What Are the Benefits of Coconut Milk Powder?

Coconut is a traditional ingredient in Caribbean and Asian cuisine. In contrast, fresh coconut milk is difficult to get in the United States. Coconut milk powder is whole coconut milk that has often undergone a process of homogenization and pasteurization before being spray-dried to preserve it. Eating coconut milk provides several nutritional benefits.

Diet

• Coconut milk powder contains no animal products, as it is made from the extract of coconut meat. It can be a substitute for cow's milk for people following a vegan or raw diet. Coconut milk powder can be used as a non-dairy creamer, or to create healthy desserts such as in a Thai recipe for bananas in coconut milk. It can also be drunk on its own, though it lacks the sweet taste of milk.

Health

• Coconut milk powder contains protein as well as nutritious vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A, calcium and iron. It also contains healthy saturated fats that may prevent heart disease, according to the researcher Mary Enig, PhD, an expert in fats and oils who published the book "Know your Fats" (See Reference 3). The fat in coconut milk can also provide a boost of energy. Coconut can also improve digestion, kill harmful bacteria, improve the functions of the immune system, and decrease the chance for diabetes, according to the Coconut Research Center, a non-profit coconut research organization (See Reference 2).

Processing

• The process that turns fresh coconut milk into coconut milk powder allows the milk to retain its flavor, texture, and nutritional value when hot water is added to it (See Reference 1). Fresh coconut milk only lasts a few days in the refrigerator, but the powder form has a much longer shelf life. Coconut milk powder is a better alternative to canned coconut milk, which is often thinned with water and can spoil easily during shipping.