Let’s find out what coconut milk is.
First of all, coconut milk should be distinguished from “coconut water” (coconut juice) – the natural liquid inside the coconut. Unlike coconut water, coconut milk is obtained artificially by mixing shredded coconut pulp and purified water.
A drink is made from ripe coconut pulp in several stages:
- The most useful and expensive is milk from the first squeezed coconut. This is a viscous, thick mixture with a high degree of fat content and a high concentration of useful substances.
- The product of the second pressing is obtained from the raw materials remaining after the initial processing. It is placed in water to fill with moisture. After secondary processing, a translucent drink is obtained – also tasty, but less useful.
Calorie content of coconut milk
This is a low-calorie product that is quickly absorbed. 100 g of the drink contains about 152-230 kcal, and the canned store product contains about 190 kcal.
Composition of coconut milk
- 24 amino acids
- Omega class polyunsaturated acids -3, 6, 9
- Vitamins of groups B, A, C, PP, K, E
- Mono- and disaccharides
- Fiber
- Essential oils
- Fatty acids (palmitic, lauric, capric, stearic)
- antioxidants
Coconut milk: origin and benefits
Coconut milk has antibacterial, laxative, antifungal, anticarcinogenic properties. The drink quenches thirst well, reduces the feeling of hunger, has a positive effect on digestion and strengthens the body’s immune forces.
The average fat content in coconut milk is 27%, carbohydrates – 6%, proteins – 4%. In addition, milk contains vitamins B1, B2, B3, C. The drink is rich in calcium, for example, its content is 2 times more than in goat’s milk, and 3 times more than in cow’s milk.
Although coconut milk contains high levels of saturated fat, these fats are mainly short and medium chain fatty acids, which are not usually stored as fat. But they provide another very important benefit for the body: such fatty acids provide instant energy.
Effectiveness of coconut milk has been found in the treatment of digestive diseases. Due to the high content of lauric acid, the drink is indicated for ulcerative lesions of the digestive organs. The product has an antibacterial effect, reduces the symptoms of gastritis and ulcers.
According to studies by Filipino pediatricians, children with lung diseases of various etiologies who consumed coconut milk together with antibiotics recovered faster than those who took only antibiotics.
Coconut milk is completely free of gluten and cholesterol. For people whose body cannot tolerate regular milk containing animal protein, or for those who follow a vegetarian diet, coconut milk is a great alternative drink.
So, let’s make at least an approximate list of amazing properties of coconut milk:
- Prevention of oncological pathologies
- Beneficial effect on the heart, vascular condition, prevention of atherosclerosis
- Increase in hemoglobin (a glass of coconut milk provides the body with 20% of the daily iron requirement)
- Stimulation of the work of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands
- Improvement of digestive functions (among other things, coconut milk is great for combating constipation)
- Stimulation of the body’s immune system
- Lowering the level of glucose and cholesterol in the blood
- Maintaining the normal state of intestinal microflora
- Helping with apathy, fatigue, intolerance to of stress
- Improvement of brain function
- Acceleration of muscle mass gain
- Cleansing of the body from toxic accumulations
- Improvement of vision, strengthening of bone tissue< /li>
- Fight against early aging
In addition to all of the above, the taste qualities of coconut milk are actively used in cooking and can be found in many natural cosmetics, but these are topics for our future publications.
However, as we all know, nothing is perfect in this world. Therefore, coconut milk also has contraindications:
- In case of fructose intolerance
- If an allergy to the components of this drink is detected
- In case of diarrhea
- In case of hyperfunction of the thyroid gland
- The product of the first pressing has a high nutritional value, so it is better not to use it if you are obese. In these cases, the concentrated drink is diluted with boiled water.
- Since coconut milk is unusual for our diet, the benefits and harms of the product should be carefully weighed before the first use, and this especially applies to expectant mothers and lactating women. . However, we will touch on the topic of using coconut milk during pregnancy in the next article, since the benefits of an exotic drink can be incomparably greater than the expected harm.
The right approach to choosing coconut milk
- Milk should not contain artificial additives. The main ingredients of the drink are coconut pulp and purified water.
- Coconut is good, guar gum is not so much.
- There are several types of product: paste and milk. Coconut paste is very fatty, and in order to obtain milk, it must be diluted with water.
- The packaging must have icons confirming the quality of the product (bio, organic).
- Preference should be given to containers of small volume — open milk is stored in the refrigerator for no more than 3 days.
- Tin packages tend to oxidize, which negatively affects the taste and preservation of coconut milk. A word about oxidation.
Bisphenol-A
Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a chemical that has been used in consumer products since the 1950s and is still widely used in canned goods and reusable containers. It is also abundant in DVDs, cell phones, auto parts, and sports equipment. Although the research on BPA is still mixed (some studies show harm and others don’t), given the uncertainty, it makes sense to avoid them whenever possible.
That is, if you bought coconut milk (or any other product) in a tin can, immediately after opening, pour the liquid into a glass container
