The Bracha For Coconut Milk And Fruit Juices

Many vacation spots such as Florida and the islands serve coconut milk. What is the proper Bracha that one should recite before drinking coconut milk? Although on cow’s milk one recites "Shehakol," perhaps coconut milk should require the Bracha of "Boreh Peri Ha’etz," as it is grown on trees.

The Ben Ish Hai addresses this question. He notes that a basic rule in Halacha requires reciting the Bracha of "She’hakol" over all fruit juices, even if the fruit tree was planted specifically for the purpose of extracting juice. The only fruit juices which Halacha treats like the fruit itself are grape juice and olive oil. All other juices are looked upon as "Ze’a" – secretions of the fruit, and not as the fruit itself. Hence, one who drinks coconut milk recites the Bracha of "She’hakol" and not "Ha’etz." This applies to all other fruit juices, as well. With the exception of wine and grape juice, over which one recites "Ha’gefen," all other fruit juices – including apple juice, orange juice and grapefruit juice – require the Bracha of "She’hakol." Once again, this applies even if the fruit trees were planted for the specific purpose of producing juice. Thus, even though many Florida orange groves are planted especially for making orange juice, the Bracha over this juice would be "She’hakol," and not "Ha’etz."

Summary: One who drinks coconut milk recites the Bracha of "She’hakol," just as one does over all fruit juices, with the exception of wine and grape juice, which of course require "Ha’gefen." 

By Rabbi Eli Mansour