The Lowdown on Coconut Milk

by Christine Chan — May 22, 2008

Fragrant, creamy coconut milk may evoke images of lush Thai beaches shaded with palm trees and the scent of spicy curries wafting from nearby bungalows. But glancing at the amount of saturated fat in a can will quickly drop one back into reality. One cup contains 50 grams of saturated fat; that's 254% of your daily value. Eeek! But no worries. This article will give you the basics on coconut milk and explain why, in moderation, it is actually good for you.

Coconut milk is commonly confused with coconut juice and coconut cream. Coconut juice is the clear liquid found inside a coconut when it is cracked open. Coconut milk is made from the liquid pressed out of the white flesh. As it sits, thick coconut cream separates and rises to the top.

Luckily, we don't have to lug a box of coconuts home every time we want a curry or coconut soup. Perfectly good canned coconut milk is available at most Asian supermarkets and some larger grocery stores. For recipes requiring coconut cream, gently open the can and scoop out the thick cream on top. For light coconut milk, use half of the amount of coconut milk suggested and substitute the rest with water.

The saturated fat in coconut is considered to be a "good fat," which means it is easily metabolized by your body to give it energy and less likely to cause weight gain than other fats. The principal fatty acid in coconut milk is lauric acid, which is found in mother's milk, and promotes brain development and healthy bones. Recently, studies have found that coconuts have anti-carcinogenic and anti-pathogenic properties, and one day maybe be used in the treatment of AIDS! Powerful stuff!

So let your imagination drift towards the beaches once more...