Coconut Water versus Coconut Milk

I keep hearing from people that coconut milk is bad for you and not to consume it. As usual, I want to find the story behind the rumors and provide it to you so we can all make informed, healthy decisions.

Coconut Water: Typically derived from young coconuts, coconut water is found in the center of the nut. Coconut water is a good source of potassium, magnesium and calcium. It is low in sugar but gains most of its calories from it. Coconut water is also a good source for electrolytes (minerals) that can be depleted during vigorous exercise or diarrhea and is sometimes called "Natural Gatorade".

Coconut Milk: Made from mature coconuts, coconut milk is processed by mashing the meat of the coconut with water. Because the meat of the coconut is high in fat, coconut milk is very high in calories derived mainly from saturated fat. The fats in coconuts do not raise your LDL or "bad" cholesterol as they are processed differently in the body than saturated fats from animal sources.

Canned coconut milk has been controversial due to the lining of the cans containing bisphenol-A or BPA which has been linked to cancer, diabetes, ADHD, infertility and heart disease. BPA leaches into products with high acid (like tomatoes) and high fat like coconut. Canned coconut milk also contains guar gum, a thickener that is often difficult to digest and can cause diarrhea.

According to one article I read, you can make coconut milk yourself or you can purchase one brand for certain that does not have any BPA in it. The one brand without BPA is Native Forest. For more information, please read.

Today, there are a number of coconut milk brands in cartons. I was unable to find enough information on them to make a comment on how they are processed and stored.

The best source of anything in the food world is as close to the whole food as nature intended. So, if you're going to consume coconut water, get young Thai coconuts and drink directly from the nut. If you want to have coconut milk for your recipes, go with home made.

For information on living a Delicious and Healthy life, see www.DeliciousAndHealthy.com and learn how to eat for health, graceful ageing and longevity.

Four Coconuts and a Machete

A private chef client handed me a recipe for a raw foods chai latte smoothie and said, "Can you make this for me?" I looked at the first ingredient - "Water and Meat of Four Coconuts". I thought to myself "Yipes, I never did go to Rawvolution for that lesson on how to open a coconut." I looked at my client and said, "Yes, I'll make this for you, no problem." I love a good challenge and there's no way I was going to tell her I had never hacked open a coconut, let alone four of them.

At Whole Foods Market, I found out that they will open the coconuts for you at no extra charge. I got excited until I learned that they won't save the water for you. That's like keeping a gold setting and throwing away the diamond. Coconut water is so luscious and amazing and I knew it was necessary for the recipe. So, I asked for a mini lesson. The produce guy said, "Good luck." in a, "You're gonna have a helluva time" kind of way and I went on my way.

Back at my client's home, I placed the first coconut on its side on the counter. I took a chefs knife, held it high in the air above the coconut and came down on it as hard as I possibly could. Whack!!! Oh boy, it hardly did a thing. I kept at it a while making little headway as coconut shrapnel sprayed all over the kitchen. Choosing laughter over panic, I remained steadfast, I was going to open these coconuts.

After making little headway, I decided to search the kitchen for a better tool. In one drawer filled with miscellaneous items, I actually found a machete and thought, "Now we're talking!" I pulled the machete out of its case, washed it off and in no time flat, I hacked the coconut open, drained the water out and used a fork to extract the coconut meat from the inside of the shell. My determination paid off and it really wasn't that bad. The smoothie, on the other had was one of the best things I ever tried in my life! Next week, I'll share the recipe with you.

So, don't be afraid of a coconut. There are better ways to open one than recklessly hacking away at them with a knife.

Here are a couple of links:

http://www.howtoopenacoconut.com/

http://www.wikihow.com/Open-a-Coconut

http://thenaughtyvegan.com/youngcoconut.htm