Don't be afraid of coconut milk, it’s super healthy

I was spooning some uber delicious khow suey, the Burmese one pot soup dish in a cafe, when it struck me that one food ingredient that is forever mired under some or the other confusion is the humble coconut milk.

Half the people confuse it with coconut water, and the other half ban it completely from their diet labeling it as highly calorific - and thus bad for health.

Both are big misconceptions that have spread absolutely without reason.

Also read: 12 simple ways to cut cholesterol

I am a huge fan of coconut milk, and because of this - of the Konkani and Kerala cuisine and curries, and also Thai curries and yes Khow Suey too. So I thought explaining this delicious and healthy (yes, you read it right!) food and helping it decamp from the "bad food" base is a must.

So here we go.

Know the difference

First let's tackle the distinction between coconut milk and water.

In Sanskrit, the coconut palm is known as kalpa vriksha – "tree which gives everything necessary for life" because nearly all its parts can be used: the water, milk, flesh, sugar and oil.

Coconut water that has become a super celeb in the world of nutrition, thanks to its rehydration properties is the transparent, mildly sweet water that is drained out from the centre of the coconut. Whereas coconut milk comes from the flesh of mature brown coconuts, made after boiling or just soaking in warm water flakes of coconut meal and then straining.

So they are as different as chalk and cheese, both in taste and the nutrition they deliver.

While coconut water has its own pluses, the milk delivers the goodness of the flesh (as it is made from it). And that it actually delivers plenty. Agreed it is a bit calorie steep (100ml deliver about 150 calories), but these calories deliver far more than their mere calorific worth.

Lactose free

It is lactose free so is okay for those with lactose intolerance. It is a popular choice with vegans too who usually follow dairy-free diets and makes a great base for smoothies, milkshakes for them.

Also read: 'Vegetarian' India is a myth. We love our meat

Weight loss tool

It has a lot of fat (about 90 per cent) and most of it is in the form of the much maligned saturated fatty acids, but the kind it has - the medium chain saturated triglycerides (MCTs) - go directly to the liver and are rapidly metabolised there and are less likely to be stored as fat.

Research also suggests MCTs actually help reduce appetite and decrease our calorie intake, so might just work like a weight loss tool actually.

Heart protection

Some studies have even shown that some heart’s health markers like belly fat, blood pressure and cholesterol numbers improve with MCTs.

BP stays tamed as because it delivers a lot of trace minerals like manganese, copper, magnesium and phosphorous, all important minerals for controlling blood flow and keeping blood vessels flexible and free from plaque buildup.

And lauric acid it has (a type of MCT) has also been shown to help bring the bad cholesterol LDL down and bring the good one (HDL) up.

Immunity booster

Lauric acid also gets converted in the body into monolaurin, an antiviral and antibacterial compound that provides protection from multiple viruses and bacterias. MCTs are a great brain food too as these are easily used by our brain for energy.

Gut friendly

Most of the diseases originate in the gut - so a well-hydrated digestive tract that helps keep constipation at bay is a big boon. Coconut milk – with its electrolytes and healthy fats – nourishes the gut plenty.

Also read: Did you know eating apples can help you lose weight?

Mineral powerhouse

It is a decent plant based source of iron too, which can help prevent anaemia and keep fatigue away. It does not contain as much calcium as milk, but phosphorus in it helps contribute to strong bones too. Selenium contained in it helps keep joints inflammation away so it works great for those prone to arthritis.

Look young

Finally, the high fatty acid content in coconut milk may actually serve as a natural moisturiser for healthy skin and may help repair wrinkles and sagging in ageing skin.

Eat it

While curries is how it gets to be part of our diet, some other ways of experimenting with coconut milk is by adding a few tablespoons in the coffee, having a smoothie once in a while or whisking it and adding to a fruit salad (try over papaya, tastes delish!).

Don’t be scared of it, it is an important part of a balanced diet - just have it in small serves to keep the calorie intake controlled.