Coconut

Coconut is a mature fruit of the cocos nucifera palm. Since the ancient times, the nut holds a unique place among the millions of inhabitants living in south-east asia, and pacific islands. It is one of the most sought-after ingredients in the kitchen as it is found its place in almost each and every diet prepared in these parts of the world. Cocos nucifera belongs to the large palmaceae family of palm trees. Coco palm grows well under tropical climates. The palm requires moist, sandy, well-drained soil and flourishes well all along the saline-rich coastal regions.

The coconut palm is an un-branched, erect, tall-growing tree that may reach more than 100 feet and has a lifetime of about 75 to 100 years. Once planted, it may take about 4-5 years to begin their first produce, and often, quite longer time in some species. Several hundred species of the coconut palms grown all over the tropics, and their taste and flavor of water thus may vary according to saline content in the soil, distance from sea-shore, rain-fall, etc.

In a season, a single coconut palm may produce 20-150 mature nuts. The fruit is almost spherical to oval in shape and measure between 5-10 inches in width. Its rough outer husk is light green, and turns gray as the nut matures. The husk is about 1-2 inches in thickness and made of tough fibers. Underneath the husk, there is a woody shell enclosing inner edible kernel (endosperm). Just harvested mature fruits contain some amount of sweet water inside its central hollow cavity surrounded by the white meat (endosperm). The fruit with its shell, kernel, and water together constitutes a acoconuta at the commercial level.

Coconut is a very versatile and indispensable fruit for most people under the tropical belt. It is a complete food is rich in calories, vitamins, and minerals. An average-size nut weighing 400 g edible meat and water provide almost all the daily-required essential minerals, vitamins, and energy for a medium-sized person.

100 g kernel consists of 354 calories. Much of this comes from the fats and protein. Although, its meat is disproportionately high in saturated fats on comparison to other common edible nuts, coconut has many bioactive compounds that are essential for better health.

The important saturated fatty acid in the coconut is lauric acid (1:12 carbon fatty acid). Lauric acid increases hdl cholesterol levels in the blood. Hdl is a high-density lipoprotein, which has beneficial effects on the coronary arteries by preventing vessel blockade (atherosclerosis). Medicine recommends high hdl to total cholesterol levels in the blood for the same reason.

Coconut water is a very refreshing drink to beat tropical summer thirst. The juice is packed with simple sugar, electrolytes, minerals, and bioactive compounds such as cytokinin, and enzymes such as acid phosphatase, catalase, dehydrogenase, peroxidase, polymerases, etc. Altogether, these enzymes aid in digestion and metabolism.

Coconut oil extracted from the dry nut is an excellent emollient agent. It is used in cooking, to help scalp hair nourishment, in pharmacy and in medicines.

Research studies suggest that cytokinins (e.g., kinetin and trans-zeatin) in coconut water showed significant anti-ageing, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-thrombotic effects.

The kernel is an excellent source of minerals such as copper, calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, and zinc.

It is also a very good source of b-complex vitamins such as folates, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, and pyridoxine. These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish.

Coconut meat and water contain a very good amount of potassium. 100 g of fresh meat contains 356 mg% or 7.5% of daily required levels of potassium.