Not long ago, coconuts were a culinary afterthought, most often sugared, dried and added to confections. You might have bought one fresh, speared with a straw, on a tropical getaway—then found that reliving those memories with a locally bought coconut often ended in frustration (or worse) when efforts to open the shell failed by conventional means. Coconuts may have kept the passengers and crew of the S.S. Minnow alive for three seasons, but most people aren't willing to work quite that hard for the admittedly delicious fruit (technically, coconuts are not a true nut, but a fruit and a seed known as a "dry drupe.")

More recently, coconut oil got a bad rap for being an allegedly heart-unhealthy saturated fat, but researchers have determined that while it is true that coconuts are high in saturated fat, it would be a mistake to lump them in the same category as a 24-ounce Porterhouse.

Coconut oil is a medium-chain fatty acid, which means that it is absorbed in our bodies far differently than animal-based saturated fat. In fact, research suggests coconut oil can actually increase your energy and metabolism, and it also contains anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties.

Sophia Gartland, a mother of four children ranging in age from 10 to 3, likes coconut oil so much, she decided to build a business around it.

A Montana native who grew up inside the borders of Yellowstone National Park (her father was a federal judge assigned to the park), Gartland decided she needed a change back in 2010 and found herself living in North Kingstown.

She had long been interested in the newfound health benefits of coconut oil, and she began mixing her own coconut butters in her blender at home, where she was spending plenty of time as the mother of a new baby. She experimented with different blends and flavors, and was encouraged by the positive feedback of friends and family. "People thought they were so good I should try to sell them," says Gartland, "but it wasn't until my son was a little older that I felt ready to make it more than a hobby."

Gartland calls her company Essentially Coconut, and her label has a fun, tropical vibe. It's the result of a unique internet-based resource for design and packaging work called 99 Designs. "Basically, you run a contest and people submit their preliminary designs. You pay when you see things you like—then the real effort comes in." Gartland says she got lots of great designs, and the ultimate winner was created by a woman in California. "She sent me exactly what I was looking for."

In addition to Original Coconut butter she produces Sweet Almond Coconut, Honey Pecan Coconut, and Creamy Cashew Coconut. She sells her product at local markets including Tom's in Warren, The Pantry at Avenue N in Rumford, and Fitness Fusion in Bristol; as well as Olive DelMundo in Providence, Dave Markets in East Greenwich, Kingston and Wickford, and a couple of Whole Foods outlets in Massachusetts.

"Social media has been huge, " Gartland says. A women's running magazine wrote something up about Essentially Coconut, as has a health and fitness blogger. Gartland reports strong online sales; she's redesigning her website and building a better online presence. "Coconut butters are really popular in the health and fitness community," she says. "It's a unique product."

For more information on Essentially Coconut and their line of delicious and healthy butters, visit EssentiallyCoconut.com.