Different Ways to Consume Coconut
Coconuts are seeds of the coconut tree, a type of palm that grows in a variety of tropical locations. Various parts of both young and mature coconuts can be extracted and consumed. Different forms of coconut can affect your body in specific ways.
Coconut meat is the white flesh found inside the coconut, which can be eaten raw or dried. One cup of raw coconut meat contains 283 calories, 3 grams (g) of protein, 27 g of fat, 12 g of carbs, 7 g of fiber, and 5 g of sugars. Dried coconut meat is sometimes treated with preservatives or added sugar to maintain flavor, which adds to the calorie count.
A cup of sweetened, shredded, dried coconut provides 466 calories, 3 g of protein, 33 g of fat, 44 g of carbs, 4 g of fiber, and more than 40 g of sugars.
Coconut water is the clear fluid inside the coconut. A half-cup serving of plain coconut water contains 23 calories, 1 g of protein, and less than 1 g of fat. Flavored versions are typically higher in calories and sugars. Coconut water contains electrolytes, like potassium and sodium.
Coconut milk is a liquid made from the flesh of coconuts. Half a cup of canned coconut milk, often used as a base for cooking soup, contains 223 calories, 2 g of protein, 24 g of fat, and more than 3 g of carbs. Coconut milk produced as a beverage has 38 calories in a half cup, 0.25 g of protein, 2.5 g of fat, and 3.5 g of carbs.
Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted from coconut meat. One tablespoon of coconut oil contains 121 calories and 13 g of fat, with no protein or carbs. Coconut oil contains saturated fats, which the American Heart Association recommends limiting.
However, a review of 26 studies found that coconut oil does not pose a risk of heart disease. Researchers note the fat in coconut oil is largely medium-chain fatty acids, which have different metabolic properties than other saturated fats, and that with coconut oil consumption, triglyceride levels tend to decrease and HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels tend to increase.
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