Coconut Milk- Benefits, Contraindications and Homemade Recipe!
There is a growing number of people who discover that they are lactose intolerant and many others decide to avoid cow’s milk, for ecological, ethical reasons and because they see that they should not drink the milk of animals for their own health. Whatever the motivation, we are going to tell you in NutritionSinMas a series of reasons for us to use coconut milk, a very nutritious food, whose discovered properties makes it considered the most nutritionally similar food, comparing it with the breast milk. Of the various benefits of this drink, which is not so consumed worldwide, especially in countries of South America, we present the top 5 of them.
The 5 Biggest Benefits of Coconut Milk:
1. Source of Minerals:
It is a good source of minerals, nutrients that are rare in cow’s milk and other drinks that try to simulate milk. It is also especially a good source of natural antioxidants such as selenium and magnesium, as well as essential micronutrients such as potassium, iron and zinc.
2. Source of Vitamins C and E:
To a lesser extent, it is a source of vitamins C and vitamins E, which are also powerful antioxidants that protect from the effects of free radicals.
3. Large Amount of “Good” Fats:
Half of the fat includes lauric acid, which despite being a saturated fat has been shown to reduce levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) in favor of HDL (good cholesterol), and is also a strong anti-viral and anti bacterial
4. Increase Satiety:
Coconut milk is a great satiety regulator: a study has shown that with coconut milk fats we consume an average of 256 calories less per day compared to cow’s milk.
“This is also due to the amount of fiber contained in coconut milk, in contrast to cow’s milk, which does not contain fiber”.
5. Calms Gastroesophageal Reflux:
A glass of coconut milk is a very effective natural remedy to relieve the symptoms of gastric acid reflux produced by cow’s milk
Coconut Milk side effects:
Coconut milk does not cause particularly notable side effects. But because it has a considerable amount of calories, it must be consumed in moderation. But it should also not be used as a sunscreen without resorting to sunscreen creams, as it does not protect against the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
Where do we Find Coconut Milk?
The coconut milk is nothing but coconut pulp in liquid form, unlike the water contained inside the coconut, we recommend you to see the major difference properties, benefits and uses of coconut water, to decide which of the two it is more advisable to consume for your health. Pure coconut milk can even be prepared at home, beating the coconut pulp or placing the coconut in hot water and then filtering it, although below we explain how to make homemade coconut milk.
Tips for Using Coconut Milk:
The coconut milk can be used in various ways. In addition to usual use with cooked fish, it can also be added in fruit smoothies, replacing water, orange juice or milk that comes in the recipe, making it much tastier and giving it a special touch. It also goes perfectly well with coffee, since being sweet, you can even avoid industrial sugar, check in this article the properties of the best sugar of all, coconut. If you like sauces in salads, coconut milk can replace those caloric creams in your favorite recipes. For the more adventurous in the kitchen and who likes exotic recipes, remember that coconut milk is a key ingredient of great Thai cuisines and in other countries in Africa and Southeast Asia. For example you can use it in a vegetable stir fry with carrots, zucchini, onions and various peppers, when you finish sauteing it, add the coconut milk in the pan to thicken a tad and the ingredients take on its flavor. DELICIOUS!!! Remember that a glass of coconut milk contains approximately 250 calories, so it will not be a very suitable ingredient for large amounts in diets or people who want to lose weight. If we dare to make homemade cosmetics, we will know that most of the formulations include either yogurt or cow’s milk; instead we can use coconut milk to get a vegan version of these homemade creams.
How to Make Natural Coconut Milk at Home?
It is a very easy recipe to make, for homemade natural coconut milk, we must use 1 tablespoon of grated coconut (pulp) every 4 measures of hot water, and we pass it through a blender or blender for 5 minutes and finally strain it with a fine strainer. For conservation it is best to leave it in the fridge, but not more than 5-6 days. Depending on our tastes, we can regulate the consistency of coconut milk by increasing the water during the mixing, in addition we do not waste anything, the remains of coconut that remain in the strainer can be used as an ingredient in cakes, breads, muffins, etc.
