When I started my journey into health, I found that my energy and best "feeling
health days", came from eating completely unprocessed and fresh. There is a good reason for this, the bio-availability of the nutrients is greater. In other words, the body can absorb and assimilate all the vitamin and minerals in order to derive medicinal value from that food which ultimately, assists the body in functioning optimally. Hence, the concept of nutritional chemistry, which involves studying the "food matrix". This type of science basically highlights the food's processing quality, nutrient availability and quality of a restructured food. What all this means is that the vitamins, fibre, protein, minerals that you find in a whole food diminishes with the amount of processing involved. Alternatively, the science of isolating various nutrients in food for health reasons can have a positive impact (think oat bran and it's beta-glucan's beneficial effect on cholesterol levels). I wanted to share this food matrix information, because not everything you read or marketed as healthy, especially when purchasing nut or seed milk, is really healthy unless you know how food chemistry works. And, we all know about that right??
How do we choose a healthy coconut milk?
Option One: The WWWeb
Popular recipes in the WWWeb use shredded coconut flakes. When you purchase shredded coconut flakes, they have been boiled, grated and dried mechanically. It is then packaged and then delivered to the store shelves in plastic, where it could sit for months. Sure there is still some minimal nutritional benefit, but as far as getting maximum benefit, especially the highly touted medium chain triglycerides (1), well they may be oxidized by the time you decide to use them for making coconut milk, if any remain. In researching nutrition data for coconut I found raw and highly processed had the same micro-nutrient breakdown?? Hmmm, leaves one thinking.... (2)
Option Two: Store bought
Commercial coconut milk is made from the fresh meat, however what is unknown is how much is water and filler ingredients and how much is actual coconut? Furthermore, the milk is homogenized, sterilized and packed to suit market requirements (3).
Option Three: Make your own
By far the best option, for all the reasons sited in the opening paragraph. You are assured of all the health benefits without any plastic packaging or BPAs, BPSs, over processing or additional sterilizers, fillers and more. See all the health benefits in link (1). You can buy the fresh coconut, alternatively some supermarket chains carry the frozen coconut meat in the freezer section.
Coco-Loco Nut Milk
Inspired by spending an inordinate amount of time under the Cuban sun (under a straw umbrella!) drinking right from the coconut and being spoiled with pina coladas made with fresh coconut milk! I am particularly fussy on fresh and find even after one day, the milk can taste a little off- therefore I make this as needed. Once you have fresh coconut meat you can freeze the coconut on a baking sheet, then place in a container or bag and take out only what you need as you need it. Very simple and well worth it!
Prep time: 30 min
High powered blender
Nut milk bag or cheesecloth
Butter knife
Chopping knife-flat side
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of fresh/frozen coconut flesh (buy the brown outer shelled coconut)
2 cups of distilled, filtered or spring water
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
2 tbsp of kudzu root (optional)
Preparation:
If you were brave enough to use a fresh whole coconut these first instructions are for you:
Hit coconut with the flat side of the knife,turning it over as you go until it cracks open. Crack into smaller pieces so you are able to access the meat more readily, always using the flat side of knife. Check out some you tube videos if unsure.
Using the butter knife glide the knife along the inner edge between the flesh and shell,pulling meat out. Shave off any remaining peel from the meat. The fresher the coconut the easier it peels.
Dependant on the size of the coconut and how fresh the meat is you may get between 11/2 -2 cups of meat.
Place the fresh or frozen flesh in blender with water and blend on high for 2 minutes.
In a bowl, pour the milk into the nut milk bag and strain until no more milk is expressed.
Add the milk back into the blender,turn on low and add vanilla extract and pinch of sea salt and kudzu liquid.
Optional: as the fat from the milk will separate, I like to use Kudzu root (used for emulsions) to lessen the separation and add further medicinal qualities to the milk.
Meal Tips/Preparation:
Refrigerate and use within 2 days.
Use for drinks, teas, coffee, cereal, curry dishes and as a baking substitute for dairy
For coconut flour, dry the remaining flesh in a dehydrator- once dry, place in a high speed blender to turn it into flour for recipes.
Links:
1.http://coconutresearchcenter.org/
2.http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3106/2
3.http://www.primaryinfo.com/coconut-milk.htm
Additional Information:
https://books.google.ca/books?id=HhIvDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA261&lpg=PA261&dq=food+matrix+of+oats&source=bl&ots=B3_8x1XEBy&sig=sgP5-sKNawBu0TFgDpnwXdDYIac&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiyy-b5vfnQAhVU9WMKHbnrD0sQ6AEIIDAB#v=onepage&q=food%20matrix%20of%20oats&f=false
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21110799
https://www.cooksillustrated.com/taste_tests/1604-unsweetened-shredded-coconut
http://www.westonaprice.org/know-your-fats/a-new-look-at-coconut-oil/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15123336