There are different types of coconuts. They differ primarily in color, taste and size, but also in their shape and use. For example, there are special drinking coconuts that hardly produce any pulp.
What types of coconuts are there?
There are different types of coconut that differ in color, taste, size and use. Drinking coconuts contain a lot of coconut water and little pulp, while coconut milk is made from the pulp of “normal” coconuts.
What is meant by a drinking coconut?
In some Asian countries such as Thailand or Sri Lanka there are so-called drinking coconuts. They only produce a little pulp, but have a lot of natural liquid. The coconut water is almost clear, whitish to yellowish and tastes slightly sweet.
The “normal” coconut also contains up to half a liter of coconut water while it is still fresh. You just have to harvest them early enough, then practically any coconut can be used as a drinking coconut. The older the coconut gets, the less coconut water it contains.
Where does coconut milk come from?
Coconut milk is not actually milk, but rather the liquid that is obtained from the pureed and pressed coconut meat. Compared to pure coconut water, it contains a relatively high amount of fat. Of course, it is also high in calories. It is considered he althy due to the valuable lauric fatty acids it contains. These fatty acids are also part of coconut oil.
High-quality coconut milk is obtained from the first pressing of the pulp and is free of any additives. Unfortunately, this quality is relatively rare to find because numerous substances are often added to coconut milk, such as thickeners or emulsifiers. Second-pressing coconut milk is obtained by adding water and squeezing the pulp again. This milk is thinner and lower in fat.
The most important things in brief:
- special drinking coconuts have no real pulp
- high-quality coconut milk contains no additives
- you can recognize a fresh coconut by the sound of the coconut water inside
Tips & Tricks
Use an opened coconut as quickly as possible, it quickly loses its flavor. When buying coconut milk, make sure it is of excellent quality without additives.
