Coconut
-first mentioned in English print in 1555- comes from the Spanish and Portugese word "coco" which means "monkey face." Spanish and Portugese explorers saw a resemblance to a monkey's face in the three round indented markings or "eyes" found at the base of the coconut. Of course coconuts were well known by other cultures for thousands of years all over the planet. The fruit-bearing palms are native to Malaysia, Polynesia and southern Asia, and are now also prolific in South America, India, the Pacific Islands, Hawaii and Florida. The light, fibrous husk allowed it to easily drift on the oceans to other areas to propagate.
In Plato’s Critias, Critias tells Socrates about Atlantis, describing coconuts as “the fruits having a hard rind, affording drinks and meats and ointments,” and going on to say, “With such blessings the earth freely furnished them; meanwhile they went on constructing their temples and palaces and harbours and docks.” In Sanskrit, the coconut palm is known as “kalpa vriksha,” meaning "tree which gives all that is necessary for living," since most of the tree can be used in some manner. An ancient South Sea proverb reads:
"He who plants a coconut tree plants food and drink, vessels and clothing, a habitation for himself, and a heritage for his children."
In Samoa, it was believed that coconut trees grew at the entrance to the spirit world. So sacred were coconut trees to the Wanika of east Africa that cutting one down was considered murder. Coconut shells were used to house the souls of newborn babies for protection during their first year of life in Borneo. In the New Hebrides, coconut is eaten at funerals to allow communication with the dead.
Palms are symbolic of "victory" in the Language of Flowers. On the Nicobar Islands of the Indian Ocean, whole coconuts were used as currency for the purchace of goods until the early part of the twentieth century.
The water obtained from immature coconuts contains sugars and is sterile; it is said that field surgeons in World War II used coconut water when supplies of interveinal glucose solution ran out. Duke and DuCellier (1993) list over 60 different folk remedies that utilize coconut fruit or plant parts including treatment of: abscesses and tumors, dysentery, cold and flu, constipation, scurvy, and venereal diseases.
Coconut fat is healthy fat ! Not all saturated fats are alike, and the fatty acids in coconut oil -the medium chain triglycerides- do not raise serum cholesterol or contribute to heart disease, but are in fact very healthy. Approximately 50% of the fatty acids in coconut fat are Lauric Acid --a medium chain fatty acid, which has the additional beneficial function of being formed into monolaurin in the body. Monolaurin is the anti-viral, antibacterial, and antiprotozoal monoglyceride used by the body to destroy lipid coated viruses such as HIV, herpes, cytomegalovirus, influenza, various pathogenic bacteria including listeria monocytogenes and heliobacter pylori, and protozoa such as giardia lamblia. Some studies have also shown some antimicrobial effects of the free lauric acid.
Coconuts are highly nutritious, high in electrolytes, high in minerals, vitamins and amino acids, yet low in fat and with no cholesterol, and are refreshing, delicious! Young coconuts are more nutritious than older coconuts. Younger coconuts have more milk, and the meat is soft and spoonable. Older coconuts have little milk, and the meat is hard and fibrous. They are good for our heart, liver and kidney. They are known for their medicinal qualities including their ability to relieve headaches, cure upset stomachs, stop diarrhea, reduce fevers, helping the fetus grown strong in a pregnant woman, and strengthening the heart.
To obtain the maximum nutrient content from a coconut, either drink the milk and eat the meat, or blend the meat and milk into a smoothie and drink together. As you can see in the following nutritional analysis, both rate highly. Coconuts vary: usually a young coconut high in milk has less, or virtually no meat at all (youngest), and a young coconut lower in milk is higher in meat (slightly older).
significant nutritional information:
rebuilds all human tissues and fluids, destroys bacteria, viruses, and parasites, provides tremendous amounts of energy.
whole young coconut >> coconut water
Per 206g of coconut water (liquid from coconuts), raw
Energy 39.1 kcal
Protein 1.5 g
Total Carbohydrates 7.6 g
Total Sugars 5.4 g
Total Fat 0.4 g
Saturated Fat 0.4 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Dietary Fiber 2.3 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 216.3 mg
Vitamin C 4.9 mg
Vitamin B6 0.1 mg
Vitamin B12 0 mcg
It is good practice to pour the coconut water through a strainer,
as sometimes pieces of the shell may fall into the water.
whole young coconut >> coconut meat
Per 100g of coconut meat, raw
Energy 354 kcal
Protein 3.3 g
Total Carbohydrates 15.2 g
Total Sugars 6.2 g
Total Fat 33.5 g
Saturated Fat 29.7 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.4 g
Dietary Fiber 9 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 20 mg
Vitamin C 3.3 mg
Vitamin B6 0.1 mg
Vitamin B12 0 mcg
Take care in removing any shell
from the meat before eating or serving.
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