Coconut Allergy

[MissAnna]

I am allergic to coconut.  The Whole30 program appears to use several coconut products, especially coconut milk.  Is there something I can substitute???

[ShannonM816]

Almond milk (or any nut milk that contains only compliant ingredients -- almond is the one you're most likely to find in stores, though I have found cashew milk lately, and you can make any kind you want, just google how to make nut milk for instructions). 

For coconut oil in recipes, just use whatever kind of oil you want to cook with -- olive oil, ghee/clarified butter, high-oleic sunflower or safflower oil, or animal fats like lard, tallow, or duck fat.

For recipes that call for coconut aminos, you can typically leave them out, though you may need to add a little more salt or other seasonings. 

If you find recipes that call for coconut flour, I would skip those or look for versions of that dish that use almond flour or some other flour, as the different types of non-grain flours all act differently and are often not a straight one-to-one substitute. But you could do an entire Whole30 and never use any kind of flour substitute if you want, they're definitely not necessary.

 

[MissAnna]

Thank you for the response, but I am also allergic to almonds and all other nuts.  So, I guess I'm out of luck, except for the recipes that call for coconut oil.  I'll just use olive or avocado oil in place of the coconut oil.

[ShannonM816]

You can definitely do this without using any kind of milk substitute or nuts.

To add creaminess to a meal, try mayo or mayo-based sauces and dressings,  or avocado/guacamole if you can have it. For a little crunch, diced raw vegetables mixed into a dish may help, or seeds like sunflower or pumpkin seeds if you can have those. 

Cauliflower, cooked and blended, can help make soups and sauces feel creamier too -- like this recipe:  https://www.google.com/amp/s/paleoglutenfree.com/recipes/creamy-cauliflower-vegetable-whole30-soup/amp/

 

[MissAnna]

Thank you very much.  This will give me some alternative ideas.

[NoNutWhole30]

I'm in the same boat! So far, day 3, it hasn't been much of a problem except for not having a good, shelf stable snack or fat element for emergencies or unplanned events. Watch out too if you decide to buy any dressings or sauces approved by Whole 30- they sneak coconut aminos into ones where you would not expect it! I was so excited about a Primal Kitchen Green Goddess dressing until I saw coconut aminos. 

I've seen a trend that the more Asian inspired Whole30 recipes use coconut aminos, and nuts seem to be easy to cut. I just got the Whole 30 Fast & Easy book in the mail, and it seems like the majority aren't using either ingredient, or use nuts as a garnish.

[ShannonM816]

4 hours ago, NoNutWhole30 said:

shelf stable snack or fat element for emergencies or unplanned events.

Olives in individual packets work well for a fat. Jerky or meat bars could work for a protein option. Tuna packed in oil can be a combo of both protein and fat.