Coconut milk and coconut oil are both derived from the meat of a coconut. Coconut milk is made by soaking the grated flesh of the coconut in hot water, skimming off the cream and straining the remaining liquid through cheese cloth. The coconut milk becomes less viscous when
the steps are repeated. Unrefined coconut oil is made by either drying out the coconut flesh and mechanically pressing the oil out or by the wet milling method, which can be achieved through processes such as refrigeration, boiling or fermentation. Refined coconut oil is derived from purified copra -- dried coconut flesh -- by a variety of methods, such as using chemical solvents.
Coconut milk is full of nutrition, including vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6. It is also packed with minerals, such as calcium and selenium. One tablespoon of canned coconut milk also has 7 milligrams of magnesium. The lauric acid present in coconut milk converts to monolaurin in the body. Jo Lewin, a nutritional therapist, explains in a “BBC Good Food” article that monolaurin is an antibacterial and antiviral substance that helps eradicate disease-causing organisms in the body. Coconut milk should be used in moderation because of its high fat content. One tablespoon of coconut milk has 3.2 grams of fat.
