Coconut Oil: Many people believe that coconut oil is health promoting. However, all Whole Food Plant-Based doctors discourage oils. NO OIL is emphasized by Dr Esselstyn, Dr McDougall, Dr Barnard, and others. No olive oil; no coconut oil; no avocado oil; … Coconut oil in particular has an abundance of saturated fats, which leads to increases in LDL cholesterol levels. What about all those MCT oils? Check out Saturated Fats in Coconuts for details — Dr Greger sheds light on some misconceptions.

Coconut milk? No. For two reasons:

1. Plant-based milks in moderation: Coconut milk is a plant-based milk, just like soy milk and almond milk. Those who follow Whole Food Plant-Based guidelines often consume such plant-based (non-dairy) milks in moderation (Why moderation? See ForksOverKnives 3-column food guidelines: green, yellow, red).
2. Coconut milk is high in saturated fats: Saturated fats are implicated in raising blood total and LDL cholesterol levels. See Saturated Fats in Coconuts for explanations by Dr Greger.

Whole coconuts? Yes, but sparingly (once in a few months) and in small quantities. I don't eat whole coconut pieces every day. I follow a LOW FAT diet with target fat percentage approximately 10%. I prefer to consume flax & chia which have an excellent Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio.

Coconut water? Yes! Coconut water is not fat rich; it's health promoting. I used to imagine that coconut water is great for hiking and biking but Dr Greger explains that plain water is equally effective! So I still consume coconut water but I no longer see it as a beverage of choice for rehydrating myself during hiking and biking trips.

Coconuts are a cherished food for many of us! But coconuts are discouraged by WFPB luminaries! What to do?

• "I am a Mangalorean so traditionally we use a lot of coconut in our cooking...1 way of reducing the quantity of coconut consumption in the cooking is by grinding Silken tofu with maybe 1 tbsp or 2 of coconut blend it and u will get the desired coconut flavor and consistency that u need for ur south indian gravy dishes" — Sharmila Vedam [PCRM Food For Life Coach]
• "I grind a tiny amount of coconut (for flavor) with roasted daliya [taste and texture is same as coconut based gravy. I tried to omit out coconut entirely by adding coconut flavor/essence. But no matter which essence I buy, the only flavor I get is that of Kopra (dry coconut)." — Padma
• "A surprising substitute I stumbled upon recently. Fig leaves have a hint of coconut in their flavor. More young coconut flavor than mature coconut. I used it to wrap food I was steaming as I’d run out but I have a small fig tree in the garden. I used it in a dessert." — Uma
• "Celery (plus hemp or cashews) is a great substitute for coconut. I use it all the time in koottu, chutneys, and pachadis (various sauce like dishes in s.Indian cuisine). Will try out sambar and share if it turns out good. For sambar, coconut is not necessary if fresh masala is made, so have not tried celery there as yet." — Ambika
• "For south indian ‘morekuzhambu’ soaked raw peanuts also work. I add roasted methi seeds while blending which usually masks the flavor of coconut substitutes i use. I would slowly reduce the coconut and substitute with alternate stuff until you strike the right taste for you." — Ambika
• "I have found that just a few cashews make a good substitute for coconut. I usually do about 1-2 cashews per cup of vegetables. It’s great for Thai curries as well as a kurma. Or a traditional South Indian biryani with coconut." — Uma
• Two posts in this Whole Food Plant-Based support group on Facebook discuss coconut substitutes:
  1. "Most of the recipes from Mangalore contain coconut. I have reduced the amount of coconut but I still feel I need it in traditional foods. Has anyone found a good substitute for coconut in gravies?" (Post 1 in Plant Based Desi (Facebook))
  2. "Made mallu “stew” for idlis tonite. A hack for coconut milk - used almond milk and added few drops of coconut extract." (Post 2 in Plant Based Desi (Facebook))