harvest.

   AROUND 80 COCONUTS PER TREE

3. COLD PRESSING

   The inside of the fruit—the white flesh—is used to make coconut flour. Coconuts have a very high fat content of around 33 percent. Flour cannot be made from such a fatty mass. Therefore, after harvesting, the coconut is first stripped of its outer layers. The flesh is then finely grated and gently defatted using a careful cold-pressing process. This produces high-quality virgin coconut oil. Coconut oil is solid at temperatures up to approximately 25°C and only liquefies at warmer temperatures. It should be distinguished from coconut fat, which is made from dried coconut flakes. This has largely lost its characteristic aroma and flavor.

   WE WANT THE FLOUR

4. DRYING AND MILLING

   After the coconut flesh has been pressed and defatted, what remains is known as the press cake. These press cakes are dried until only a small amount of residual moisture remains in the mass. The fine organic coconut flour is then milled from it. No additives or preservatives are added to the flour. It arrives at our facility in packaging protected from light and air. When stored in a cool place, it remains fresh for several months.

   WITHOUT ADDITIVES OR PRESERVATIVES

But why coconut?

Coconuts are characterized by an excellent mix of nutrients, which are still present in the flour thanks to the gentle processing. Only the originally very high fat content is reduced to around 12 percent in the flour. At the same time, coconut flour is a genuinely low-carb product, as it contains approximately 16 percent carbohydrates and is therefore very low in carbs. At BERTRAND, we value organic coconut flour for its ingredients.

Does BERTRAND taste like coconut?

The taste of coconut flour does not play a role in our products. Coconut flour does not have a pronounced flavor like fresh coconut or products made from the flesh, such as shredded coconut, coconut flakes, or coconut oil. The flour's own flavor is rather mild and does not overpower other aromas.

Vitamins

Coconuts contain vitamins B1, B2, and B6, folic acid, as well as vitamins C and E. The B vitamins are considered important “nerve vitamins”; they support the immune system and energy metabolism. Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, combats free radicals and supports the formation of connective tissue, bones, and cartilage. Vitamin E is also considered an antioxidant and supports the immune system. However, the vitamins have their special effect in combination with the minerals found in coconut flour.

Minerals

The coconut’s special blend of nutrients, which is also found in the flour, contains the minerals and trace elements magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, zinc, sodium, manganese, and phosphate. Magnesium ensures smooth signal transmission to the muscles and is involved in the release and storage of hormones. Potassium regulates the body’s water balance. Calcium is the most important component of the skeletal system. Iron transports oxygen in the blood and muscles and plays a central role in blood formation. As part of the antioxidant defense system, zinc stimulates the immune system. The alkali metal sodium is involved in acid-base balance and regulates enzyme activity. Manganese supports the formation of connective tissue and regulates carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. Phosphorus provides energy and is a building block of genetic material. Many of the vitamins and minerals contained in coconut flour depend on one another for their optimal effect.

Protein

Coconut flour contains approximately 17 percent protein. This is significantly higher than, for example, wheat flour. In our BERTRAND active variant in particular, coconut flour is therefore a welcome ingredient for increasing the protein content. Proteins are broken down in the body every day and must be replaced. Dietary proteins are needed to supply the body with all the essential amino acids required for building cells and muscles. All organs, bones and cartilage, skin, and hair also need an adequate amount of protein.

Fiber

Eating 30 grams of fiber every day is the recommendation of the leading nutrition societies. Today’s diet rarely meets this amount. With the daily serving, BERTRAND drinking meals guarantee the recommended intake of fiber, and organic coconut flour contributes to this. Coconut flour contains an impressive 39 grams of fiber per 100 grams of flour.
Fiber is highly important for gut health and well-functioning digestion. It prolongs the feeling of fullness and affects carbohydrate metabolism. For example, it helps keep blood sugar levels stable.