Coconut water, coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut shavings. There's no doubt that coconut everything is trending right now in the foodie world. Many coconut products have great health benefits but, like everything in life, it is all good in moderation.
What is Coconut Milk?
Coconut milk is a form of coconut that was recently added to the Starbucks menu. It's made from blending the meat of coconuts and straining it to get a creamy and sweet liquid. It contains many beneficial nutrients, such as manganese, copper, iron, potassium, and magnesium.
Coconut milk is high in saturated fat, containing 13 grams of saturated fat in a 100 ml serving. This may seem like a bad thing, but these types of fats are actually very good for us, in moderation. When we think of healthy fats, we usually think of unsaturated fats that are liquid, but there are some saturated fats that also have benefits.
The saturated fats in coconut milk are called medium chain fatty acids. These fats are easily absorbed by our bodies for energy. They can help lower blood pressure because they have minerals that help circulate our blood. They can also lower cholesterol, even though most saturated fats do the opposite. The fat in coconut milk has also been found to act as an antibacterial and antiviral in the body.
So, despite the stigma towards saturated fats as being very unhealthy (which some are), the saturated fat in coconut milk is very healthy! Limiting your intake to 1/4 cup may be best since it is higher in calories from the high amount of fat, but don't avoid it completely. Try this coconut soup recipe or just add some to your daily cup o' joe and get all of the nutrients that coconut milk can provide!