The Nutritional Institute

A new, but old trend to hit the food market is coconut milk and coconut cream. It is big if you’re an avid Paleo follower, and if you purchase a new recipe book published in the last year or two it is guaranteed that it will contain a few recipes including the use of coconut milk or cream…

Nutritionally, coconut milk and cream are excellent choices: they are high in saturated fats and medium chain fatty acids, both of which are easily burned as fuel by the body. Coconuts are rich in fibre, vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6 and iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. Additionally, coconuts contain caprylic and lauric acids, which are known for their anti-fungal properties, good treatment for the problematic Candida Albicans fungus. So it is a really nutritious choice of food to include into your daily menu.

Store-bought options

With regards to where to get coconut milk or cream, I would avoid carton products because the ingredients list gets too long and unpronounceable. The carton option is overly processed and has been defatted. Canned coconut milk can also have a fair amount of ingredients, so you really need to take action and read the label! It’s definitely not just coconut and water. As shown in the example image below, you’ll have a few thickeners, emulsifiers and/or stabilisers added to your can, and if you’re not careful, maybe even a few ‘E’ codes. The safest one to purchase should have no more than three ingredients: coconut, water and guar gum or xanthan gum. Anything more than this and your milk or cream starts having nasties included into it. Often a good guide is the price. The really cheap tins generally have the longest ingredient list… I have also found that within South Africa, coconut creams have a shorter ingredient list compared to the milk, so you could always add filtered water to the coconut cream to thin it out to a milk.

If at all possible, try to opt for a BPA-free can, although I’m not sure if these cans have hit our South African shores yet. BPA (Bisphenol-A) is used in the lining of the tin and leaches into canned foods that are acidic, salty or fatty (just like coconut milk). So canned coconut needs to be consumed in moderation. If there is no statement certifying that the can is BPA-free, then IT IS NOT BPA-free.

Homemade coconut milks and creams

The absolute best tasting coconut milks and creams, as ever, are the homemade versions. This way, you can have it as often as you like and know that you’re getting the best and freshest nutrition the coconut has to offer.

To make coconut milk, you crack open a fresh coconut and drain the water into a blender. Scoop out all the flesh of the coconut and also add this to the blender. Add one and a half cups of filtered water and blend for around 6-10 minutes depending on how strong your blender is. The stronger your blender, the less time is required. You need to blend it well to break down the coconut flesh as much as possible. Place a nut milk bag over a bowl and pour the coconut from the blender into the bag. Twist the bag until you have squeezed all the excess fluid out of the bag. The liquid is your coconut milk. The pulp in the bag can be composted, as it tastes like nothing and has little to no nutritional value. You can store this fresh milk in your fridge for around four days.

Coconut cream is a bit simpler. It has the same steps as the above except that you don’t strain the coconut. The result of what is left in your blender after adding the water is delicious coconut cream! If you put it in the fridge, it will thicken on its own because it contains a healthy dose of natural fats. You’ll need to stir it well as the liquid will sink to the bottom of your container and the thicker, harder layer rests on the top. The result is a delicious cream that is super creamy. It will also last around four days in the fridge - a short period of time because you have not tainted it with any chemical preservatives! Food going off is a good thing; it’s a sign that the food you are eating is alive! Two ingredients that you can pronounce, this is what you’re wanting to put into your body. Keep it simple and clean…

Coconut and Pineapple Smoothie (serves two)

• 250ml coconut milk or cream (preferably homemade) 
• A splash of raw, organic milk kefir (optional, but for the probiotics)
• 1 small pineapple
• 2 small bananas
• 1 tablespoon raw honey
• 2 scoops of a clean whey protein isolate
• 1 tablespoon of chia seeds (optional)
• 8-10 cubes of ice 
• Blend and enjoy!

*If you chose to make your smoothie with coconut milk, the result will be a silky smooth shake. If you use the cream, your smoothie will be more fibrous and with a stronger coconut flavour.