Coconut: Its Nutritional & Health Benefits

Add as a preferred source on Google

Coconut tree is called the 'tree of life'. Not for nothing. Cocos nucifera, as it is scientifically called, produces coconut, a drupe that provides food for millions of people across the globe, apart from its therapeutical benefits.

Grown in tropical climates, India is the third largest producer of coconut, after Indonesia and Philippines. The southern states of the country are best suited for the fruit tree, which grows up to 30 metres in height and bears around 12 drupes at any given time.

The hard, brown nut can be cracked open into two pieces to find thick, white, coconut meat. There is a tall and dwarf variety for coconuts. The latter is fast growing and its seeds can be yellow, orange, red and green colour.

No fruit can be as versatile as coconut. The water, oil, milk, cream, nutmeat, toddy-there are several permutations possible for culinary uses. Its therapeutic use has been discovered since ancient times. In India, it is a 'fruit of aspiration', where it is offered to God before embarking on a new project.

Coconut: Nutritional Content

100 g of coconut has 354 calories. The total fat content is 33.49 g, of which 29.698 g is saturated fat, 1.425 g is monounsaturated fat and 0.366 g is polyunsaturated. It is a rich source of potassium (356 mg), phosphorous (51 mg) and sodium (20 mg). It contains 3.33 g of proteins, 9 g of dietary fibre, and 6.23 g of sugar. A serving of coconut can add 2 mg of iron to your diet. There is vitamin C and calcium as well. There is zero cholesterol, yay!

• Folate - 26 mg
• Niacin-0.540 mg
• Pantothenic acid-300 mg
• Pyridoxine-0.054 mg
• Riboflavin-0.020 mg
• Thiamin-0.066 mg
• Vitamin C-3.3 mg
• Vitamin E-0.24 mg
• Vitamin K-0.2 mg
• Calcium-14 mg
• Copper-0.435 mg
• Iron-2.43 mg
• Magnesium-32 mg
• Manganese-1.500 mg
• Phosphorous-113 mg
• Selenium-10.1 mg
• Zinc-1.10 mg

Vitamin: Tender coconut water is a great refresher. It is a rich source of vitamin B-0.64 microgram/mL of B3, 0.52 microgram/mL of B5, 0.02 microgram/mL of biotin, 0.01 microgram/mL of B2, 0.003 microgram/mL of folic acid and trace amounts of B1 and B6.

It contains sugar, sugar alcohols, vitamin C, folic acid, free amino acids, phytohormones, enzymes like acid phosphatase, catalase, dehydrogenase, diastase, peroxidase, RNA polymerase, and other growth-promoting factors.

Calcium: Coconut milk is high in calcium and phosphorous. It has carbohydrates, fat, proteins, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, thiamine, niacin and vitamin C. It also contains amino acids like isoleucine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, cysteine.
Desiccated coconut contains 65%-75% oil and is therefore used for oil extraction. Around 20% is carbohydrate, 10% is proteins and 5% is natural sugar.
Coconut oil is a rich source of triacylglycerol.

Coconut: Health Benefits

1. Cardio-protective effect:

There was a time when coconut oil was feared for its negative effects on cardiovascular health. No more. Coconut contains medium-chain saturated fatty acids.
These fatty acids get directly absorbed from the intestine and metabolized for releasing energy. They, therefore, do not engage in the transport of cholesterol.

Virgin coconut oil can lower total cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids and low density lipoproteins. The coconut protein has hypolipidaemic effect because of the high content of L-arginine.It also has anti-atherosclerosis properties or hardening of arteries.

2. Anti-viral:

Coconut oil has been proved to be effective against several viruses. The multi-chain fatty acids can disrupt their membranes and prevent maturation of viruses. Lipid-coated viruses like influenza virus, pneumono virus, hepatitis C virus, visna virus, etc., are some of the viruses that can be destroyed with coconut oil, making it one of the best natural anti-virals.

3. Anti-fungal:

When your little one suffers from diaper rash, the quick home remedy elders in the family prescribe is application of coconut oil. It can inhibit spore germination and radial growth of the microbes like Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium.

4. Anti-bacterial:

The multi-chain fatty acids can disintegrate the lipid membrane of the lipid-coated bacteria. Their anti-bacterial activities are unparalleled and are effective in stomach ulcers, sinusitis, dental cavities, food poisoning and urinary tract infections. Nothing can be better than tender coconut water for cholera patients.

5. Anticaries activity:

The high lauric acid content in coconut gives it the anti-microbial activities. Coconut flour has been found to be beneficial in treating some oral infections like mouth sores. Decoction from tree roots is used to gargle.

6. Kidney stones:

Monooctanoin, a product of medium-chain triglycerides, is a cholesterol solvent and is used for dissolution of retained cholesterol gallstones. Coconut thus becomes effective in the treatment of kidney and urethral stones.

7. Electrolyte:

With its high potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous content, tender coconut water can be considered as a good electrolyte. It generates an osmotic pressure similar to that observed in the blood.

8. Anti-diabetic:

Coconut oil helps in secretion of insulin and better utilization of blood glucose. The proteins in the kernel work through reversal of glycogen levels and activities of carbohydrate-metabolising enzymes.

9. Immunity:

Coconut oil enriched with zinc can increase Tc cells ad Th cells, giving immunity a boost

10. Antidote:

Tender coconut water can eliminate toxins due to mineral poisoning and ameliorate drug-induced over dosage.

11. Antioxidant:

The free amino acid, L-arginine, can reduce free radical generation. This goes a long way in controlling life-terminating diseases like cancer.

12. Protects the liver:

Tender coconut water has hepato-protective effect. It is beneficial for the well-being of the liver.

13. Prevents blood clot:

Virgin coconut oil has anti-thrombotic effect and thus helps in preventing blood clot.

14. Anti-cancer:

Researches are on to understand whether coconut has properties that can fight cancer or not. The presence of ketones, other amino acids and its properties to digest the lipid walls of bacteria are believed to help fight cancer.

15. Weight loss:

Medium-chain fatty acids have fat-burning properties. Energy metabolism quickens and thus makes coconut an obesity fighter.

Coconut: Different Ways To Consume

• Tender coconut water is a refreshing drink. Consume it straight from the shell or use it to make a cool, coconut punch with mint and lime.
• Coconut oil is used to make curries. Apart from being the base of all the curries, no curry in southern states like Kerala is complete without a seasoning done in coconut oil. It is a stable oil and does not form harmful by-products on heating.
• Shred the kernel and use it in curries, make chutneys and in recipes like appam. Coconut flour is dried, coconut meat.
• Coconut milk is a base for several curries and soups. It is made from mixing the coconut meat with water and getting the juice out of it. Imagine a Thai curry without it.
• Coconut burfies and payasam from coconut milk are some of the favourite sweets served during celebrations.
• Coconut sugar is made from coconut sap and is a sweetener.

Coconut: Other Benefits

• Coconut oil is one of the best natural lotions ever. It is a safe skin moisturizer with antiseptic effects.
• It is believed to foster hair growth, nourish skin scalp and help restore dry and damaged hair.
• The disinfectant activity of coconut makes it an ideal ingredient in soaps.
• The dodecanoic acid in coconut oil makes it an insect repellent.
• The possibilities of a coco bio-diesel is being researched.

Coconut: Side Effects

Eating coconut in food quantity can cause no harm. However, an excess intake of coconut might cause problems. It might cause gastric trouble when taken in excess. There is also excess of calories, sugar and fat that come your way when you consume more of coconut than what you are supposed to. Also, look out for allergies.