Not a refreshing thirst quencher
If there is one superfood that opinions are divided on, it is coconut oil. According to one it contains healthy fats, but according to the other it contains a lot of bad saturated fats. So what about coconut milk?
Coconut ‘milk’ is not the moisture contained in the coconut, as many people think. We call that coconut water. The coconut milk is made by mixing the grated white flesh of the coconut and ‘kneading’ it with water. The mixture is then squeezed out and coconut cream or santen is created. If you repeat the process and squeeze the mixture again, you will get coconut milk. That milk is often mixed with coconut cream for an extra creamy taste.
Coconut milk is available in cans and packets. It is also called coconut milk. Preservatives and stabilizers are often added. Sometimes the coconut milk is even fortified with starch and milk proteins. By the way, you can also make coconut milk yourself by mixing grated coconut with water and wringing it out in a cloth.
To drink like that?
There will be few people who will succumb to a can of coconut milk like this: it is quite heavy on the stomach and has a distinct coconut flavour. But for certain dishes in the kitchen it is ideal. For example, in a Thai curry, a spicy (pumpkin) soup, a tropical smoothie with pineapple and banana or a sweet rice dessert: it is all possible with coconut milk. Some people even put it in coffee or make a tropical chocolate milk out of it. There are also coconut drinks that, just like soy drinks or rice drinks, are suitable as a thirst quencher. It contains less coconut and sometimes also some rice to make the drink lighter in taste.
Super healthy?
Just google coconut oil and health and you’ll be amazed. The most fantastic claims pass by. Coconut against inflammation, as a stimulant for fat burning, as an aid to weight loss and for beautiful skin. Many of the claims are not conclusively proven and often even prohibited by law. Plus, they really are too good to be true. But is coconut fat harmful? It Nutrition center says yes, because coconut contains a lot of saturated fats, which raise cholesterol levels. But more and more scientists are now questioning this because this danger has not been conclusively proven either. In short: don’t expect miracles from coconut, but don’t be afraid of it either. And then coconut oil, and therefore coconut milk, is simply a nice addition to the range in your kitchen.
Lots of calories
Coconut milk is quite high in calories and fat. A carton of coconut milk (200 milliliters) contains 460 kilocalories, which is considerably more than the same amount of whole milk (124 kilocalories). This is because it mainly contains a lot of fat: creamy coconut milk contains 20 grams per 100 milliliters, in ‘normal’ coconut milk it is also quickly 5 grams per 100 millilitres. That fat ensures that everything you put it in will be a bit creamier and fuller in taste. In terms of vitamins and minerals, coconut milk is absolutely no substitute for regular milk. It contains hardly any calcium and no vitamins B2 and B12. All in all, coconut milk is not a thirst quencher like a glass of cool milk, you can use it more like cream or sour cream.
Nutritional value per 150 ml
(Double click to enlarge)
(Source: Eetmeter, Alpro soya, Provamel and Lima)
