Unconditional Health Benefits of Coconut Milk – Everything to Know About This Super Food

Coconut milk is becoming so popular that big brands like Starbucks and many others have recently jumped on the bandwagon to offer it as an alternative milk option in the selected markets. Alternative milks have been around for years, but the recent boom of coconut water has a lot of folks – and companies – excited about coconut milk. Is this fledgling new trend worth following? The boom is rooted in the very real nutritional benefits coconuts have to offer. However, before we all go out and buy gallons of this product, produced, and marketed as a dairy alternative, let’s get clear on exactly what coconut milk is and consider whether coconut milk really does have benefits.

Celebes

Which Coconut Milk is Best for You?

Traditional coconut milk is produced by soaking grated coconut flesh in hot water and then straining out the solids. The final product is often sold in a can and has about the same consistency as whole milk. There is a lot of fat in coconuts, so a layer of cream forms on top of the milk. Coconut cream sold in cartons and cans is simply this layer skimmed off and packaged separately – much the same as dairy cream.

Coconut Milk

The coconut milk marketed as a dairy alternative is produced by watering down the coconut milk described above and then adding sweeteners, stabilizers, and gums to create a flavor and consistency reminiscent of low-fat milk. These products are either sold boxed in aseptic packaging on the shelf or sold in the cold case much the same as traditional dairy. Unfortunately, traditional coconut milk and coconut milk beverage are both usually referred to simply as coconut milk, so it can be a bit confusing when talking about the two.

Good Fats:

Coconuts have gained super food status in some nutritional circles mainly because of their medium chain triglyceride (MCT) content. MCTs are a type of saturated fat. But before you panic, keep in mind that an increasing body of research shows that perhaps not all sat fats is created equal. Some, such as Lauric Acid (the predominate fat in coconut milk) may have a positive impact on cholesterol. Research also indicates that the body digests them differently than the more common long chain triglycerides (LCT) that most fatty foods contain. The metabolic pathways used to digest MCTs are much simpler than those necessary for the more complex LCTs, which means that MCTs can be turned into energy more immediately and more efficiently. The end result has been observed as increased metabolism, which of course can lead to weight loss, increased energy, and perhaps improved athletic performance.

Coconut milk beverages usually contain 3-5gms of fat per serving, which isn’t much compared to the 14gms available in just 1Tbsp of coconut oil (another very popular product at the moment). However, since there’s so much chatter on both sides of the dairy fat debate, one might argue that the benefits of coconut fats makes this a great alternative to dairy in and of itself.

Willing to have a bottle of coconut milk ? Order at Celebes.com and you’ll get premium quality, all-natural coconut milk.