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Coconut nutrition, per serving and per 100 g
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 82 kcal | 409 kcal |
| Protein | 0.8 g | 3.8 g |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 1.3 g | 6.3 g |
| Dietary fibre | 2.1 g | 10.4 g |
| Fat | 8.3 g | 41.4 g |
Serving: 2 tablespoons fresh grated, about 20 g. IFCT 2017 food code H007, "Coconut, kernel, fresh (Cocos nucifera)", the mean of 6 regions sampled. IFCT does not report glycaemic index, so this page prints none.
The verdict on coconut
Spoon-sized food
Use it by the spoon or the small handful: 400 kcal or more in every 100 g.
- 0.9 g of protein for every 100 kcal.
- One serving gives 0.8 g of the roughly 58 g of protein a day ICMR-NIN's RDA sets for a 70 kg adult.
- 2.1 g of fibre in a serving.
How coconut fits a plan that loses fat and keeps muscle
Fresh coconut kernel is 409 kcal per 100 g in IFCT 2017, and dry copra far more. In South Indian and coastal cooking, a spoon in a thoran or chutney is fine; the numbers climb when coconut is the base of the gravy.
Coconut water is mostly water with a little sugar, which makes it a light, hydrating drink after exercise. It does not burn fat, but it is a far better choice than a packaged juice or soda.
Coconut in an Indian kitchen
Grate fresh coconut at home, or buy frozen grated coconut, and keep it to a spoon or two in a chutney, a thoran or a poriyal. A thin coconut-based curry uses less coconut than a thick one; a splash of coconut milk at the end can replace a cup. Tender coconut water from a street vendor is best fresh and unsweetened. Dry copra and desiccated coconut are far denser, and are mostly used in sweets.
Pair it, or swap it
Coconut chutney with idli and sambar, in a measured spoon, or a thoran of beans with a little coconut, keep the flavour without excess.
Worth knowing
Coconut milk curries, coconut ladoos and desiccated coconut in sweets are calorie-dense. Packaged coconut water may have added sugar; read the label.
Coconut against similar foods
| Food | Energy | Protein | Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coconut | 409 kcal | 3.8 g | 10.4 g |
| Coconut water | 15 kcal | 0.3 g | — |
| Dry coconut (copra) | 624 kcal | 7.3 g | 15.9 g |
| Avocado | 144 kcal | 3 g | 6.7 g |