In my last post you heard me say why I'm nuts about coconuts. This amazing superfood has gained popularity in the last few years. However, as you'll have read in my last post, my love of coconut has a long history - way before it was fashionable. With my studies in Nutritional Medicine this was accentuated ten fold as I discovered the amazing health benefits coconut posesses.
Dairy on the other hand, has been a love of a different kind. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't live without yoghurt. However Dairy just doesn't love me back, yoghurt may be a source of probiotics but for me it was not a viable option.
Imagine my absolute euphoria when I discovered Coconut yoghurt? A dairy free, lactose free, vegan friendly yoghurt with the healing benefits of coconut milk - could it be true? Could it be possible?
My first experience with coconut yoghurt was the highly popular Co-Yo. I have to say I was a little disappointed, while it was thick and creamy, it lacked the sourness and the light and fluffy texture. Quite honestly it simply tasted like a thick and heavy coconut cream - which is fine but not quite what I was looking for as a yoghurt substitute.
Next I discovered Alpine. This got me excited as it was available in my local supermarket and the nutritional profile suits my philosophy well - high fat, low sugar, no nasty ingredients and minimal processing.
My first taste of Alpine was everything I hoped it would be. I immediately began posting photos on my social media pages and telling all of my dairy free patients about it. In fact, I told so many people about Alpine that when Coles stopped stocking it my inbox was flooded for days with emails from patients asking what to do. A little part of me genuinely wondered whether my continuous promotion had now bit me in the foot as the supply could not keep up with the demand.
However, shortly after, came NoUdder coconut and almond yoghurts. I was very pleased to see that the recipe had not changed and my beloved coconut yoghurt was now once again readily available.
I'm not a big fan of the almond yoghurt personally, but the NoUdder and Alpine coconut yoghurts are delicious yoghurt options which combine all of the wonderful health benefits of coconut with the power of live probiotic cultures and a beautiful taste and texture that even my dairy lovers enjoy.
Here's why I'm in love with coconut yoghurt:
It is rich in dairy free probiotics to enhance our immune system,
promote a regular bowel movement and improve general mood, immunity and digestion. Being made from coconut milk means it also has other powerful gut-health boosting properties which you'll have read about in my previous blog - making this a power snack/side for better gut health.
It is sweet, creamy and delicious with minimal sugar.
In fact a tub of No Udder Coconut yoghurt has only 7g of sugar per 100g. A good quality greek yoghurt will usually have between 5 - 8g of sugar per 100g, yet the sour taste usually leaves people wanting to add sweetness. Many people add a teaspoon or two of honey or some fresh fruit, this would bump up the sugar significantly. The No Udder and Alpine cococonut yoghurts are sweet enough to satisfy any sugar craving. I always add a tablespoon or two of coconut yoghurt to my homemade granola (click image for recipe) which I make completely sugar free - the coconut yoghurt is all the sweetness I need.
It's gentle on your digestive system and great for a detox
or weight loss program. I've been writing dairy free plans and programs for years and have seen incredible results when patients have removed dairy from their diet. When writing a diet plan for hormonal balancing, detox, anxiety, allergies, digestive issues or weight loss, I've always eliminated dairy. I've now integrated coconut yoghurt into my plans and found that those who stick to this get better results.
It's an ethical choice. Even if we adore dairy and suffer
no negative reactions from consuming dairy products we also have to be aware of the impact that the huge demand for dairy products is having. Huge demand has led to cows being bred purely for milking in order to keep up with demand. It is a known fact that cows suffer due to excessive milking, mastitis and udder infections are common, the cows are often highly stressed and over-worked. Now I'm not saying we all need to become strict vegans but any way we can have a positive influence is worth considering. Coconuts don't have udders and live for ending up in our smoothies/desserts/breakfasts. So we can eat all the coconut yoghurt we want and know that no cow has suffered in the process.
On further research I've also discovered that the producers of both Alpine and No Udder yoghurts are Australian owned (go Aussies) and all of their products are made with no preservatives/colours/flavours - this is what we want! You can read more about the company and their products at www.nulacfoods.com.
So if you're looking for a dairy free / lactose free / vegan friendly yoghurt alterntative I highly recommend giving coconut yoghurt a try. If you follow me on facebook or instagram you'll find lots of recipe and snack ideas incorporating coconut yoghurt. From choc-chia puddings, simple berries and coconut yoghurt, sweetening my granola and even salad dressings - I'm never stuck for ideas when I have coconut yoghurt in the fridge.
Until next time, stay deliciously healthy.
Jennifer May Adv.Dip.Nut.Med.ATMS.MINDD
Nutritionist