Remember roasted "candied" coconut chips from carnivals or the stands in the city? Ahhh that aroma... It just entices your senses and makes your mouth water.
I remember when I lived in -Nu Yawrk City {inser accent}-my family and I had a tradition almost every year. We'd go see the Rocketts or the Christmas show, and then grab some dinner from any of the awesome restaurants in the area. From time to time we would plan to get "dessert". Yep, I am talking about roasted nuts and candied coconut chips from the stands. The best ever- well until now.
There is nothing better than memories with loved ones. We'd always make it a whole night affair that culminated with a nice walk around the city before heading home.
Fortunately, those days are over. No, I am not talking about watching the Christmas shows- those I still go see on occasion. I am talking about the roasted nuts and candied coconut chips from the street vendors... Yep, those days are over. Why do you ask?
Well, on my quest to a healthier lifestyle and that of my family, I realized the original version isn't healthy despite the fact that the ingredients are considered "healthy snacks"- nuts and coconuts.
See, what we forget is that the delicious roasted nuts and candied coconut chips are made most likely with canola, peanut or worse yet; GMO soybean oil. As if that isn't bad enough, what is it that gives that caramel color and flavor? You guessed it- sugar.
That combination may seem harmless but it is quite the opposite. Here is why:
- Sugar and processed oils develop chronic inflammation leading to diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, joint pain, eczema, coronary artery disease, and Cancer.
- Fried foods keep your sugar levels very high for over 24 hours. That is especially bad for Diabetics
Chronic Inflammation + sugar + cholesterol = Plaque
GMO products have been linked to organ damage and even cancer
This study links heated vegetable oils with cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and vascular inflammation.
The quality of dietary oils and fats has been widely recognized to be inextricably linked to the pathogenesis of CVD. Vegetable oil is one of the essential dietary components in daily food consumption. However, the benefits of vegetable oil can be deteriorated by repeated heating that leads to lipid oxidation.
The practice of using repeatedly heated cooking oil is not uncommon as it will reduce the cost of food preparation. Thermal oxidation yields new functional groups that may be potentially hazardous to cardiovascular health.
Prolonged consumption of the repeatedly heated oil has been shown to increase blood pressure and total cholesterol, cause vascular inflammation as well as vascular changes that predispose to atherosclerosis.
The harmful effect of heated oils is attributed to products generated from lipid oxidation during the heating process.
PMID: 24632108
Now the good news.
You no longer have to wait to go to a special place to get these copycat "candied" coconut chips. They are decadent, crunchy, sweet, but with much healthier ingredients.
This version will satiate your need for a sweet snack without compromising your health goals.
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Have you tried coconut chips? Are there any memories attached to them? Do share within the comments below. I'd love to hear about your experiences.
To your best health,