While coconut jelly can be high in fiber, it doesn’t have enough nutrients to be considered a health food.
Many Asian countries use coconut and its derivatives in many different ways. As a result, I am always delighted to discover treats such as coconut jelly or nata de coco. Since it is my job to know exactly what my clients are eating, I decided to do some research into is coconut jelly good for you.
While coconut jelly does have some good components to it, I wouldn’t add it to your diet too often. From health benefits to calories, here is a breakdown of coconut jelly.
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Coconut jelly is considered a high fiber food product. It can be made from either fermented coconut water or coconut milk, but coconut water is the more common ingredient. This food has been found to be low in fat, high in cellulose, and contain no cholesterol at all.
In one study, scientists combined nata de coco with other high fiber ingredients such as unpolished rice, mung beans, and sweet corn. The experiment showed that regular consumption of this supplement led to lower triglyceride levels. This could potentially help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Of course, it can be difficult to say whether coconut jelly, by itself, could have the same impact. Nevertheless, this can be a delicious way to incorporate more fiber into your diet. In doing so, you may be able to enjoy better gut health.
You should be aware that the coconut jelly can be rather high in carbs, though. This is because it is almost always sweetened. A single serving can carry up to 29g of carbs, 27g of which are sugar. Thus, it isn't a dessert that you want to indulge in too often.
Also, if the coconut jelly is made from coconut milk, then you have to be careful of the fat content. There is around 3.4 grams of fat per tablespoon. And, while coconut milk does have protein – coconut water doesn’t – the milk doesn’t have fiber.
Coconut jelly is pretty low in calories. A serving of 180g has just 130 calories. Of course, this can vary from one recipe to another as some people add may add more or less sugar. If the coconut jelly is commercially produced, make sure to check the number of calories as these can vary quite drastically.
Another thing to be aware of is that if the nata de coco is made from coconut milk that the number of calories will automatically be higher. This is because a tablespoon of coconut milk can have up to 30 calories. Therefore, this is something that you will need to factor in.
So, there you have it! Coconut jelly does have its good points – it is low in fat and calories and contains plenty of fiber. Nevertheless, it can necessarily be classified as a health food since it is rather high in sugar. Still, you should be able to enjoy it every now and then without feeling guilty.
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