As I scrolled through my TikTok For You page filled with Chamoy Pickles and soothing Tanghuhu ASMR videos, a new trend emerged with creators embracing a “new year, new me” mindset. The latest craze involved swapping out viral sweets for a supposedly magical and gut-friendly yogurt known as Coconut Cult, which had garnered a dedicated following online. Intrigued, I delved into a world of TikTok taste tests where influencers hailed this yogurt as a “holy grail” treat and shared detailed instructions on how to enjoy it to the fullest – because yes, there were specific guidelines to follow. Social media enthusiasts claimed that consuming just one spoonful of Coconut Cult on an empty stomach daily could work wonders for your health, from reducing bloating to enhancing digestion and boosting immunity, all thanks to its probiotic-rich formula. While this yogurt boasted active live cultures and bacteria to support your gut health, I couldn’t help but question if it sounded too good to be true. Seeking answers, we consulted nutrition experts to uncover the truth about this cult-favorite yogurt and whether its hefty price tag of $34 per bottle was justified.
So, What are the Guidelines?
It’s essential to note that you shouldn’t be downing the entire $34 bottle of Coconut Cult in one sitting. The company recommends consuming small portions, especially if you’re new to fermented foods. Start with just a spoonful on a plastic spoon and avoid double-dipping. The yogurt remains fresh for about three to four weeks, giving you ample time to finish it before it spoils. Registered dietitian Lauren Manaker emphasized the importance of avoiding double-dipping or using a spoon that has come in contact with saliva, as it could introduce harmful contaminants and disrupt the balance of probiotics, potentially spoiling the cultures. Manaker also stressed the significance of using a clean, non-metal spoon to preserve the product’s integrity and effectiveness.
What Sets Coconut Cult Apart From Other Yogurts?
While yogurt has always been recognized as a gut-friendly food due to its fermentation process, what makes Coconut Cult stand out? The brand highlights on its website that they never pasteurize the yogurt after fermentation, allowing it to retain a high probiotic content and be naturally preserved through fermentation. They claim that their fermented yogurt serves as an ideal environment for probiotics, unlike many other yogurts on the market that are devoid of active bacteria and loaded with additives like refined sugar and preservatives that disrupt gut health.
Is Coconut Cult Really Healthier?
Addressing the claim of Coconut Cult being the “perfect home” for probiotics, nutrition enthusiast Brooke Harter clarified that while pasteurization can eliminate bacteria, including probiotics, it doesn’t mean that most yogurts lack these beneficial cultures. Many commercial yogurts add live cultures post-pasteurization to maintain probiotic benefits. Coconut Cult prides itself on
Just a single tablespoon of Coconut Cult packs a punch with 50 billion CFU (colony forming units) of live and active probiotic microorganisms. This measurement indicates the abundance of beneficial probiotics present. While it may indeed outshine certain yogurts in terms of probiotic content, there are numerous other options available that are teeming with gut-healthy probiotics.
The additional ingredients in Coconut Cult are refreshingly minimal and pure. The yogurt features organic coconut cream, organic coconut meat, organic coconut water, and custom probiotic cultures. Notably, there are no added sugars or preservatives. In contrast to many yogurts that contain gums and thickeners, Coconut Cult takes a simple approach. It garners an “A+” for its ingredient list, according to Harter.
For those seeking a wholesome yogurt, Harter advises scrutinizing the label for “contains live and active cultures” while steering clear of sugar, a potential disruptor of gut health. She also cautions against gums, thickeners, artificial additives, and recommends checking for strain transparency instead of just generic “cultures” listings. Furthermore, Harter suggests evading ultra-pasteurization post-fermentation to ensure the probiotics remain alive.
The question arises: can one have too many probiotics? Although live probiotics offer benefits such as enhancing gut microbiome balance, boosting immune function, and aiding digestion, excessive intake might not necessarily be advantageous. In the case of Coconut Cult, its high 50 billion CFU per ounce is significantly elevated for food-based probiotics. While some individuals may benefit from high doses, an excess could result in digestive discomfort such as bloating, gas, and diarrhea. Harter underscores the importance of strain specificity over CFU count, indicating that a lower dose of well-researched and specific probiotics may be more effective than a mixed dose of strains like those found in Coconut Cult.
The efficacy of probiotics varies from person to person. While Coconut Cult presents a rich source of clean ingredients and live probiotics that some find healing, others may experience adverse effects such as gas and bloating. As Manaker notes, individual factors like diet, lifestyle, and existing gut health all contribute to the outcomes.
In conclusion, Coconut Cult is considered a luxury wellness product rather than a necessity, according to Harter. If one enjoys the taste and can justify the cost, it may be a worthwhile indulgence. However, for those seeking reliable probiotic benefits, Harter recommends opting for a third-party tested supplement or a high-quality yogurt with live cultures as a more dependable choice.
