If you are the type who enjoys sweet and delicious foods, wants a wide selection of flavours available, and are looking to add a refreshingly energizing drink that is quick to prepare, then coconut milk smoothies will soon become the staple drinks in your diet.
The Secrets of the Kalpa Vriksha or the Health Benefits of using Coconut Milk in Smoothies
In Sanskrit, the coconut palm is mystically referred to as the Kalpa Vriksha. This literally means ‘the tree which gives all that is necessary for living’.
It’s a fact that no one can doubt, and it is the reason why coconut is so abundantly used, almost to the point of becoming a staple in different parts of the world. The coconut, its water, milk, flesh, sugar, oil, the husk, and more — nearly all parts of the fruit, and the tree can be used for one purpose or the other.
Coconut can be used to make a vibrant range of edible treats, but we will restrain ourselves here to one of its amazing products — coconut milk, and how you may use it for making smoothies. Let’s begin with a brief look at the nutritional facts about coconut milk.
Nutrition Content of Coconut Milk
Coconut is a highly nutritious and healthy fruit:
- It is rich in fiber
- It contains various vitamins — such as Vitamin C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6
- It is rich in minerals — iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous
- It is free of lactose
- It is rich in healthy fats and lauric acid
When its meat is processed to extract coconut milk, it contains all the rich nutrients contained in the coconut itself. All of this translates into a range of health benefits that can be gained by using coconut milk in smoothies.
What are the Health Benefits of using Coconut Milk in Smoothies?
Using coconut milk in smoothies can offer the following health benefits:
- Strengthens immune system —Coconut milk is rich in healthy fats, and a major part of the fats is comprised Lauric acid. Lauric acid is known to exhibit antiviral, antibacterial, and anti fungal properties. This fatty acid can aid in strengthening the immune system, and hence boost ability to ward off disease.
- Helps cardiovascular activity — Lauric acid can also be helpful in keeping the blood vessels clean and maintain their elasticity. As a result, they help lower the risk of heart disease.
- Offers Protection against Free Radicals — Since it is rich in anti-oxidants, coconut milk provides protection against harmful free radicals, and hence from the damaging effects they have on the cells and tissues.
- Strengthens the digestive system — Coconut milk improves digestion, acts as laxative and relives acid reflux, and associated disease.
- Relax nerves and muscles — Coconut milk contains magnesium, potassium. These minerals are great for increasing hydration, lowering blood pressure, and relaxing nerves and muscles,
- Helps strengthen bones — Coconut milk is rich in phosphorus, which is crucial for the health of bones and reducing joint inflammation.
- Alternative for lactose intolerant people — Unlike cow’s milk, coconut milk is lactose free. So it can be used as a milk substitute by those with lactose intolerance. It has become a popular choice with vegans as it makes a great base for smoothies and milkshakes.
- Moisturises skin — The healthy fats present in coconut oil helps the skin lock in moisture for longer. As a result, it can act as a great moisturiser for your skin.
By now you must be itching to scroll down to the section that tells you how to make your own coconut milk smoothies. Scroll on!
How to make Grinning Face Smoothies
If you’re wondering “Grinning face?” then it’s another name for coconuts!
We know coconut by the first impression that it left on the Spanish explorers who found the three ‘eyes’ underneath the fruit to resemble a monkey. They named it cocos — a literal translation for “grinning face”— before introducing the fruit, and its natural bounties to the Western world. Let’s see how you can use coconut make coconut milk smoothies.
How to make your Coconut Milk Smoothie
The best way to master any smoothie and its unearthly yummyness is to grasp its alchemic process.
You know:
The ingredients, the apparatus, that dash of alchemic magic*, and topping — voila! *your taste buds are gonna tell you what that is!
Once you grasp it, you are on your way to creating a vivid range of coconut milk smoothies to dazzle your taste buds. And don’t worry! We’ve laid some recipes for your practice before getting on with the alchemy — no deep meditations with your taste buds for now!
The method is pretty simple: add the solids into the blender, pour half to one-fourth of the coconut milk, blend till you have a thick paste, add remaining, and “blend till its smoothie”.
Now it’s your turn to hang around with different ingredients, and do try to decipher the commons in the following recipes…
Cocunut Milk Smoothie With Pineapple
The Ingredients:
- Coconut milk — 1½ cup
- Banana (medium) —½
Alchemy
- frozen pineapple1 cup
- vanilla yogurt —½ cup
- Crushed ice — ½ cup
Click here to read our full recipe guide to the Coconut Milk Smoothie with Pineapple.
Cocunut Milk Smoothie With Pina Colada
The Ingredients:
- coconut milk —1 cup
- Banana —1
Alchemy
- Pineapple chunks — 1 cup
- Pineapple juice — 1/2 cup
- Crushed ice —1/2 – 3/4 cups
- Honey —2 tsp
Click here to read our full recipe guide to the Coconut Milk Smoothie with Pina Colada.
Cocunut Milk Smoothie With Skinny Greens
The Ingredient:
- coconut milk (light) — 3/4 cup
- Banana (medium) — 1
Alchemy
- Greek yogurt (fat free) — 6 oz
- fresh pineapple chunks — 3/4 cup
- Spinach —1 cup
- Sweetened shredded coconut — 2 tbsp
- Crushed ice — 1 ¼ cups
Click here to read our full recipe guide to the Coconut Milk Smoothie with Skinny Greens.
Let’s step it up a bit shall we?
Coconut Milk Smoothie With Mango and Carrot
The ingredients:
- Coconut milk — 1 cup
Alchemy
- Carrots (sliced)— 1 cup
- Mango ( sliced) — 1
- Vanilla Greek yogurt —6 oz
- Honey — 2 tbsp
- Crushed ice — 2 cups
Click here to read our full guide to the Coconut Milk Smoothie with Mango & Carrot.
Coconut Milk Smoothie With Pineapple and Orange
The ingredients:
- Coconut milk — 2/3 cups
- Oranges — 4
- Bananas — 2
- Chopped pineapple — 2/3 cup
- Yoghurt — 1/2 cup
Click here to read our full guide to the Coconut Milk Smoothie with Pineapple & Orange.
Coconut Milk Smoothie Toppings!
Try any of the following toppings for the final garnish.
- Cinnamon
- Shredded Coconut
- Coconut sugar
- Pineapple chunks
- Greens
Our Smoothing Works…
Whether you want to add it to your morning meal, as a delicious snack, or as part of your lunch or dinner, or even to replace those meals, coconut milk smoothie is one refreshing, and nutritiously tantalizing drink that will keep your palate full and your body healthy. All the best!