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Making coconut milk from scratch at home is a lot of fun.
Even if you don’t care about the health benefits, pure homemade coconut milk tastes like nothing else! It’s well worth the time and effort to learn how to make it.
Who Can Drink Homemade Coconut Milk?
This coconut milk is made from scratch. It’s raw, vegan, paleo-friendly, whole30, dairy-free, and nut-free.
You have more control over the ingredients when you make your own coconut milk.
Why should I make coconut milk at home?
There are so many different kinds of milk on the market today that it can be hard to know which one to choose.
Coconuts are healthy because they are low in sodium and cholesterol and high in fiber and good fats. Naturally they’re gluten-free, making it a plus for people with gluten allergies.
Coconuts have a lot of fat.
Coconuts have a lot of fat, that’s for sure. Buy they’re plant fats that break down quickly and don’t cause fat to build up.
Coconuts Are Blood-Sugar Stabilizing
These healthy fats also help your body’s endocrine system and thyroid work the way they should. This speeds up your metabolism and helps your body release insulin to keep your blood sugar in check.
Coconut milk made at home vs. canned or boxed
I wrote in my article about how to make homemade almond milk and why I like it better than almond milk from the store. coconut milk is the same in this way.
Take out the things that aren’t necessary
There are stabilizers, sweeteners, and thickeners in coconut milk that comes in a can. After you learn how to make coconut milk, you’ll be able to get rid of these unnecessary ingredients. You’ll also be one step closer to eating whole foods, which is the ultimate goal.
Coconut milk in a can and Polysorbate 80
Is it bad to use Polysorbate 80?
Short version: Polysorbate 80 keeps liquids and oils from separating. That’s why it’s used in coconut milk that comes in a can. It’s also in ice cream, frozen desserts, baking mixes, icings, and canned vegetables.
This ingredient could be harmful, especially the cheaper versions used in cosmetics. Studies have shown that polysorbate 80 makes people with certain types of cancer more likely to have blood clots and strokes. They are also more prone to heart attacks, heart failure, and tumor growth or recurrence (1).
Pathogenic gut bacteria also eat polysorbate 80, which makes the inflammation in the gut worse.
What to watch out for with Polysorbate 80
You should only use food-grade Polysobate 80, and it shouldn’t make up more than 0.1 percent of the finished product.
Make sure the brands you buy are good and that they use good quality ingredients.
Carboxymethylcellulose
On ingredient labels, carboxymethylcellulose is sometimes referred to as cellulose gum or CMC.
It’s another popular emulsifier that harms your intestines. It’s also used as a thickening agent.
Your gut bacteria reacts to CMC by producing large amounts of flagellin, a gut-irritating protein.
How to Buy a Whole Coconut
Most coconuts you buy in stores have had their outer layer taken off. This is the fibrous husk. When you take it off, you can see a “nut” with a hard shell.
Listen For The Coconut Water
It’s important to choose the right coconut so that the meat inside is ripe but not too old and dried out. Hold a ripe coconut up to your ear and shake it gently. If you can hear the liquid inside, you have a winner.
Servings:
1/2 a Cup
Ready In:
20 Minutes
Calories:
276 per serving
Good For:
Drink, Snack
Nutrition
- Calories: 276 Calories
- Protein: 3g
- Fat: 29g
- Carbs: 7g
- Fiber: 3g
- Sugar: 4g
- 316 milligrams of potassium
- 18 milligrams of sodium
- 44 milligrams of magnesium
- 2 milligrams of iron
Amounts per serving:
1 serving is half a cup of milk
- Protein 3g 6.5%
- Carbohydrates 7g 15%
- of Which Sugar is 4g 9%
- Fiber 3g 6,5%
- Fat 29g 63%
Uses Of Coconut Milk
Once you’ve made this delicious coconut milk, you can read my post on How to Cook With Coconut Milk
Mixing this milk with a variety of ingredients offers a wide range of tastes. From creamy pasta recipes to cheesy sauces, there’s something for everyone
What Should You Do With the Coconut Water?
Put the drained coconut water in the fridge and drink it when it’s cold. Coconut water is good for you in many ways and has a lot of electrolytes.
Surprisingly, it looks so much like human plasma that it can be given through an IV in an emergency (1)
Coconut Milk From Scratch. The Recipe
Equipment
- hammer
- sharp knife
- kitchen towel
- medium bowl
- Large cup
- Muslin cloth or Nut bag.
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 Large Coconut
- 3 Cups Water. Hot water is preferred over cold to produce richer coconut milk that had a higher coconut oil content.
Instructions
- Prepare The CoconutRemove as much hair off of the coconut as possible
- Locate The EyesFind the 3 soft 'eyes' of the coconut.
- Drill HolesPierce the soft eyes of the coconut with a butter knife. You will need to pierce two holes (there are 3 in total) for proper drainage.
- Remove LiquidTurn the coconut upside down and drain the coconut water into a cup.
- Give it a Bash.cover the coconut in a kitchen towel and gently knock it against a hard surface. In the knocking action, we will be loosening the coconut flesh from its hard shell layer. This makes our job a little easier in the next step.
- Crack It OpenAfter knocking a few times, start using a bit more force and crack the shell open. Break the coconut up into a few pieces.
- Separate Flesh From ShellThe hardest and most injury-prone step is prying the coconut meat away from its shell, so be careful! With a butter knife, pry the coconut meat from its shell.
- Blend With WaterPlace the coconut flesh in a blender and add one cup of hot water at a time, blending in between.
- Once the coconut and water mixture forms a smooth and creamy slurry, the mixture is ready to sieve (about 3 or 4 cups of water).
- Sieve Through BagPour the coconut mixture through a muslin bag or nut milk bag into a bowl. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible, and transfer the coconut milk to the refrigerator.
- Store in Fridge or FreezerHomemade coconut milk will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. freeze the milk in ice trays and use coconut milk blocks as needed. Store this way for up to 2 months!
How do I store coconut milk that I made myself?
Coconut milk you make at home can last up to three days in the fridge. Because it doesn’t have any preservatives, fresh coconut milk doesn’t last as long as canned or packaged coconut milk.
Freeze Cocount Milk
You could also put the coconut milk in ice cube trays and freeze it. This is how you can keep it for up to two months!
How to Make Use of the Extra Coconut Pulp
Instead of throwing away the “pulp” in the muslin bag, mix the coconut pieces with sugar and different spices to make a great Coconut Chai Body Scrub, which is one of my 5 Best Homemade Body Scrub Recipes.
Alternatively, add the dried coconut pulp to cocoa powder or cinamon and sprinkle over homemade microwave popcorn.
