nature's charm coconut milk

Coconut milk is not local to England, but it’s extremely popular these days for vegan curries and to make ‘whipped cream’ and top desserts. You can buy good brands in stores in tins. But do be careful when buying other brands, as some (especially Thai) coconut milk brands may still use ‘slave monkeys’ to harvest the coconuts. These terrified animals are sent up very high trees to harvest the coconut milk, and spend most of their lives tethered and not living very good welfare lives.

Before cooking, read up on food safety for people and pets.

tofu and coconut curry

Nature’s Charm is a good brand of coconut milk, founded by a woman from a coconut farming family in Thailand. A passionate vegan, she guarantees no monkey-slaves are used to harvest the coconuts. Another good brand is Biona, sold in most stores or buy online. It also offers a lite version (lower in calories) and flavoured versions for curry (turmeric or green curry). Try this tofu and coconut curry (The Simple Veganista).

fresh fruit smoothie

Coconut milk is a great replacement for dairy milk in fruit smoothies (Crowded Kitchen). Although its strong taste is not so popular for hot drinks, it’s also good for ‘creamy curries’ like korma, and makes good ice-cream (So Vegan).

coconut strawberry ice cream

Due to media campaigns, most supermarkets have banned sale of the guilty brands, but they do sometimes make their way here, and even ‘organic food stores’ have been found to stock them.

The Nutritional Profile of Coconut Milk

There are arguments amid health professionals, about coconuts and coconut milk. Some say it contains lauric acid so it’s good for you, and it’s especially popular among raw foodists. But some doctors say it’s high in saturated fat. Like everything, balance is key. Use it for creamy smoothies and topping desserts, but don’t eat it everyday.

Environmental Impact of Coconut Farming

coconut collab protin yoghurt

Just like with palm oil, some coconut plantations are over-harvested, so only buy in moderation. Loss of trees always means loss of homes for native species. Anything (including bamboo) can become monocultures, where old growth forests are torn down, to satisfy western demand for food and beauty products.

Look for brands that offer coconut products free from monkey-harvesting and using sustainably-sourced coconuts. One good brand is The Coconut Collab, which qualifies on all counts for its yoghurts and creams.

Monkey-Friendly Organic Coconut Cream

coconut chocolate mousse

Coconut Whipping Cream (Biona) is great to dollop on desserts. Made with organic Sri Lankan coconuts (and guaranteed no monkey slave harvesting), chill this overnight then pour into a bowl and whip into a cream.  This company also makes light coconut milk, cream coconut and coconut milk powder (use in smoothies, soups, curry, porridge and ice-cream).

Similar Posts