Coconut Milk Revealed as Super-Healthy & Non-Fattening
Coconut milk made from the flesh of the coconut and the coconut juice is absolutely delicious and is bursting with super-healthy nutrition. Best of all, coconut milk is non-fattening compared to dairy milk.
In the past it was thought that coconut oil was bad for health because of the saturated coconut fat. This past research was often based on hydrogenated coconut oil, rather than virgin coconut oil. This gave a false impression that coconuts where fattening and bad for health. In particular, it was not realized that some saturated fats can make you fat while others get broken down to unsaturated fats or used as energy, depending on their molecular structure.
Virtually all the latest research shows that coconuts are full of healthy nutrients. Nearly a third of the white coconut flesh is technically classed as saturated. But this saturated fat is mostly made up of MCFA’s (these are fats that get burnt up as energy rather than being stored as body fat). Hence, coconut food is increasingly used in weight-loss diets.
Furthermore around 50% of these MCFA’s are made up of lauric acid, the most important essential fatty acid in building and maintaining the body’s immune system. Apart from coconut oil, the only other source of lauric acid found in such high concentrations is human milk.
For the weight conscious, coconut milk provides a good source of nutrition in any weight loss regime. This is because the saturated fat molecules are made up of short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids that are quickly assimilated by the body - they are not stored as surplus fat in the body like the long chain fatty acids in dairy milk.
‘One of the remarkable things about coconut oil is that it can help you lose weight.’ Dr. Mary G. Enig, (Ph.D. in nutritional sciences), USA.
‘In tests, animals which ate just a little pure unsaturated oil were fat, and animals which ate a lot of coconut oil were lean. The anti-obesity effect of coconut oil is clear.’ Dr. Raymond Peat (scientist and biochemist), USA.
So although coconut milk may be high in so-called saturated fat, it is a good source of nutrition in any weight loss regime because most of the fat is used up as energy instead of being stored as fat. Coconut milk contains calcium and good for your bones, it is highly nutritious, and it helps build up a strong immune system to ward off disease and illness.
Much research is currently being done on the high nutritional value of coconuts as they are rich in many vitamins, minerals, and health promoting oils.
Making coconut milk at home is quick and easy once you know how, and no special apparatus is required. When you experience the cool, luxurious, super-delicious taste of coconut milk you will always want to have it.
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May 14 2008 04:08 am | Nutrition