When you think of fruit, certain adjectives probably come to mind—juicy, sweet, delicious, maybe nutritious. What about versatile? Downright useful? I can only think of one fruit that earns that sort of praise: the humble coconut.
In the Philippines, coconut is called “tree of life.” Malays refer to it as pokok seribu guna, “the tree of a thousand uses.” That’s hardly an exaggeration. Beyond the culinary uses—which are the focus of today’s post—the husks serve as material for making ropes, baskets, roofing, gardening supplies, and even insulation. Dried shells can be musical instruments or makeshift bowls. Applied topically, coconut oil moisturizes skin and hair; and because it’s naturally antibacterial, it can be used to treat minor cuts and scrapes.
Then there’s the tasty interior: the white flesh, called the kernel when fresh and the copra when dried, and the water. Coconut is edible in all stages of development, and research points to impressive health benefits associated with coconut consumption, especially coconut oil.1 Coconut meat is high in healthy saturated fat, much of it comprising medium-chain triglycerides, which have some interesting metabolic properties in their own right. Plus, it contains decent amounts of protein, fiber, and has a low glycemic index.
Not only do we consume fresh coconut as nature made them, we turn them into other usable ingredients. To help you wade through the potentially confusing world of coconut products, here’s a handy guide.
The Wonderful World of Coconut Products
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is extracted from the flesh, aka the kernel, of the coconut. It is primarily saturated (over 90%, with the bulk of it coming from lauric acid), which is why coconut oil is solid at room temperature. When perusing the grocery store shelves, you’ll notice a variety of labels applied to coconut oil: refined, unrefined, virgin, extra virgin. You might even see fractionated coconut oil. What does it all mean?
Unrefined coconut oil is produced via expeller pressing, centrifuge extraction, or fermentation.2 It does not undergo additional processing, so it retains some of the characteristic flavor and odor of coconut fruit, which some people find disagreeable. It’s also somewhat more delicate than other culinary oils with a smoke point of 338-350°F (170-177°C). Virgin and extra virgin coconut oils are just other ways of saying unrefined.
Virgin coconut oil can then be further refined to create a product with a neutral taste and odor. Refining coconut oil makes it more durable, raising the smoke point to 450°F (232°C), but it also destroys some of the polyphenols and phytonutrients. The basic fatty acid composition remains the same, though.
Fractionated coconut oil is essentially coconut oil with the long-chain fatty acids removed so all that remains are the medium-chain caprylic acid (C8) and capric acid (C10). Because it is a liquid, fractionated coconut oil is often marketed for cosmetic purposes, but you can also add it to your coffee if you’re a fatty coffee enthusiast. The MCT oil that’s so popular in the keto crowd is often (but not always) just fractionated coconut by another name.
Given the choice, I always prefer the unrefined variety. Although I’d opt for refined coconut oil over canola or seed oils of that ilk, if I need a high-heat cooking oil, I’d rather reach for avocado oil.
Coconut milk
Coconut milk is made by mixing shredded, fresh coconut meat with water, then squeezing it through a sieve or cheesecloth. The thick, creamy liquid that comes out makes a great base for smoothies, soups, and curries. For folks who abstain from dairy completely, coconut milk can step in and do most jobs that regular milk does.
You can find canned coconut milk in any grocery store. Avoid the “light” stuff—you’re just paying for extra water. Many brands also add guar gum to prevent thickening. I don’t worry too much about guar gum, but you can usually pay a bit more for ones without it.
Or, just make your own. All you need is 2.5 ounces fresh grated coconut (finely grated—use a food processor if you have to) and 1.5 cups of hot water. Pour the water over coconut shavings and let it steep for 5 minutes. Toss it all in the blender and puree until smooth, then strain it through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or a nut bag. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Store in the refrigerator.
Coconut water
Coconut water is the liquid inside young coconuts, and it’s basically nature’s original electrolyte drink. I’ll use coconut water to replenish lost electrolytes—potassium, especially—after a long, sweaty ride on my fat tire bike. It has some interesting health benefits, too.
When it comes to coconut water, there’s nothing like fresh nectar straight from the fruit. Canned or bottled coconut water will suffice, but check to ensure there’s no added sugar.
Coconut cream
Think of coconut cream as coconut milk without all the water. It’s the same stuff—pulverized coconut flesh mixed with water—only thicker and pastier. If you want to make a thicker coconut curry without all the added liquid, use coconut cream in place of milk.
In case you don’t have access to actual coconut cream, you can place a can of coconut milk in the refrigerator for a few hours. Open it carefully and pour off the liquid. The thick, solid layer that remains is coconut cream.
Coconut butter
Coconut butter is to coconut oil as butter is to ghee; it’s made from whole coconut flesh, with all the delicious fat and the solids included. The oil and flesh meld together to form a creamy texture that spreads well. I wouldn’t use it for any high-heat cooking as the bits of flesh will just burn, but a big dollop of coconut butter can really finish off a curry nicely.
Because the flesh is included, it retains a decent amount of sweetness, at least to my Primal palate. I love to eat it raw spread on a piece of dark chocolate, or just right off the spoon. The one downside to coconut butter is the price tag. It can be a bit spendy, so try making your own following this recipe.
Coconut meat
In younger, greener fruit, the coconut meat is soft, almost gelatin-like, enough so to earn the moniker “coconut jelly.” Older coconuts—the hairy ones—are incredibly tough to crack, but the meat is dense, slightly sweet, and perfect for shredding or cooking.
If you mostly dehydrate the meat but leave a little moisture, you can make shredded coconut or coconut flakes. When purchasing either from a store, look for the unsweetened variety for your Primal recipes.
Desiccated coconut is drier than shredded and very finely ground. This is not to be confused with coconut flour, which has the fat removed; desiccated coconut retains all the fatty goodness.
Coconut flour
Coconut flour is a Primal pantry staple that I’ve covered in depth elsewhere, so I’ll keep it brief here. The flour is simply the dehydrated and defatted meat finely ground into a powder. It can be used to make all manner of grain-free recipes—bread, pancakes, you name it. Now, I’m not saying that these items ought to make frequent appearances on your Primal plate, but when you get a hankering, swapping out the wheat flour is clearly the way to go. Just be aware that coconut flour is much drier than other flour substitutes. You’ll want to follow recipes that adjust the wet ingredients accordingly.
I think that about covers it. What’s your favorite coconut-based recipe? Let me know in the comments.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6060898/ ↩
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8132276/ ↩
Mark’s Daily Apple is still under construction. My team and I are actively working to repost the archives. Check back regularly to find posts that are new to you and revisit old favorites. Looking for a specific post? Let us know here.
You can help more people find us by spreading the word:
* This blog reflects my personal views and opinions and isn’t intended as medical advice, but I hope it will be informative and inspiring as you pursue a healthy, fulfilling life.