Originating in the Philippines, nata de coco is most commonly sweetened as a candy or dessert, and can accompany a variety of foods, including pickles, drinks, ice cream, puddings, and fruit cocktails.
Nata de coco (also marketed as “coconut gel”) is a chewy, translucent, jelly-like food produced by the fermentation of coconut water, which gels through the production of microbial cellulose by Acetobacter xylinum. Originating in the Philippines, nata de coco is most commonly sweetened as a candy or dessert, and can accompany a variety of foods, including pickles, drinks, ice cream, puddings, and fruit cocktails.
Nata de coco was first created in 1973 in the Philippines by attempting to preserve coconut water as a jelly-like substance. Its name comes from the Spanish, and means “cream of coconut” or “Coconut milk-skin”.In the 19th century, the demand for coconuts increased. Products from coconuts became a major export product of the Philippines, including nata de coco.
Nata de Coco is mainly made from coconut water, so it has a modest nutritional profile. One cup of Nata de Coco (118 grams) contains 109 calories, 1 gram of protein and 7 grams of carbohydrates. It is often characterized as healthful since it contains dietary fiber to aid digestion while carrying fewer calories compared to other desserts, gram for gram. (wikipedia)
At Tensuke Market, we carry Jubes in regular and multiple flavors. Jubes is a tasty, fruity dessert that’s high in fiber, but has zero grams of cholesterol and fat. It’s based around a sweet tasting dish called Nata-de-Coco, which is very popular among the health-conscious.
These flavored treats can be incorporated into mixed drinks, desserts such as ice cream and jello, or they can just be eaten by themselves.
Check out some fun desserts to make from this jiggly coconut gel in our Nata de Coco Pinterest page.