Fruits
Coconut in gelato
Coconut meat is the white flesh (solid endosperm) of the mature coconut, used in gelato as fresh grated pulp or paste. It is a high-fat, low-sugar ingredient (~34% fat, ~6% sugar) that builds body and delivers tropical aroma while contributing very little sweetness or anti-freezing power.
Balancing parameters
Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Solids | 53% |
| Water | 47% |
| Sugars | 6% |
| Fat | 34% |
| MSNF | 0% |
| Protein | 3% |
| POD (sweetening power) | 6 |
| PAC (anti-freezing power) | 7 |
Typical use: About 10-20% of the mix as fresh grated meat or pulp, commonly combined with coconut milk or cream and a small dose of dextrose to correct PAC.
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Open the balancerHow to use it in gelato
Treat fresh coconut meat mainly as a fat and total-solids source rather than a sugar. Its ~34% fat is almost entirely saturated (lauric and myristic acids) and stays solid at serving temperature, so it firms the mix and can eat harder and colder; pair it with milk, cream or coconut milk and balance the sugars. Because its own sugar is only ~6g and largely sucrose, coconut adds low POD (~6) and low PAC (~7) per 100g, so anti-freezing power and sweetness must come from added sugars (a little dextrose or invert sugar helps scoopability). Toasting part of the coconut deepens aroma. Blend and strain finely, or use paste, to disperse the fat and fibre.
Origin & background
The coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) has been cultivated across the tropical Indo-Pacific for thousands of years and spread worldwide by ocean currents and seafaring peoples. Every part of the fruit is used: water, meat, milk, cream and oil. USDA FoodData Central characterises raw mature meat as roughly 47% water and 33.5% fat with only about 6.2g of sugar per 100g, underscoring that its richness comes from fat, not sweetness.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central, Nuts, coconut meat, raw (FDC ID 170169): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/170169/nutrients
- USDA SR data mirror, Nuts, raw, coconut meat (per 100g: water 47.0, fat 33.5, sugars 6.2, protein 3.3, fiber 9.0): https://www.nutritionvalue.org/Nuts%2C_raw%2C_coconut_meat_nutritional_value.html
- myfooddata (USDA SR), Nutrition facts for raw coconut meat 170169: https://tools.myfooddata.com/nutrition-facts/170169/wt1
- GC-MS metabolomics of coconut meat during nut maturation (sucrose increases, glucose/fructose decrease; sucrose predominant in mature meat), Food Research International/ScienceDirect: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889157522004872