Coconut has become a very popular food in recent days, which has resulted in the abundance of different coconut products available in supermarkets. Two of the most widely used products are coconut oil and coconut milk. Coconut oil is a versatile cooking oil, while coconut milk provides fats, proteins, and various nutrients.
Coconut Oil Nutritional Information
Coconut oil can be used for cooking; You can make almost any dish, from baked goods to fried foods, with this oil. You can also use it to make salad dressings or even drinks, like smoothies. There are different types of coconut oil, which means that in the supermarket you will see products with different labels.
For example, products may have words like refined, hydrogenated, or virgin on their labels, or may not be labeled at all. Make sure you stay away from hydrogenated coconut oil, which generally contains unhealthy trans fats , and always buy virgin coconut oil. Virgin oil is made by pressing fresh coconut meat, while refined coconut oil is made by pressing dry coconut meat.
Each tablespoon (14 grams) of coconut oil has 13.5 grams of fat . The fats in coconut oil are a mixture of polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated fats. Coconut oil really has no other nutritional value to the contrary, although it is known for being rich in antioxidants of various kinds.
Although coconut oil can be used in a variety of foods and is generally considered a healthy fat, it should be consumed in limited amounts.
Coconut milk nutritional information
There are many different types of milk, so this product can differ substantially in your nutrition. It is possible to make coconut milk from young coconuts, which are low in fat, or older coconuts, which can produce a more fatty product.
You can easily find milk products that have the consistency of any other dairy product, from skim milk to whole milk. Most commercial products are made from older, fatter coconuts and are diluted. However, it is possible to make your own coconut milk at home if you have access to fresh, raw coconut meat.
In general, coconut milk is low in vitamins but rich in minerals . One hundred grams of milk contains:
- 25 percent of daily value (DV) for copper
- 18 percent of the DV for iron
- 11 percent of the DV for magnesium
- 33 percent of the DV for manganese
- 8 percent of the DV for phosphorus
- 5 percent of the DV for potassium
- 5 percent of the DV for zinc
It also contains small amounts (between 1 and 4 percent) of other nutrients such as calcium, vitamin C, B vitamins, and choline . You can get 2 grams of protein, 21.3 grams of fat and 2.8 grams of carbohydrates for every 100 grams of coconut milk.
Be careful to consume many refrigerated coconut milk products, as they generally contain a large amount of additives, such as added sugar and may have very little real coconut. Products like these may be fortified with additional nutrients, but may not be very healthy compared to other plant-based dairy products.
Coconut oil vs coconut milk
Coconut milk and coconut oil are made from coconut meat. Coconut milk is made by heating coconut meat in water and filtering the resulting product, just like coconut cream. By contrast, coconut oil is made by pressing the meat to extract its fats. This means that the difference between coconut oil and coconut milk is primarily a function of the processing method.
Coconut milk is a nutrient-rich food that you can consume somewhat liberally, although limited by its fat content. By contrast, coconut oil is a fat-rich product that lacks the nutrients that other coconut products have and should generally be consumed in moderation. From a nutritional perspective, coconut milk is usually better than coconut oil . However, it is actually coconut oil that has been associated with most of the health benefits and causes the most controversy.
If you are very fond of coconut and want to consume it regularly, alternate the products you are consuming to get all the benefits of coconut. Other coconut products, like raw coconut meat, have even more vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients, like fiber.
Coconut cream vs coconut milk
Since coconut milk and cream are made using the same process, differentiating coconut cream from coconut milk can be challenging. Unlike coconut oil and milk, cream and coconut milk can have many similarities. The differences between these products depend entirely on the manufacturers and the amount of coconut they incorporate in a product .
Coconut milk generally has the consistency of any other milk, which means it can resemble soy milk, almond milk, or animal milk. Coconut cream is just a little bit thicker, like soy cream, oat cream, or any animal cream product. The main difference between coconut milk and coconut cream is that coconut cream has more coconut and less water.
Although this sounds simple, coconut milk products can vary substantially. Coconut milk in cartons is likely to be very similar to low-fat milk. However, coconut milk is also often sold in cans. Canned coconut milk is usually creamier and contains much more coconut than other milks, to the point that it may even be equivalent to coconut creams.
Canned coconut milk can have varying amounts of coconut: low values around 25 percent are common, but you can find values as high as 65 percent. Coconut creams always have a lot of coconut, but this value can also be around 65 percent, so there is an overlap between these products. Some coconut creams contain grated coconut or are more similar to solidified oil, but most are simply a thicker, creamier version of coconut milk.
