How healthy is coconut?

When we look at the nutrients in coconut, the high fat content is particularly striking. Not bad for a nut, by the way, because nuts always contain fat. About 40 percent of the coconut flesh is fat. Unlike other nuts, most of the fat in the coconut is saturated fat. That is also the reason why the Nutrition Center does not place coconut in the Wheel of Five. In addition to the high fat content, the fiber content in coconut flesh is also high. It is about as high as in hazelnuts, pecans or pumpkin seeds. Coconut also contains some vegetable protein. The protein content per 100 grams is approximately equal to that of dairy. Finally, there are few carbohydrates (3 grams per 100 grams) in coconut. Of course there are also vitamins and minerals in coconut. It contains B vitamins and some vitamin E and it scores well on potassium, iron and zinc.

The coconut is the base

Perhaps it is because of the coconut macaroons that coconut seems to be such a common Dutch product. However, it comes from the tropics. Coconut products are all made from coconuts. Those coconuts are the kernels of fruits that grow on the coconut palm. You only see coconut palms in tropical areas in Southeast Asia and Africa. The fruit that grows on the coconut palm is large and green. Only when the fruit is ripe does it fall from the tree. But not every coconut falls. Especially on plantations, they are harvested manually or specially trained monkeys take the fruits from the palm. When the green layer is removed after harvesting, the brown hairy kernel we know as coconut remains. The kernel is hollow and contains liquid: coconut water. The riper the fruit, the creamier or fatter the fruit becomes. Coconut forms the basis of many foods, but it is also a popular ingredient in cosmetic products such as shampoos, conditioners and creams. It also smells nice.

Lesson coconut

What are the different coconut based foods? We list the different products for you:

• Coconut Water: The clear liquid that sits in the center of a coconut.
• Coconut Cream: This is made by soaking the grated white flesh of the coconut in warm water. By squeezing the mixture, white coconut cream is created, which is also called santen.
• Coconut milk: is made in the same way as coconut cream, but the mixture is then squeezed out one more time. So it’s kind of a second pressing. The white coconut milk is therefore thinner and less fat than coconut cream. It is also called coconut milk.
• Coconut oil: this is made by drying the pulp and pressing the oil from it.
• Coconut shreds, flakes, grater: the white flesh that has been grated or shaved and then dried.

health claims

There are quite a few health claims about coconut on the internet, especially coconut oil. For example, coconut oil is said to help with weight loss, reduce belly fat and stimulate fat burning. However, in 2020 a big investigation published in which all relevant studies on the effect of coconut oil on body weight and composition have been included. The conclusion from this is that coconut oil has no positive effect on body weight, fat percentage and waist circumference. It also appears that coconut oil is not good for your cholesterol levels. That does not make coconut oil extra attractive in terms of health.

coconut oil

When you buy coconut oil in the Netherlands, you buy a jar with a soft, greasy emulsion in it. In the tropics, coconut oil is only available in liquid form. That’s because coconut oil has a melting point that’s about 25 degrees Celsius. The high content of saturated fat ensures this. In general, the more saturated fat, the more solid this fat is at room temperature. The high saturated fat content makes coconut oil a less healthy choice as a fat, but if you alternate fats it is not a problem to use coconut oil every now and then. Coconut oil has the advantage that you can heat it fairly high, without it burning. And coconut oil doesn’t oxidize as quickly as a liquid oil. This means that coconut oil has a long shelf life (often 1 year or 18 months), even outside the refrigerator.

Refined or unrefined

With coconut oil you can choose unrefined or refined coconut oil. The difference is the smell and the taste. Refined coconut oil has been stripped of odors and flavors and therefore has a very neutral taste. The product is more processed than an unrefined coconut oil, but it doesn’t matter much for the nutrients it contains. In unrefined oil you really taste the coconut and of course you have to love that in dishes.

Coconut as a dairy substitute?

Plant-based substitutes for dairy are popular. Some of it is prepared on the basis of coconut. There is coconut drink, coconut yogurt, coconut cream and even Greek style yogurt based on coconut. The protein and fat content of these products is very similar to that of dairy. Since coconut is low in calcium and a vitamin B12, manufacturers have to add that if they really want their product to compete nutritionally with dairy. Keep this in mind if you opt for plant-based dairy substitutes instead of dairy. Dairy is the largest source of calcium in our diet and it makes a major contribution to your vitamin B12 requirement.

coconut water

Coconut water is top of the list with the trendy products. Coconut water is therefore the moisture inside the coconut. This tastes fresh and slightly sweet. It does not contain many calories (about 20 kcal per 100 ml) and of course also some sugars (about 4 grams per 100 grams). That makes it a leaner alternative than soda. There are coconut waters for sale with vitamin C, but that vitamin is not naturally in the coconut water and is therefore always added.

Conclusion

Is coconut healthy or unhealthy? It is difficult to say whether a product is healthy or unhealthy. Coconut contains healthy (fibre, minerals) and unhealthy (lots of saturated fat) nutrients. Healthy food is always a combination of what you eat on average over a certain period of time. If you occasionally eat a coconut product, or use coconut oil in the preparation of your food, it provides variety. And variety in the diet is rule number 1 if you want to eat healthy. If you use coconut in everything and for everything, it is better to vary a little more.