Vegan coconut ice cream

Coconut ice cream is an iced dessert made from coconut milk. It is suitable, and is a favorite choice, for those who follow an alternative diet (vegan or vegetarian), are lactose intolerant or just enjoy the taste of coconut! Its rich creamy texture, and its naturally sweet and characteristic taste offer a pleasant taste experience suitable for hot summer days.

However, apart from being a pleasantly summer choice, coconut ice cream, thanks to its coconut milk content, is particularly beneficial for the body.

The way the coconut milk is prepared, as well as the coconut cream, is similar to the way the respective dairy products are prepared. Coconut milk is categorized into "thick", which comes from one drain, and "thin", which comes from two drains. The flesh of the ripe coconut (the white part), after being removed from the coconut shell (brown shell) and chopped, is left to soak in hot water. The coconut cream rises to the top and is removed. The remaining liquid is drained with the help of a special cloth and the extraction results in a white liquid, coconut milk. After the production of the thick coconut milk, the coconut flesh left in the cloth is left to simmer in water and the same drainage procedure is followed, resulting in the production of fine coconut milk. The thicker the milk, the higher its fatty acid content. For the preparation of coconut ice cream, thick coconut milk is usually used, where it owes its rich creamy texture!

Note: Coconut water is the liquid that is naturally found in coconut and is characterized by its high content of sugars and electrolytes (ideal for immediate hydration on hot days or after intense training), while milk comes from the flesh of the coconut and has a high content of low chain saturated fatty acids.

What are the benefits?

Coconut ice cream contains a lot of calories. About 90% of the calories it provides come from fats, including saturated fatty acids, known as Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs).

Table1: nutritional elements from ice cream "my love my life", natural flavor

MCTs are a feature of coconut and its products. Compared to higher chain fatty acids, MCTs are transported from the digestive tract directly to the liver, where they are used for direct energy or to produce ketones. Reducing, in this way, the possibility of being stored as fat ¹.

Certainly the reference to saturated fatty acids is not so auspicious, however studies* have shown that the fatty acids (MCTs) contained in coconut milk can contribute positively both in the effort to gain a healthy body weight and in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system and to strengthen the body's immune system.

Numerous studies suggest that MCTSs are likely

• They enhance the effort to achieve, but also maintain, a healthy body weight, as well as
  • increase the feeling of satiety, leading to a reduced daily calorieintake ^2,3.
  • increase - temporarily - caloric expenditure and fat burning^4,5
  • reduce the waist circumference^6,7
• They promote good heart health, as it seems
  • increase good cholesterol (HDL) levels⁷

In the context of a always balanced diet !!

* it is important to mention that these studies have mainly studied the MCTs found in coconut oil. Compared to oil, coconut milk has a lower MCTs content and needs further study.

Lactose free

Coconut ice cream does not contain dairy products, making it ideal for people who suffer from celiac disease or show symptoms of lactose intolerance. People who avoid lactose out of necessity, or out of choice, can consume coconut ice cream without fear, without having to deal with stomach pain!

Serving suggestion

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 ½ cup frozen (BIO cool) or fresh berries

- ½ banana

- ½ cup of coconut ice cream my love my life in natural taste or with chocolate

- ½ vegetable milk (eg oats)

- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (optional)

Method:

If you use fresh fruit, wash it well. Add the milk, ice cream, berries and banana to the blender and mix well until the texture of the mixture becomes smooth and foamy. Serve in a glass. You can garnish it with extra berries or whipped cream and… enjoy!

Bibliography

[1] Dayrit, F.M. The Properties of Lauric Acid and Their Significance in Coconut Oil. J Am Oil Chem Soc 92, 1–15 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-014-2562-7

[2] St-Onge MP, Mayrsohn B, O'Keeffe M, Kissileff HR, Choudhury AR, Laferrère B. Impact of medium and long chain triglycerides consumption on appetite and food intake in overweight men. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2014 Oct;68(10):1134-40

[3] Van Wymelbeke V, Himaya A, Louis-Sylvestre J, Fantino M. Influence of medium-chain and long-chain triacylglycerols on the control of food intake in men. Am J Clin Nutr. 1998 Aug;68(2):226-34

[4] Papamandjaris AA, White MD, Raeini-Sarjaz M, Jones PJ. Endogenous fat oxidation during medium chain versus long chain triglyceride feeding in healthy women. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2000 Sep;24(9):1158-66.

[5] Papamandjaris AA, White MD, Jones PJ. Components of total energy expenditure in healthy young women are not affected after 14 days of feeding with medium-versus long-chain triglycerides. Obes Res. 1999 May;7(3):273-80.

[6] Liau KM, Lee YY, Chen CK, Rasool AH. An open-label pilot study to assess the efficacy and safety of virgin coconut oil in reducing visceral adiposity. ISRN Pharmacol. 2011;2011:949686.

[7] Cardoso DA, Moreira AS, de Oliveira GM, Raggio Luiz R, Rosa G. A COCONUT EXTRA VIRGIN OIL-RICH DIET INCREASES HDL CHOLESTEROL AND DECREASES WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE AND BODY MASS IN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE PATIENTS. Nutr Hosp. 2015 Nov 1;32(5):2144-52.