Recently we were sent some lovely goodies from Cocofina but before I get started on those I'll tell you a bit about their background. Cocofina began back in 2005 when the founder Jacob was sipping from a coconut on a beach in Brazil. He was looking to escape the corporate world and was holding the answer in his hands. The company has a 'Natural Vision' which is 'to minimise on any additives and be honest to customers'.
As well as coconut water they also produce a selection of other products.
Coconut Oil & Sugar
I was really keen to try both the coconut oil and sugar, they both have a number of different uses.
Cocofina's coconut oil (£6.99) can be used to bake, fry, spread and moisturise. I have used it for baking and frying. I've most recently used it for roasting potatoes and could taste the difference from cooking with other oils. It's quite a distinctive flavour but pleasant, I will use it again to cook roasties! I know coconut oil is well known among beauty bloggers for it's variety of uses so I have been trying it out in the beauty department too! I have been using it as a night time moisturiser, you only need a tiny amount as it's obviously very oily. I was concerned that it might bring out some spots as it is oily but it hasn't at all. I think for me personally it makes my skin look brighter in the mornings. I've also been told its great for balancing out the natural oils on your skin too. Next I want to try it as a hair mask as other bloggers have raved about it.
The coconut sugar (£6.99) is a must for clean eaters with a sweet tooth, as an alternative to sugar it has a low glycemic index (GI) of 35. I've been using it to sweeten porridge for both myself and Eliot and it does the job. I've also used it to bake peanut butter cookies which were yummy!
I hadn't tried plain coconut water (£1.19 200ml) before even though I have friends who speak highly of it so I was intrigued to find out what it tasted like. I found it refreshing and was pleasantly surprised with the taste of it. I would say its quite unique and may not appeal to everyone but it's a great drink to help stay hydrated. it's naturally isotonic and contains electrolytes. And for those of you who still like to party hard, it's a great hangover cure.
I also had the chance to try some of the flavoured waters (£1.99) which are ideal if you're not too keen on plain coconut water but still want the benefits. All were nice and refreshing, my favourite flavour was Mango & Guava. Another plus is the low calorie content!
Organic Snack Bars
Lastly, I also tried some organic snack bars, coconut macaroon bar, coconut & date bar and coconut & cocoa bar. I wasn't keen on the coconut & date or coconut & cocoa bars, they just weren't to my particular taste. I did however love the coconut macaroon bar which tasted a bit like a bounty without the chocolate! I would definitely buy it for a healthy snack and the bars would be great for lunchboxes!
Overall I've really liked the Cocofina range, I think they offer great alternatives for those embarking on (or already on) a healthier lifestyle.
Have you tried any of the Cocofina range?
* I was sent the products for the purpose of the review, all opinions are my own
