Coconut Milk: properties, benefits and contraindications

Have you heard about coconut milk? On this website, we would like to share with you the properties, benefits, and contraindications of eating and cooking with certain trendy foods to maintain a Healthy diet. In this article, we will talk about the features of coconut milk.

What is coconut milk?

Coconut milk is a food obtained by mixing water with the mature and crushed “flesh” of the coconut. It is important to distinguish between this milk and “coconut water.” The milk is made with the crushed pulp, and the water is the natural juice found inside the coconut.

Coconut milk has extensive use in Asian regions and many Latin American countries. In addition to cooking, people find use for coconut milk in beauty and gardening. In a beauty sense, this milk has properties to nourish the skin, exfoliate it, and can be used as a hair conditioner.

Properties

Coconut milk has many nutrients. Among them, it is a great source of vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5, and B6. It also has a large amount of minerals such as iron, selenium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, and especially calcium.

This milk does not have lactose, so there is no problem consuming it when having an intolerance. Also, it is a great option for those following a vegan diet.

Coconut milk is also a controversial food due to its percentage of fat and the number of calories. For every 100 grams, it has 123 calories. Of course, canned milk is much worse than homemade. That is why we should try to make it at home whenever possible. Low-fat coconut milk can be consumed in moderation, once or twice a week. Even so, some heart foundations advise against cooking with it.

 

Benefits

Now that drinking cow’s milk has become controversial, coconut milk can be an alternative. It has virtually the same properties and has many benefits for the body.

Strengthens bones and teeth

This benefit is due to the fact that coconut milk is a great source of calcium.

Hydrates the skin

Coconut milk has the property of hydrating the skin both by ingesting it and using it as a cream. In fact, this benefit is what leads to the use of coconut milk in the world of beauty. With the cream, it removes excess dirt and sebum, dead skin cells, and is a good remedy for burns. On the face, it prevents wrinkles and age spots.

Antibacterial and antiviral

The lauric acid it contains is responsible for fighting infections.

Satiety feeling

Thanks to the high amount of fiber in this milk, the stomach feels more satiated when consumed.

Stimulates underactive thyroid

Coconut milk helps the thyroid produce the correct levels of thyroid hormone. In addition, it relieves insomnia, dry skin, fatigue, muscle aches, and constipation.

Cholesterol

The high amount of fat in coconut milk can cause an increase in bad cholesterol. However, if consumed as it should be, it can positively influence good cholesterol.

Contraindications

Coconut milk has few contraindications, but very strong ones. First of all, make sure you are not allergic to nuts. Although coconut is not a nut, it has a common allergen and can cause a reaction.

The other contraindications are due to the level of fat and the number of calories. Nutritionists advise those with overweight (and pregnant women) to control their intake of this milk. This is because if a large amount of this milk is ingested, people tend to gain weight instead of losing it.

Moreover, it is advised to avoid coconut milk if you suffer from diarrhea or something similar due to the high amount of fiber it contains. And of course, do not consume it if you have high cholesterol.

Ideas for recipes

Like cow’s milk, coconut milk has many uses in everyday cooking, and you can prepare a multitude of recipes with it.

Curry chicken thighs

The main ingredients are chicken, curry, and coconut milk. You can sauté some onion, pepper, and cayenne first to give the dish even more flavor. After this sauté, just add the curry and milk, let it boil, and add the chicken thighs.

Carrot cream with coconut milk and ginger

With ingredients like leek, carrot, ginger, garlic, chicken broth, and coconut milk, you can make a quick, easy, and delicious carrot cream.

Rice and shrimp with coconut milk

The good thing about rice is that once cooked, you can prepare it in almost any way to take advantage of it and prevent it from spoiling. And this is one of those ways. You just need to cook the shrimp by frying them with zucchini or any vegetable you want to use. Then add the rice and coconut milk and mix for a few minutes in the same pan. Easy, fast, and delicious.

Banana and coconut milk ice cream

Now that summer is coming, fruit ice creams are a wonderful resource to cool off and take advantage of the fruit that is about to spoil. And, of course, coconut milk is a great ally. Simply mix all the ingredients, put them in molds, and into the freezer. When you taste it, you’ll want to make ice cream all the time!

Coconut milk sponge cake

Last but not least, the iconic sponge cake. Who doesn’t love it? This recipe takes more time and preparation, but the result is still just as delicious. Just follow all the steps and use all the ingredients to make a regular sponge cake. The only difference is that you have to replace cow’s milk with coconut milk. Et voilà!

We hope you liked coconut milk as a food and decide to try cooking something with it. Don’t forget to share it on your social networks so that friends and family can also try it.