FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have an Ethical Policy for sourcing your coconut ingredients?
Yes, we do! Please get in touch at enquiry@thecoconutcompany.co if you’d like a copy.
Where do your coconut products originate?
We source our lovely coconuts primarily from The Philippines, but we also purchase from Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Indonesia. We visit every supplier to check the working and factory conditions before purchasing anything, to ensure they meet our Ethical Sourcing Policy. We are proud to work with a number of suppliers who are changing their local communities by investing revenue back into community projects. See our article here about one such lovely factory.
What are ‘Coconut Aminos’?
Coconut Aminos are a delicious alternative to soy-based sauces, made from the sap of the coconut tree. The term was coined some time ago, to celebrate the abundance of ‘amino acids’ present in the raw coconut sap.
Our Coconut Aminos offer a health benefit over soy sauce, as they are naturally fermented (keeping them ‘pure’ and additive-free), soy-free and lower in salt than typical soy sauce. Our Aminos contain coconut sap, garlic, salt and coconut sugar to offer a unique umami flavour, yet remain Vegan-friendly, gluten and soy-free. Our sauces are always 100% naturally fermented, crafted from raw coconut sap in small batches.
What are the benefits of Coconut Aminos?
As well as being delicious, there are a whole bunch of health benefits associated with the juicy nutrients found in coconut sap. Firstly, amino acids are important in terms of your body’s repair processes, in recovering from illness or injury, as they are the building blocks of protein. Coconut sap is bursting with lots of amino acids and so they are also present in our Coconut Amino sauces. Secondly, the low GI (glycaemic index) of our Coconut Aminos means it won’t wreak havoc with your blood sugar levels. Thirdly, Coconut Aminos contain an abundance of potassium, which is essential to maintain healthy organs, including normal brain function. Fourthly, Coconut Aminos typically contain less sodium than soy sauce meaning you get all the flavour without big bad Mr Salt. Lastly (but not least), our Coconut Aminos are soy and gluten free, which means they are great for individuals hunting out allergen-free offerings.
How do you make Coconut Nectar?
Coconut Nectar is simply coconut sap heated over a period of time to produce a sweet, caramel syrup. We never use reconstituted coconut sugar and only buy pure coconut nectar from coconut sap. Harvesting Coconut Nectar is an art, as it needs to be tapped quickly before the sap starts to ferment. The Sap is typically collected either early morning, or at dusk, when the sun is low and there is less chance that it will start to ferment.
If Coconut palms are used for Sap collection, the trees are less likely to bear fruit (i.e. produce coconuts). This is an advantage to local communities, as coconut sap collecting trees will typically be nurtured close to housing or community buildings, so there’s less chance of coconuts falling.
How can I use Coconut Milk Powder?
Use our coconut milk powder wherever you’d use coconut milk – in curries, smoothies, porridge, hot drinks, desserts and sauces. Simply mix with hot water and whisk to your desired consistency. If using in a hot drink, it’s best to make it into a paste first, by pouring hot water on top and stirring. Don’t add it directly into coffee or tea, as it’ll take time to dissolve, due to the high coconut oil content!
What are the benefits of Coconut Vinegar?
Coconut Vinegar can be made by either fermenting coconut sap, or coconut water. We only supply Coconut Vinegar that is made from pure coconut sap, as we believe it’s a better product. Coconut sap is more nutritionally dense than coconut water and is higher in natural sugars (which means it ferments without adding additional fermentation agents, or additives). We also prefer the taste of vinegar made from coconut sap, as it’s less tangy.
Coconut sap is remarkable. Not just for how it’s harvested and its sustainability. But even without the fermentation process, this stuff rocks. Like apple cider vinegar it’s full of acetic acid which has been shown to help balance blood sugar levels. That same acetic acid helps to reduce hunger. It could even help switch off those pesky genes which cause us to store fat. Coconut sap is also rich in potassium which is linked to reduced risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure and helps keep vital organs healthy. Lastly, we insist on keeping the ‘Mother gel’ in our vinegar, as that’s the good stuff that kick starts the fermentation process and holds the ‘live’ bacteria that our tummy loves.
How should I bake with coconut flour?
Coconut Flour is highly absorbent and so needs a lot of moisture when used in baking. It works well when combined with other gluten-free flours, such as almond. It’s best to use recipes specific to Coconut Flour and don’t simply replace standard flour with Coconut Flour, as the recipe may become too dense, or flat. Have a google for coconut flour recipes – there’s dozens out there!
Can you ship internationally?
We only ship retail products within the UK at present.
Do you use recyclable packaging?
Yes, all of our products come in recyclable packaging. We also try to minimise the packaging used in our web store orders and pledge that this will also be recyclable.
Do you use monkeys to pick your coconuts?
No. We are a Vegan company.