“Thala is effectively an 145 acre private sanctuary where wildlife specialists offer interpretive eco-tourism,” she said. “We do have guests who book day tours to enjoy many of the regional highlights, however more and more we are seeing people choose Thala as a ‘destination within a destination’ where they are perfectly happy and occupied on the property with the free activities on offer,” said Michelle Behsman.

Nature and wildlife walks, bird watching tours, a unique coconut plantation odyssey, outdoor star gazing, tree planting and authentic cultural presentations by local Aboriginal elders are available to all guests free of charge.

“We also offer sea kayaking from our private beach where turtle, dugongs and the odd snubnose dolphin are regular visitors,” said Michelle Behsman. “Yoga classes are available, and spa treatments in the natural surrounds are a popular choice – the feeling of being luxuriously  pampered in the heart of the forest always makes for relaxed and happy guests!”

Thala Beach Lodge was  invited to join ECO Lodges of Australia as a founding member.  ECOLOA is made up of independent camps and lodges with advanced ecotourism certification offering travelers responsible, ethical and sustainable ECO experiences in Australia’s most inspiring and extraordinary natural locations.

Guests cocooned at Thala Beach Lodge orginally posted on Thala Beach Lodge

Coconut Chocolate Recipe

Now that I have your attention we’ll get to the chocolate in a moment.

Many people believe coconuts are bad because they contain saturated fat, personally I’ll never believe saturated fat is bad for anyone but that makes for another blog.

The saturated fat in coconuts is unique in that it contains medium chain fatty acids, ( MCFA’S) making it very easily digested travelling through the portal vein into the liver, thus converting to energy & speeding up metabolism. This can result in the lowering of body fat just by consuming coconut products, ie the meat, oil, cream, milk etc.

Information claiming that coconuts contain cholesterol is false as plants do not contain cholesterol & statements claiming that saturated fats are similar to trans- fats, are misleading, & for anyone familiar with basic chemistry knows this is bad science. MCFA’S contain only about 8-10 carbons, which are medium chains. The other fats are long chain fatty acids containing 18-20 carbons, making them harder to digest & adding to body fat.

Coconut oil is 50% lauric acid which forms monolaurin in the body, this creates the antiviral, antibacterial monoglyceride that will destroy lipid coated viruses such as HIV, herpes, influenza, various bacteria & so on.

So with benefits like this I and my partner Melanie eat a coconut every day. We cook with the oil, milk and cream, we use desiccated coconut for our desserts and I even drink the oil. Mel is not fond of drinking oil so to get her oil she has come up with a delicious recipe for chocolate which may be the worlds first fat loss chocolate.

Ingredients are:
1/3 cup of coconut oil
1/3 cup of organic cocoa powder
2 eggs, separated
Stevia (to your own taste)
Desiccated coconut

In a mixing bowl, whisk egg whites until firm.
In a separate bowl, combine the coconut oil, cocoa powder & stevia. Blend until smooth, then add the egg yolks 1 at a time, stirring continuously.
Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, in 2 batches.
Once combined, spoon into a small glass container (roughly 10cmX10cm), that has been lined with cling wrap.
Sprinkle with desiccated coconut, gently patting it into the chocolate with your fingers.
Refrigerate for 2 hours to set, then cut into bite size pieces!
Enjoy!

Carl

Coconut Chocolate orginally posted on Thala Beach Lodge

Green Coconuts

Young green coconuts contain a liquid that’s often confused with coconut milk. Coconut milk comes from the flesh, unlike the water which is the endosperm. Young green coconut water is the most sterile liquid in nature. It has been proven to have the same electrolyte balance as the blood passing through our veins, which would be why during the First & Second World Wars it was intravenously fed to patients when glucose & plasma supplies were low.

Being high in calcium, magnesium & potassium, it’s a delicious rehydrating liquid. People say bananas are a great source of potassium, but 100mls of green coconut water has an amount of potassium equivalent to 15 bananas. Green coconut water also contains cytokinins, a more concentrated amount than any other food source. These are the cells D.N.A protective agents. Researchers believe that it is an anti-ageing tonic.

Coconut water contains a complex blend of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, carbohydrates, antioxidants, enzymes, health enhancing growth hormones & other important nutrients.

I feel very lucky that my path in life led me to working at Thala’s coconut plantation, giving me & guests on the tours, an unlimited supply of green coconuts. I’ve also noticed some supermarkets stocking green coconuts & some carry coconut water.

Coconut Kefir Recipe

This is a favourite drink of mine!

Fill a 1 litre, glass container with coconut water, add a little kefir culture & then seal the lid.

Let it sit for 24 hours on a bench, then 12 hours in the fridge.

It’s ready to drink! This fizzy, sour, champagne like drink has the bacteria that’s missing in our Western diet. It gives me the foundations to build my immune system & health!

Thanks for reading,

Carl!!

Young Green Coconuts orginally posted on Thala Beach Lodge

Carl talking Coconuts

Carl Johanson is our resident Coconut guru + his Coconut Odyssey tour is proving to be a hit! There are many amazing benefits and myths surrounding Coconuts and Carl is on a mission to convert the world to Coconuts! A huge hit with guests, Carl has been included in NineMSN’s Australia’s most eccentric Tour Guides.

Carl shared some of his thoughts over a cooling Coconut…

Q. Where do coconuts come from…

A. Different cultures have claimed ownership of coconuts. Here in Australia people have been destroying coconut palms saying they are not native, but recent fossilized evidence off the coast of Australia points to the origins being between here and Papua New Guinea.

Q. What got me hooked…

A. I love the taste of coconuts. But I got hooked when I learnt that coconut does not make fat, but instead helps to burn it and as a result has given me a nice 6 pack. You gotta get hooked on that!

Q. Nutritional benefits…

A. There are too many to list them all, but the best would be-

- Speeds up metabolism
- Antiviral, Antibacterial & Antifungal properties
- Builds the immune system

And I believe the best quality food left on this planet! Just think the fruit is up high so no pests can affect it, therefore no Herbicides or Pesticides are required. They’ll grow in the sand, needing no fertilizer and don’t need to be genetically modified.

Q. Why you should take the tour…

A. It’s the only coconut tour in Australia. A great opportunity to learn amazing facts about coconuts, and dispel the myths suppressing this miracle food.

Coconuts are a hit with Carl! orginally posted on Thala Beach Lodge