WHY COCONUT?

Example of how a coconut looks like a face and head.

WHY COCONUT?

I had no idea of the many health benefits associated with coconut until I recently started reading up on it. The author of one book I read has gone as far as calling the coconut the miracle ingredient for treating diseases and ailments in the human body. Although there is some debate over their health benefits, I believe that coconut is worth the research and experimentation in cooking and in it's many uses. There is also debate over where in the world they originated.

Cocos nucifera, or coconut, is a member of the palm family. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed or the fruit. The “coconut” term is derived from 16th century Portuguese and Spanish “cocos”, meaning "grinning face", from the three small holes on the coconut shell that resemble human facial features.

As I mentioned already, the origin of the coconut plant has been the subject of debate . It is thought to come from the western Pacific & near the Indian Ocean and spread via human activity and ocean currents to most of the tropics. There are a number of studies that also claim that the fruit has its origin in the northwestern region of South America.

In the Pacific, coconuts were likely first cultivated in island Southeast Asia, including places like the Philippines, Malaysia, & Indonesia as well as the southern periphery of India, including Sri Lanka.

Coconut plays an important role in Indian ritual and features in Indian mythology. Since it resembles a human head, with three marks on its shell , like eyes and a mouth, and fibre like hair on the husk, it was known as the fruit of the gods and cutting the tree was abhorred.

Coconuts are part of the daily diet of many people around the world. They are different from any other fruits because they contain a large quantity of "water". When immature they are known as tender-nuts or jelly-nuts and may be harvested for drinking. When mature they still contain some water and can be used as seednuts or processed to give oil from the kernel, charcoal from the hard shell and coir (fiber from the outer husk of the coconut, used for making ropes and matting).

Coconut milk, not to be confused with coconut water, is obtained primarily by extracting juice by pressing the grated coconut's white kernel or by passing hot water or milk through grated coconut, which extracts the oil and aromatic compounds. The milk can be used to produce virgin coconut oil by controlled heating and removal of the oil fraction.

I reflect upon this last year as I made a number of changes in my diet & lifestyle. I now use coconut oil in cooking and baking. I use skincare products that include coconut as a moisturizer for my skin. I always have a fresh white coconut on hand to crack open, drain the water inside for drinking, then use the white fleshy part for salads and vegetable stir fry. It stores for about a week, once cracked open, in the refrigerator. More recently I have made unsweetened coconut milk a staple in my fridge. It can be used in coffee to replace cow's milk or in my saute pan when cooking vegetables with rice and quinoa. It is quickly absorbed by whatever is in the pan. Add soy chirizo to the vegetables in the pan after the milk is added and it turns a nice shade of orange.

Every dish and beverage I have made using either the milk and/or meat from a coconut has been dee-lish! It's a great ingredient in soup as well.

You can say I am a fan of all things coconut. Here's to good health and good eating!