Calories in Raw Coconut (2000!!!!??)

swinginchandra
swinginchandra Posts: 418 Member
edited November 12 in Food and Nutrition
So I bought a coconut at the grocery store, and ate it for breakfast this morning. I'm talking about the kind with the dark, wood-esque exterior that you have to crack open with hammer, or chuck at the pavement. This is a mature coconut, not the "baby" coconuts where the meat is still gooey, and you have to peel all the fibrous stuff back.

So I'm trying to figure out how to even ballpark the calories from it. Most of the calorie information I can find is for juice pressed from the baby coconut meat, or shredded coconut. One source said a whole coconut has about 2000 calories, but I can hardly believe that to be the case. The meat was very dry, if I shredded it, I doubt it would be more than .5 cup, which puts it closer to 100 calories.

however, according to this website, the meat of one mature coconut shredded makes 3 - 4 cups... so at 280 calories /cup, that's around 1000 calories... add another hundred from the juice... Jeepers! My day is shot!

http://www.vegparadise.com/highestperch58.html

I think the coconut water is the easiest thing to judge, although, again, most coconut water numbers are based off of the fresh young coconuts.

Any ideas? Has anyone looked into this? I certainly don't feel like I ate my entire calorie alotment for breakfast, that's just hard to believe that one little inoccuous coconut could have more calories than half a pizza?

Replies

  • vnvdvci
    vnvdvci Posts: 16
    Really? There's no entry on this site for coconut meat? Odd...

    I'd estimate 150-250 cals for a half cup. I saw it one time on a package (still fresh, not dried coconut) and I remember the numbers went something like that.
  • suzi67
    suzi67 Posts: 162 Member
    Nuts of any kind are very calorie dense, so the info could be correct.
  • AmyC1979
    AmyC1979 Posts: 1
    This is what I found:
    Mature Coconut: The raw grated meat of a mature coconut has 283 calories and 2.7 grams of protein for 1 cup. For the carb counters, that 1 cup contains 12.2 grams of carbohydrates. The sodium content is low at 16 mg. Coconut is a high fiber food that delivers 7.2 grams for 1 cup of freshly grated meat.

    I got it from this site:
    http://www.vegparadise.com/highestperch58.html
  • 16mixingbowls
    16mixingbowls Posts: 205 Member
    Well, I really don't know, but the coconut products I DO eat seem to be high in fat. I buy coconut milk in the half gallon to use in my cereal, and it had 5 grams of fat per serving. This is all saturated fat. BUT according to the container the milk comes in, this of a good type of fat high in ALAs. Those are the same good for you fat in fish oil.

    Also, the canned coconut milk I use in curries and thai food is also really high in fat, so I'm thinking a coconut raw must also be high in fat. Fat has 9 calories per gram while carbs have 4, so foods higher in fat can also have a higher calorie density.

    The plain/shredded coconut I mix in yogurt is also high in fat, but also high in FIBER!! This means that some of the calories wil be carried right on out of your system:)

    All of this said, the calorie estimates might be close, but also unless you measured the weight of the part you ate, it's really a total estimate. Maybe the 2000 is if you scrape ALL of the coconut meat off, which you might not have done.

    All in all, if you enjoyed the coconut breakfast, don't worry about it too much for the day; consider it a learning opportunity.
  • Robyn1733
    Robyn1733 Posts: 58
    here check this out:

    http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-coconut-meat-i12104
  • smrtcar
    smrtcar Posts: 104 Member
    Go Coconuts! Very high in fat, but not 2000 cals.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/318658-calories-in-raw-coconut/
  • VanessaV1974
    VanessaV1974 Posts: 4 Member
    Coconut unfortunately is high in calories like any nut. You can put in raw coconut in the MFP search and it will tell you the calories. It is best to weigh it though. 100grams is 350Kcal, so beware if having too much of it.
  • atomdraco
    atomdraco Posts: 1,083 Member
    http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-coconut-meat-i12104

    The site show you the breakdown of the analysis, and it's because the fat in coconuts. But remember, the coconut fat is good fat. Eat a piece (2" x 2" x 1/2") (45.0 g), it's only 159 calories. I won't suggest to eat the entire thing.

    I used to eat coconuts like that when I was a kid, but it's not that easy to chew, so I can never eat too much at a time anyway.
  • wjewell
    wjewell Posts: 282 Member
    So what I've found is it's basically 238 calories per cup.. so i think the reason you're seeing "shredded" is because that's the easiest way to measure it by the cup? also try this website.. http://www.fitday.com/webfit/FoodFacts_Outside.html it shows how many calories per piece and a piece is like 2"X2" or something like that. hope this helps : ) just eat normally the rest of the day.. It's a coconut, not a pizza : ) You won't gain 5 lbs from eating it sweetie : )
  • swinginchandra
    swinginchandra Posts: 418 Member
    hmm... well that's a bummer! I guess I'll be more careful next time I eat coconut. I certainly am not going to freak out or starve myself for the rest of the day... it's just a good thing to be wary of!
  • shimmergal
    shimmergal Posts: 380 Member
    I wish I read the post before I ate the coconut. It costed me too much on the calories. YUCK! will never consume more than 1 inch piece.
  • bauhausfrau
    bauhausfrau Posts: 15 Member
    I'm eating a little dish of coconut meat right now. I have a small bowl of chunks, like a small soup bowl, or a large mug. It couldn't be more than a small coconut. It weighs .61 lbs., which means it's approximately 1,000 calories. It is just a giant nut, even though I often think of it like a fruit, and if I ate a mug full of any other kind of nut it would be similar in calories. I think I'll put away what I have left for another day.
  • crazybookworm
    crazybookworm Posts: 779 Member
    I got here that about 1 medium sized coconut has 1,400 calories and 132 grams of fat.

    Source: http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-coconut-meat-i12104
  • HollyKarlsen
    HollyKarlsen Posts: 21 Member
    Have you thought about shredding your own coconut? If you go to eBay and type in "coconut shredder" you'll see one that attaches to the edge of a table or counter for around $25. I have one and it is the bomb! (Unfortunately I paid $60 for mine, but it was still worth it, because I've been using it regularly for 3 years now.) Much safer than trying to hack the meat out with a knife. I usually do 2 coconuts at a time. I strain and freeze the water in ice cube trays for smoothies and then freeze the shredded meat also to add to fruit salads. I usually add about 11 grams of it to my fruit salad, which is 31 calories. You have to let it sit out for about 10 minutes or so before you try to get it out because it freezes together in a lump. I have found that a corkscrew works well for drilling the hole and then I just use a hammer to crack it open after draining the water out.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I prefer the USDA website http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3700 or http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3106/2

    The site above said 100g has 354calories lots of fat and very little protien..
  • cassondramcallister
    cassondramcallister Posts: 1 Member
    I just weighed the dry meat proceeds from four coconuts, not the coconut water. They averaged 10.5 Oz per coconut. At 130 calories per ounce that means each coconut should be1365 calories.
  • Cinner29
    Cinner29 Posts: 14 Member
    I can't imagine eating an entire coconut in one sitting. I've always eaten a bit and put the rest in the fridge. They last me days. Do coconuts come in different sizes, and I've only had giant ones?
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    edited October 2018
    Just Coconuts from Trader Joes. It's just frozen Coconut chunks, ready to eat. That's the only ingredient. Coconut chunks, precleaned and ready to eat. Amazing stuff and cheap. Plus, one g of fiber per piece. 7 pieces is 120 calories (and that's a LOT), 10g of carbs, 7 g of fiber and 2 g of protein. I blend it all the time in my smoothies. Coconut is amazing. Wonderful fiber.
  • WilmaValley
    WilmaValley Posts: 1,092 Member
    Wow, great info!
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