Wellness this Month at Amilla Maldives

20 August, 2022

Coconut oil was used for centuries in the Maldives in oil lamps, traditional ‘Dhivehi Beys’ herbal medicine, and to help make hair oil, soap, shampoo and moisturisers. And now the wider world is waking up to the incredible benefits of this new ‘new’ superfood and beauty hack.

Benefits of Coconut

With over 2,500 coconut trees at Amilla Maldives Resort and Residences, we decided to harness the ‘bounty’ (pun intended) of our coconuts by creating The Nut. The Nut is our new coconut processing facility. The coconut ‘meat’ is used to create unrefined cold-pressed organic coconut oil for the resort’s kitchens and our Javvu Spa. The flesh is used by our chefs in their delicious dishes such as Coconut Mushrooms from our Vegan Wellness Your Way menu in Fresh Restaurant. Not one single part is wasted, as even the husks are used for garden compost.

Models and stylists extol the virtues of using coconut oil on your hair between washes to help restore moisture and shine, while us mere mortals at Amilla can also attest it’s a lifesaver for transforming sun-frazzled hair.

Coconut oil is a great moisturiser and is also excellent for make-up removal. Just dip a cotton wool ball into a jar of it and smooth it over your face. It helps trap moisture beneath the skin surface and is mildly antibacterial.

Virgin coconut oil is packed with skin-nourishing fatty acids and polyphenols, and is an excellent carrier oil for massage. We mix it with our Javvu Spa’s divine blends of essential oils that are then used in massages and for making bath products at the Alchemy Bar.

Organic unrefined coconut oil adds a subtle layer of flavour to dishes and is highly resistant to oxidation at high heat. It’s better for you than cheap blended hydrogenated vegetable oil. It’s also thought to help raise your ‘good’ cholesterol and change your ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol into a benign subtype.

A little bit of coconut fat helps to balance your blood sugar levels and suppress cravings, so you’re less likely to binge on unhealthy treats. It’s already an integral part of the keto lifestyle. In one clinical study, 40 adults with obesity were asked to add 30ml of coconut oil per day to their diets. Within 12 weeks they found significant reductions in waist circumference.

We’re thrilled that by using Amilla’s bounty of coconuts it helps further enhance our Homegrown@Amilla and Homemade@Amilla programmes. Maybe you can try some of these ideas at home too.

Coconut Mushrooms

2 portions

300g sliced assorted mushrooms

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 sprig rosemary

½ small onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

100ml coconut cream

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onion, garlic and mushrooms in extra virgin olive oil with the rosemary. Once browned, add coconut cream and yeast and reduce heat, stirring until the cream and yeast are incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Turn off heat and serve with your favourite sourdough or almond bread. 

Amilla Maldives is noted for its wellness menus which are available alongside the main menus at every restaurant on the island. They offer guests a chance to keep up with their healthy eating lifestyles (or embark upon a new one), whether that may be keto, paleo, or any number of ‘eating lifestyles’. In 2021, Amilla was winner of Wellness Cuisine of the Year in the Destination Deluxe Awards.

Check Availability and Prices