Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Thank you to www.tropicaltraditions.com for sending samples!

Note: For my 100% raw purist readers, this product is not raw. The coconut is only dried, but the peanuts are roasted. In my opinion, it’s totally worth the splurge, though!

You might remember a Tropical Traditions review and contest in the past here at Healing with (Raw) Juices…. Well, the folks at Tropical Traditions are so very kind and generous, they’ve sent more products for me to review – and give to you!

First up….

Organic Coconut Peanut Butter

Ingredients: Organic Dried Coconut, Organic Roasted Valencia Peanuts

Health Benefits of Dried Coconut

So, we know that fresh, raw coconut (and its oil) is fantabulous for our health, boasting benefits like: colon health, skin health, battling candida, promotes skin elasticity, healthy for your heart, and so much more. Coconut oil is also nature’s richest source of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs)!

But what about the dried coconut that’s used in this coconut peanut butter? I thought you might be curious about dried coconut if you weren’t familiar, so I swiped the following information from an article on the Tropical Traditions site: The Truth about “Raw” Dried Coconut

Dried or "desiccated" coconut is an established industry in the Philippines, with the largest companies being established back in the 1920s to handle the booming candy bar industry in the US. The Philippines produces most of the world’s dried coconut products, and has had a reputation of producing a very high quality product for many years. The meat of the coconut is high in protein, and fresh coconuts have a very short shelf life, especially in the humid tropics.

In the conclusion of this article, they state:

Raw coconut is very healthy and is best consumed from fresh coconuts within 24-48 hours of harvest. For those of us living outside the tropics, dried coconut is the next best thing. However, be careful where you purchase your dried coconut and investigate thoroughly to be sure it was processed according to industry standards to avoid potential contamination.

So, from my understanding, while fresh, raw coconut is ideal for optimum health benefits, dried coconut (when correctly processed) is next in line. That makes a gal feel good about gobbling up her coconut peanut butter for sure!

From the Tropical Traditions FAQ page:

While whole coconut does contain coconut oil, you would have to eat more by weight to get the equivalent amount of pure coconut oil.

Whole coconut contains more than just oil. It would include things like fiber, protein and sugar (natural sugar).

Some people could be allergic to whole coconut, and not be allergic to coconut oil, for example, because coconut oil does not contain protein. If you are trying to restrict sugar from your diet, you do have to account for the natural sugar in whole coconut as well. As to fresh coconuts, most coconuts you find in U.S. grocery stores are transported many miles and are no longer fresh. A freshly harvested coconut does not have a long shelf life, especially if the outer husk is removed down to the brown shell. Hence, many coconuts in U.S. stores may already be moldy. This is especially true for “young” immature coconuts. The best place to eat fresh, raw coconuts is in tropical climates where they grow, and right after they are harvested. Those outside the tropics might be better off eating dried coconut.

From the site:

Tropical Traditions Organic Coconut Peanut Butter is made from organic peanuts and organic coconut. Two ingredients: nothing else! No fillers, no binders, no sweeteners, and no preservatives.

The peanuts are 100% organic Valencia peanuts grown organically by family farmers in New Mexico and Texas. Grown in the dry climate of the southwestern United States, these peanuts are certified organic and free from aflatoxins.

The dried coconut is certified organic coconut meat from the Philippines from coconuts that are grown with no fertilizers or pesticides. This premium dried coconut contains no additives or preservatives, and is not sweetened.

Unlike most dried coconut on the market, our dried coconut products are not treated with sulfites to keep them white.

Together, these premium organic roasted peanuts and the premium organic dried coconut are ground together to make a delicious and nutritious spread!

Nutrition Information

Low, low carb, people!

Coconut Peanut Butter = Yummy to the Tummy!

I have seriously, wholeheartedly enjoyed every smidgen I’ve eaten of this yummy stuff. (I still have some left in the jar, but it’s a secret – don’t tell anyone!)

You might remember when I used coconut peanut butter as a fantabulous ingredient in my:

Coconut Peanut Butter Honey Overnight Oats

Or when I spruced up my banana soft serve with some coconut peanut butter and ended up with:

Coconut Peanut Butter Cream

You’ll notice that above in the overnight oats, the coconut peanut butter actually took on a creamy consistency, but in the coconut peanut butter cream (banana soft serve with cream of coconut added), when I drizzled the coconut peanut butter over it, it was “runny” (which is a good thing, in my opinion!) but then it hardened up. And boy, was it FUN to eat that way! LOVED it!

Here’s what Tropical Traditions has to say about the consistency situation:

Note: In warmer temperatures the oils will separate at the top of the jar. Simply mix them back in. If refrigerated, this product will become hard and difficult to spread. It is recommended to store this product out of the light in a cool place.

Other ways I enjoyed my coconut peanut butter:

• straight off the spoon
• drizzled over my salad like a dressing (it was sooooooooooooo good when it ran into the crevices of the kale!

This would also be fantabulous drizzled over raw cakes or cookies, or to make hardened candy. I’m sure it’d taste awesome in a smoothie, too!

 About Tropical Traditions – The Company

From the site:

Brian W. Shilhavy, BA, MA
Brian earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Bible/Greek from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, and his Master of Arts degree in linguistics from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. He is currently the CEO of Tropical Traditions, Inc.

Marianita Jader Shilhavy, BS, CND (Certified Nutritionist/Dietician in the Philippines) earned her bachelor of science degree in nutrition in Manila. Understanding the nutrition of Filipino foods, Marianita worked for over eight years as a hospital dietician and nutritional counselor in the Philippines.

In 1998 Brian  and Marianita returned to the Philippines with their three children and renovated Marianita’s old family farmhouse. By this time the coconut industry was severely depressed due to the negative U.S. campaigns against tropical oils in the 1980s and 1990s. Coconut farmers could no longer support their families on the income generated from harvesting coconuts.

The Tropical Traditions Line of Organic Foods and Healthy Products

Later, when our  family was forced to leave the Philippines, we had to adapt our eating and lifestyle from living in a rural agricultural area of the Philippines, where we had access to a local public market and fresh farm goods produced in our community and the areas surrounding it, to buying food on the shelves of stores where we had little or no knowledge of those who produced the food. As we settled back into life in the United States, I sought out healthy food sources that I felt we could trust to meet the nutritional and health needs of our family.

Finding good food sources and healthy products is an ongoing endeavor, and the products sold through Tropical Traditions are the products I have trusted to meet the needs of my own family. I won’t sell you products that I won’t use personally or give to my own children. With meats and dairy products, it is not enough to simply be "organic." We believe that animals raised on pasture are preferable to animals in feed lots eating organic grains and organic soy, and so we give preference to animals raised on grass and sunshine, and farmers practicing sustainable agriculture.

How are Products Chosen for Tropical Traditions?

We have a strong commitment to family farming and organic standards. But the organic label is not enough for us. We research and find out where the products are produced, and how they are produced. We find that some organic standards too loose for our trust, so we look beyond what is claimed on a label. We find out as much as possible about those who provide the products. And if a certain quality of product does not exist, we will work with others to produce that product and offer it to our consumers. We did that with Virgin Coconut Oil in the Philippines, and we are working on several other products both here in the US and outside the US that we plan to introduce to you soon.

We want you to feel safe when shopping in our online store, so we have a commitment to you to not sell anything that is harmful to the best of our knowledge. All of our foods are either certified organic or meet quality standards that are equal to or higher than organic certification. This is quite different from most health food stores, where you have to be "on your guard" as most of them offer conventional products right alongside organic products, because they want to offer a full selection of products to compete with regular grocery stores. We would rather offer fewer products, and stick to our high standards, so that you can feel safe when shopping here.

Tropical Traditions is constantly adding more products to offer its customers as we move forward and find people producing products that meet our high standards. We are already working with farmers to be able to drop ship products directly to your home from the farm. In time, we will also setup regional centers where you can pick up local food produced close to your community. In early 2006 we launched our Healthy Buyer’s Club that allows individuals and families to purchase bulk retail products for a significant savings. Join us today as we seek to restore traditional ways of producing healthy food and healthy products!

Pros

There are too many pros to mention, in my opinion!  I love the taste and that it’s so versatile. You can eat it so many different ways and it’s so fun to use as an ingredient!

Coconut is good for us and while peanut butter may not be everyone’s cup of tea, for those of you who love it like there’s no tomorrow, this is a great way to enjoy “peanut butter” while also sneaking in some added nutrition and fiber.

Cons

As always, the things I look out for on the “negative” aspect of my reviews are 1) price and 2) that it’s truly a Raw Juice Girl-worthy, healthy product.

As you can tell, I’m totally in favor of this product!

Warning: This stuff is highly addictive! It’s just soooooooooooo delicious – and knowing that it is actually good for you, makes you want to indulge even more!

Verdict/Grade

I think this product deserves an A+ because it’s delicious, fun, and is so cool that it is half coconut, half peanut butter! I also love the consistency and that it’s such a fun addition to desserts and other foods. Love, love, love it!!!

Want some for yourself?

Enter my Tropical Traditions contest: click HERE.

(for U.S. and Canada residents only – sorry international readers!)

If you can’t wait for the contest, you can nab a deal on this golden treat – it’s currently 50% off of its regular retail price of $14.99!

Referral Option

If you’d like to join the Tropical Traditions Healthy Buyer’s Club, visit www.healthybuyersclub.com/orderform.cfm

And enter Raw Juice Girl’s User ID number: 4845073

By following these steps, you will receive a complimentary copy of the book Virgin Coconut Oil: How it has changed people’s lives and how it can change yours! by Brian and Marianita Shilhavy.

Your sponsor (that’d be me! ) will receive a coupon for a complimentary gift to redeem on their next order.

You may view the current complimentary gift being offered here: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com//referral_program.htm

Further instructions can be found here.

Thanks again to www.tropicaltraditions.com!

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.