Coconuts!

The one food I really miss since having allergies is ice cream.  Luckily, there are some non-dairy alternatives.  I have tried a couple, but none even come close to So Delicious non-dairy ice cream, made with coconut milk.  The So Delicious products do not have any coconut flavor to them, the coconut milk is merely the same texture as dairy milk.  I think I might even dare to say that I like this ice cream better than regular ice cream.

Here are some of my favorite So Delicious products:

coffee milk creamer… also comes in flavors

perfectly smooth yogurt… my favorite flavors are raspberry and mango

I’ve tried the chocolate, pomegrante chip, and chocolate peanut butter, all delicious!  I really need to try other flavors… for research of course.  🙂

So coconut milk can replace dairy milk, but what are the health benefits?  Well, coconuts are making a come back from their previous bad rap of being “too” fatty.  Yes, coconuts have a high fat content.  But no, this isn’t always a bad thing.  In fact, coconut oil is coming back into health food stores, right next to healthy olive oil.

Coconut oil is a great alternative to butter for vegans because it is animal free.  Many vegan bakers agree that coconut oil is actually better in baking than regular butter; it is flakier, smoother, and has perfect texture.  And it is certainly a better alternative to processed Crisco.  As a cook, coconut oil would be great sauteed with veggies, or when stir frying meat… or even on popcorn!

Coconuts do have saturated fats in them, but they also have an acid that raises your HDL level, good for cholesterol.  Other health benefits of coconuts include clearing up skin acne, aiding the immune system, preventing osteoporosis, and even raising energy levels.  Bring on the coconut milk ice cream!

While some research still needs to be done on the health benefits of coconuts, they are certainly a great substitute for dairy products and definitely get my seal of approval.  But like anything else we eat, it is better in moderation.  It’s just nice to know that I can have my ice cream and eat it, too.

Here is a New York Times article on coconut oil’s comeback.

And another great resource about coconuts, if you are curious.