Is coconut milk vegan?

 

 

Who is a vegan?

If you are a vegetarian you already know what’s a vegan but for those who don’t,   vegan is word which come from the word  vegetarian.  Vegetarians are people who do not eat meat or fish for moral, religious, or health reason; some do use milk and eggs these are octo-lacto vegetarians. In addition, vegans(strict vegetarians) do not use other animal products and by –products like eggs, honey, milk,fur, silk, leathers, cosmetics and soap gotten from animals. Vegan-ism is a life path that’s really meant for people who care deeply about animal rights and their health they may also choose this path for ethical and environmental purposes ,to promote and encourage more caring and benevolent world. Mainly they feed on vegetables, fruits, grain products, nuts, seeds, and legumes. They also take soy yogurt, banana muffins, corn fritters, pumpkin casserole, rice pudding, fava beans etc. But many vegans in the western world ask this question is coconut milk allowed for vegan?

Why a vegan might be skeptical about coconut milk?

There are many foods that vegans would not take that those who are  vegetarians would take.

Most vegans would not take coconut milk for any reason. Since it was called milk, they believe it is gotten from animals. But it’s not. Much awareness has been created by a vegan nutritionist to let them (vegans) know that coconut milk is not in any way harmful to their beliefs.

Is coconut milk safe for vegans?

Coconut “milk” is totally a plant product, it is a white liquid extracted from coconut that’s why it was named milk. It has nothing to do with animals at any stage of its growth. So yes, it’s vegan safest. There are several vegan recipes that could be gotten from coconut milk- coconut milk ice-cream, braised coconut spinach and chicken, peas with lemon, creamy curried cauliflower soup, Roasted red kuri pumpkin and coconut soup, whipped sweet potatoes with coconut milk and vanilla bean, coconut milk snowballs etc.

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Since coconut milk is now found safe and appropriate for use by vegans, it has been widely accepted as a perfect replacement for cow’s milk in many dishes and beverages. But it should be consumed moderately. Nutritionist has, however, warned that coconut milk cannot in any way be compared to breast milk; it should not be given to infants and babies.

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Studies showed that coconut milk is too rich for frequent beverage ingestion. Coconut milk is not rich in calcium( 1 cup has 3% while cow milk has 30%), vitamin B12 and vitamin D; therefore it should not be given to vegan babies or infants as replacement for breastmilk .

However, it should be given or taken with moderation. Coconut milk is too rich for beverage intake.

The Benefits vegans could get for taking coconut milk include:

• it is a great replacement for soy and almond milk

Many have stayed away from dairy and soy because of allergies and sensitivities. Coconut serves as a way out. There has been witness of vegans saying they could digest coconut milk without any problem. The texture of coconut milk makes it a perfect substitute when baking, especially when nut or grain-based milk does not want to be used.

• it has cholesterol reducing fats

Coconut contains a lot of saturated fats, but the fat is different from the ones that come from animals. The plant based fats are medium chain fatty acids that does not decompose in the body the way fats from animals does .Research has also shown the saturated fats in coconut oil reduces our bad cholesterol it also does not store in our body because of it fast breakdown properties.

Coconut milk does not have Trans fatty acids so it will not clog your arteries which means it’s a heart health milk .

• it supercharges your immune system

It is has disease fighting properties which comes from the rich antioxidants in the milk . The milk prevents free radicals damage which can cause cancer , alzheimer’s  and heart diseases .

Conclusion

The health and beauty merits that non vegans benefit from coconut are what the vegans will get too. Coconut milk can be consumed by vegans and use for any purpose they intend to use it for, but the fact remains that it should be consumed with moderation.