Now more than ever, you should take the opportunity to improve your diet and make a positive change in your lifestyle. Aside from remaining physically active even while remaining indoors, you should also change your diet to include more fresh and nutrient-rich ingredients. One ingredient that should definitely make more appearances in your menu is coconut milk.
This delicious and creamy substance isn’t really dairy. It’s made by pureeing an equal part of coconut meat with water. This should not be confused with coconut cream, which is a pureed coconut flesh and sugar. Coconut milk can be mixed with a variety of meals, most of them hailing from Asia. Food such as authentic Indian curry and a delicious adobo recipe with gata calls for coconut milk to add flavor and substance.
Below are just a few reasons you should use this delicious substance more often in your cooking, as well as how you can incorporate it into your menu.
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It’s Rich in Medium-Chain Triglycerides
This complicated term simply means that coconut milk is full of a healthy type of fat. Unlike other fatty substances, medium-chain triglycerides or MCTs are digested and broken down easier by the human body. This means that your body uses it up quickly instead of storing them in adipose tissue, which leads to weight gain. MCTs are also capable of stimulating thermogenesis or heat generation in your body. This chemical process helps you burn more energy and get rid of fat much quicker.
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It Helps Improve Your Immune System
Coconut milk is also chockful of lauric acid, an MCT that could improve your immune system. Multiple studies and experiments have been conducted to determine the extent of the antimicrobial and antifungal effects of lauric acid. These tests have found some positive results in decreasing the effects of organisms and impeding their growth.
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It Lowers Bad Cholesterol
Not only does coconut milk help you burn fat and boost your immune system, it can also reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in your body. A study replaced the dairy intake of overweight men with coconut milk and discovered that incorporating it into their diets lead to reduced lipid profiles. You can enjoy this benefit as well by using coconut milk in your recipes more often.
How to Introduce Coconut Milk to Your Diet
If you want to use coconut milk in your diet, there are several ways you can incorporate it as an ingredient in your diet.
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Explore Asian Cuisine
Coconut milk is used extensively in Asian cuisine. These meals run the gamut from meat-heavy to vegetarian, allowing you to indulge any special dietary restrictions you may have. Aside from main dishes such as curry, you can also serve sides such as coconut rice.
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Replace Select Dairy
You can use coconut milk as a substitute for dairy milk in certain recipes. For example, you can use coconut milk to make your porridge or as a thickener for oatmeal.
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Use it To Make Smoothies
Although you could also use the sweeter coconut cream, using coconut milk as a replacement for dairy in smoothies means your consuming less sugar. Combine coconut milk with chopped fruits such as bananas and mangos to make delicious and tropical-flavored drinks loaded with vitamins.
You are what you eat, and if you only eat unhealthy food, your body is going to pay the price. Incorporate healthy ingredients such as coconut milk into your menu more often and enjoy their health benefits.
