Hello, Monica Reinagel here, the nutrition diva, with this week's tips for eating well and feeling fabulous.

Coconut milk has become one of the most popular non-dary milk options,

and it's one that wasn't really even on the radar

when I did my original comparison of non-dary milks back in 2009. So today I'm going to do a

head-to-head comparison between cow's milk and coconut milk. And as you'll see, it's

really not possible to declare one as the clear winner.

Which one is going to be best for you will depend a lot on what your priorities and your

individual needs are. your

priorities and your individual needs are.

All coconut milk products,

whether they're in cans or cartons,

are made by grating the meat of the coconut and pressing it to extract the liquid.

Now if you let that liquid sit, the coconut oil will separate and rise to the top,

the same way that cream will rise to the top of unhomogenized milk.

The fat content can then be adjusted by skimming off some of the fat and or adding water to thin it. You'll find canned coconut milk in two

varieties, regular and light. The regular canned coconut milk is comparable to

light cream in terms of the amount of fat and

calories it contains. Light canned coconut is closer to the fat and calorie content of

whole milk. Both have a very pronounced coconut flavor and they're generally

used in rich soups sauces and desserts. Now the coconut milk that you'll find in cartons in the dairy is much more diluted than canned coconut milk.

Small amounts of salt, sugar, and other flavoring are usually added, along with various gums or gels that act as

emulsifiers to keep it from separating. Calcium and Vitamin D are also added in

...