Quietly making a name for itself is organic coconut vinegar. This humble product has remarkable origins, benefits and uses, and it’s time that we all learned more about it.

What is coconut vinegar?

Coconut vinegar is made using the sap of the coconut blossom, which is then fermented. This fermentation creates acetic acid, giving it its gloriously tangy taste. An ‘all-natural’ product, coconut vinegar is great for nurturing your gut’s microbiome, largely because it is such a rich source of probiotics.

Whilst organic coconut vinegar tastes delicious (and we’ll come on to some wonderful coconut vinegar recipes and uses shortly), there are also numerous benefits of coconut vinegar which help to whet the appetite even more. Indeed, it’s often considered alongside the bountiful apple cider vinegar, in terms of the good things it brings.

Benefits of coconut vinegar

When we discuss the benefits of coconut vinegar, we are talking about our organic coconut vinegar, including our mother-of-vinegar. Not all coconut vinegars are created equally. Some are made using coconut water using fermentation agents to start off the process. Combined with being non-organic, these types are less nutritious.

The benefits of coconut vinegar are wide ranging:

1.     Excellent for heart health

More research is needed, but it looks like coconut vinegar could bring the same heart benefits as apple cider vinegar due to lowering cholesterol and triglycerides.

2.     Rich in probiotics and nutrients

Organic coconut vinegar is densely packed with good things. This includes the probiotics we mentioned earlier, but also many nutrients such as potassium, vitamin C, manganese, B vitamins, zinc and more.

3.     Aids digestion and immunity

We’re written before about the importance of the microbiome in your gut, and how coconut vinegar aids this.

4.     May help manage obesity and aid weight loss

One early study has shown that coconut vinegar can help reduce inflammation caused by weight gain. Rich in acetic acid, it helps to suppress hunger, which can help you to manage your weight. In turn, this can help to manage blood sugar, aiding diabetes management. It is believed that coconut vinegar is just as effective as apple cider vinegar in helping to reduce blood sugar spikes.

5.     Polyphenols defend against damage

Polyphenols in coconut vinegar are antioxidants which help to combat free radicals. This helps to reduce the damage they can cause, as well as reduce the effects of ageing.

6.     Antimicrobial and antibacterial

Coconut vinegar, when used topically, can aid skin healing in cases of acne and sunburn due to its antimicrobial and antibacterial properties.

With such a comprehensive list of benefits, we know you’ll want to get stuck into using coconut vinegar in your life.

Coconut vinegar recipes

Coconut vinegar is a versatile ingredient that can be used in many different recipes. Sometimes it’s the star of the show, and sometimes it’s the support act. Here are some of our favourite ways to get coconut vinegar into your diet.

Fermented foods

Fermented foods are, by their very nature, vinegar dependent. Specifically, we’ve talked previously about how to use our Mother of Vinegar in various coconut vinegar fermentation recipes including kimchi. One of our most popular fermented recipes is Spicy Cucumber Pickled in Coconut Vinegar. This is perfect for packing up in a basket with all your other favourite picnic items, and enjoying al fresco.

Drinks

A shrub is a fruity concentrated syrup which uses coconut vinegar. This can then be used to make drinks whenever you fancy them. You can choose cool and refreshing long soft drinks, or even add your shrub to your favourite cocktail. Berries make for particularly good shrubs, but you can use pretty much whatever fruit you fancy.

There’s also nothing to stop you adding a spoonful of coconut vinegar to your favourite morning smoothie for a health shot with a tang.

For a thirst-quenching and refreshing simple-to-make drink, we really recommend the Sparkling Coconut and Lime Drink.

Salads

One of our favourite coconut vinegar recipes is simple vinaigrette that works with pretty much every salad we’ve ever come across. Follow our vinaigrette recipe so that you’ve always got it ready to go.

For a creamier salad dressing, simply whisk in some coconut milk powder. This will ensure that you can quickly whip up dairy-free coleslaw, or create a creamy Waldorf. Additionally, our balsamic style coconut vinegar makes a lovely dressing simply paired with olive oil and a twist of salt and black pepper.

Curries and main dishes

Coconut vinegar is used widely in south-east Asia and southern India to add a sweet sourness to foods. It often forms the base of marinades, as well as being used in soups, sauces and stocks to create a delightfully tangy flavour.

Two of our favourites are Murghi Vindaloo which is a spicy chicken curry, and Tom Yum Soup which is a Thai prawn broth-like soup. Try out our scrumptious vegan Butternut, Coconut and Tamarind Curry.

Butternut, Coconut and Tamarind Curry

Ingredients

·       Red onion, finely chopped

·       Coconut oil

·       2 cloves garlic, chopped

·       1 small piece fresh ginger, grated

·       Red chilli, finely chopped

·       2 carrots, diced

·       Large handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

·       400g butternut squash, cut into bitesize chunks

·       200g spinach

·       1 tbsp fennel seeds

·       1 tbsp mustard seeds

·       2 tbsp tamarind paste

·       400g can chopped tomatoes

·       400g can coconut milk

·       50g coconut flakes

·       5 tbsp organic coconut vinegar

·       1 lime: zest and juice

·       2 tbsps coconut nectar

 

1.     Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan.

2.     Heat 1tsp coconut oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook on high until soft. Add the garlic, ginger and carrots and cook for 2 minutes.

3.     Add the fennel and mustard seeds to the pan. Continue to cook until the mustard seeds begin to pop. Then add the squash, tomatoes, coconut milk and tamarind paste.

4.     Cover and leave to simmer on a medium heat for approx. 20 minutes until thickened. You may occasionally need to top up with a little boiled water.

5.     Meanwhile, cover a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Spread over the coconut flakes. Sprinkle over the lime zest and drizzle over the coconut nectar. Cook in the oven for 5 minutes until turning golden.

6.     Stir in the spinach and coriander leaves to the curry, as well as the coconut vinegar and lime juice.

7.     Serve the curry over rice and sprinkled with the toasted coconut.

Get set, go!

Make sure you’re equipped with your own supply of coconut vinegar and then get cooking, so that you can enjoy all the benefits of this wonder stuff!