KOMPAS.com – Coconut milk is a cooking ingredient that is often used in Indonesian culinary delights. Its savory taste makes it a favorite in various types of dishes, such as opor, lodeh, and curry.
However, did you know that the wrong way to cook coconut milk can turn it into a source of saturated fat which is dangerous for health?
The following is an explanation from Rista Yulianti Mataputun, a nutritionist from Indriati Hospital Solo Baru, about the right way to cook coconut milk to stay healthy, as reported on the Serving Sedap page:
Also read: Soto Betawi with coconut milk sauce, eaten with fried chips
1. Don’t cook coconut milk for more than 3 minutes
According to Rista, coconut milk is actually a good fat that contains fatty acids and medium chain triglycerides, which are easily burned by the body as energy. However, if coconut milk is cooked for too long, the good fat can turn into saturated fat.
Saturated fat is known to increase levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the body, thereby increasing the risk of blocked blood vessels and various other cardiovascular diseases.
Rista suggests that coconut milk should be added to the dish as the last step and not cooked for more than three minutes.
For example, when cooking vegetable lodeh, add the coconut milk last after all the ingredients are cooked, then heat it for just a moment.
2. Avoid reheating coconut milk dishes
Reheating foods containing coconut milk is also a habit that needs to be avoided. According to Rista, cooking food that is heated many times can produce a layer of oil from coconut milk. This layer of oil is the source of bad fat.
Also read: Savory Coconut Milk Coffee Recipe, Serve Warm When It Rains
So, try to prepare coconut milk foods in portions that suit your needs, so that they don’t need to be reheated many times.
3. Pay attention to the combination of cooking ingredients
The risk of increasing cholesterol levels in foods containing coconut milk increases if coconut milk is combined with other food ingredients that are high in cholesterol, such as meat, offal or eggs.
What are the effects of heating coconut milk foods more than once?For example, coconut milk dishes consumed with large portions of rice can also increase weight.
Also read: Is it true that eating meat can increase cholesterol levels?
This is because rice contains carbohydrates which the body converts into sugar, so it can trigger an increase in blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
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