Desiccated coconut is dried, shredded coconut flesh with nearly all moisture removed, concentrating its high saturated fat content (predominantly medium-chain triglycerides including lauric acid), manganese, copper, and fibre. MCTs are metabolised differently from long-chain saturated fats, though the cardiovascular implications remain debated. It is used extensively in baking and South Asian cooking.
A little goes a long way; 15-20g is a typical recipe amount. Toast in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes for a richer, nuttier flavour. Unsweetened varieties are preferable to sweetened.
Where Coconut, desiccated Stands Out
Macronutrients per 100g
Vitamins & Minerals
| Nutrient | Per 100g | % Daily Value* | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potassium | 660 mg | 33% | |
| Chloride | 200 mg | 25% | |
| Phosphorus | 160 mg | 23% | |
| Magnesium | 90.0 mg | 24% | |
| Calcium | 23.0 mg | 3% | |
| Selenium | 12.0 µg | 22% | |
| Folate | 9.00 µg | 5% | |
| Iron | 3.60 mg | 26% | |
| Niacin equivalents (NE) | 2.00 mg | 13% | |
| Manganese | 1.80 mg | 90% | |
| Vitamin E (alpha-TE) | 1.21 mg | 10% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.900 mg | 6% | |
| Zinc | 0.900 mg | 9% | |
| Copper | 0.550 mg | 55% | |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 0.500 mg | 8% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.090 mg | 6% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.050 mg | 4% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.030 mg | 3% | |
| Vitamin C | 0.000 mg | 0% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Vitamin A (RE) | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Iodine | 3.00 µg | 2% | |
| Monounsaturated fat | 3.50 g | — | |
| Polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) | 1.50 g | — | |
| Trans fat | 0.000 g | — | |
| Sucrose | 5.60 g | — | |
| Fructose | 0.800 g | — | |
| Maltose | 0.000 g | — | |
| Glucose (dextrose) | 0.000 g | — | |
| Cholesterol | 0.000 mg | — | |
| Beta-carotene | 0.000 µg | — | |
| Retinol (vitamin A) | 0.000 µg | 0% |
* % Daily Value is the proportion of an adult
EU Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) supplied by 100g of this food.
NRVs are the labelling standard — the same basis as the “%RI” figures printed on
food packaging — so these percentages are directly comparable with a shop label.
They are a single adult figure and do not vary by age or sex, which is why they
sometimes differ from UK dietary reference values: the NRV for vitamin C is 80mg
where the UK RNI is 40mg. When Nutriofia assesses your own intake in the
reports and trackers, it uses the age- and sex-specific UK values instead.
Fibre is shown without a percentage. Our fibre values use the UK
Englyst NSP method, while the published 30g daily goal is an AOAC figure — the two
are measured differently and a single percentage would mislead.
How we source and normalise our data →
Phytochemicals
Bioactive plant compounds — not classified as essential nutrients but associated with a range of health benefits.