Vegan Yoghurt
As a self-confessed yoghurt addict I was delighted to find out about vegan versions of the humble ‘yoghurt’.
The Coconut Collaborative’s yoghurt is not a yoghurt as such – rather it is a dairy free cultured coconut dessert. It is plant based, contains fruit sugars only, includes live cultures, is vegan and in addition, it’s gluten free.
There are several versions of dairy free yoghurts which use alternatives to milk such as almond or oat.
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Coconut Milk
The Coconut Collaborative uses coconut ‘milk’ instead. Obviously!
They say:
Our Farms Grow on Trees
https://coconutco.co.uk/
To help Southeast Asian farmers, we plant thousands of coconut trees. Our little piece of jungle will regenerate soil and provide wildlife habitat and income for communities.
A World of Good
All Hail the Mighty Coconut
They’re delicious and super-thick and creamy. You’ve gotta really love those furry little fruits.
Free From Dairy but not Temptation
We use them to make all sorts of cultured coconut milk and coconut cream treats.
The Proof of the Pudding ….
The dessert was packaged in a 400ml pot which is too much to eat in one sitting (for me anyway!). The blueberry compote was at the bottom of the pot so it was necessary for me to scoop some into a bowl making sure I had enough of the compote to mix with the yoghurt and then seal it back up with the plastic lid for next time.
The yoghurt was pleasant to look at and was thick and creamy in appearance and taste. The coconut flavour was apparent but it wasn’t overwhelming in comparison with another coconut dessert I have tried. The dessert didn’t taste very sweet to me but again I quite liked that.
Packaging
The pot has a simple design in a plain colour. It has a clear plastic lid to reseal it but this isn’t a selling point for anyone who is trying to cut down on their use of plastic. The pots are widely recyclable.
Ingredients
Cultured Coconut Milk (80%) (Coconut Milk (71%), Coconut Water (24%), Cornflour, Potato Starch, Stabiliser (Fruit Pectin), Cultures*, Blueberry Compote (20%) (Water, Blueberries (30%), Apple Juice, Carob Juice, Grape Juice, Corn Starch, Lemon Juice, Natural Flavouring), *Bifidobacterium Species, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Lactobacillus Delbrueckii, Lactobacillus Paracasei, Streptococcus Thermophilus, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus
Nutritional Information
per 100g
| Energy 547kJ/ | 547kj / 131kcal | |
| Fat | 8.9g | |
| of which saturates | 8.2g | |
| Carbohydrates | 11.3g | |
| of which sugars | 5.1g | |
| Fibre | 1.5g | |
| Protein | 1.1g | |
| Salt | 0.11g |
Compare this to a typical Muller Fruit Corner Dairy Yoghurt per 100g
| Energy 547kJ/ | 459kj / 109kcal | |
| Fat | 3.9g | |
| of which saturates | 2.5g | |
| Carbohydrates | 13.5g | |
| of which sugars | 13.0g | |
| Protein | 4.3g | |
| Salt | 0.17g |
As we can see the Coconut Collaborative is lower in sugar (which is apparent in the taste) but it is much higher in fat content, so be careful if you are watching your cholesterol (and your waistline).
The version I tried was blueberry but The Coconut Collaborative’s dessert range also includes raspberry, alphonso mango passion fruit and natural.
They are also available in packs of 4 x 45ml pots in other flavours including chocolate, espresso and, the one I especially want to try, which is salted caramel flavour. They also sell dessert pouches designed for children.
Environment and Ethics
According to their website The Coconut Collaborative are committed to cutting dairy to help save the planet as they say that dairy milk requires four times more land than plant based beverages and that plant based beverages require 80% less water and emit 60% less CO2.
They try to be as sustainable as possible by using bioplastic pots and have signed up to the OPRL (the On Pack Recycling Label scheme).
They do not use coconuts from farms that use monkeys and they vet their suppliers to ensure there is an emphasis on animal welfare.
They are working with the Pur Project to plant thousands of coconut trees to support farmers in Bali.
Verdict
Overall, the Coconut Collaborative is a very tasty dessert and great if you are looking for a vegan or dairy free alternative to yoghurt. This is definitely one to try, but as it’s so high in fat, maybe don’t eat it every day.
Where to Buy
I bought mine at my local Sainsburys and they are also stocked at Sainsburys and the other major supermarket chains. Check out the Coconut Collaborative’s website.
Have you tried The Coconut Collaborative Dairy Free Yoghurt? If so, leave me a comment, and tell me what you think!
The Secret Vegan 