Coconut

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Coconut is an invaluable gift from nature, which is used in cooking, cosmetics and medicine. The coconut is the fruit of the tropical coconut palm, which usually grows in humid tropical, coastal areas. Its homeland is considered to be the western part of the Pacific Ocean and the islands in the Indian Ocean. The coconut grows on palm trees up to 30 m high, which give 5 to 150 fruits per year, depending on their species and age. Usually everyone coconut weighs up to 2.5 kg. The fruits of coconut palms grow in clusters of 5-6 and are hidden under the branches. They are covered with a thick membranous shell, which reaches 5 to 15 cm. Under the shell is a thin brown shell, which, however, is very hard and contains proteins.

The name of coconut comes from the Portuguese word for monkey (coco). Apparently, the Portuguese found a special resemblance between the spots on the skin of the fruit and the monkey's face. Coconut is a medium-sized green fruit with a large walnut with three dimples. Inside it is a white hard edible nut known as dill. Dill is the source of coconut milk and coconut oil, and when dried it can be grated on coconut shavings.

The inside of the coconut has a white to yellowish color with a thickness between 6-12 mm thick. From one walnut can be obtained from 80 to 500 grams of dill. The inside of the coconut also contains a liquid - coconut milk. It is drunk only with unripe fruits, as it can cause a disorder. The coconut water contained in the coconut should not be confused with coconut milk. This water is pure and serves to quench thirst. Before it fully matures, the coconut contains coconut milk, which is a sweet and whitish liquid. As the walnut matures, this liquid hardens and it is actually the fragrant, white and hard inside of the coconut.

Coconut began to gain popularity in the 15th and 16th centuries, when Vasco da Gama's sailors sailed the seas to explore new territories. Today, the largest coconut plantations in the world and exporters of coconuts and their derivatives are the Philippines. It is also the only country in the world where coconut oil is the main cooking fat. Other major producers are Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Copra is also produced in the southern Indian state of Karnataka.

Composition of coconut

The coconut contains an average of 5.8% water, 67% fat, 16.5% carbohydrates, 8.9% protein.

Coconut is extremely rich in potassium, iron, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, copper and zinc and B vitamins. Coconut is rich in protein and fiber and has a wide variety of vitamins such as C, E, K, folic acid. Coconut juice does not contain fat and is low in calories - 100 milliliters contain only 16.7 kcal. In contrast, coconut milk is very fatty and contains a large amount of calories. Coconut milk is a valuable source of a large number of amino acids, vitamins and ascorbic acid. The flesh of fresh walnut contains approximately 33% pure coconut oil and has a very small amount of carbohydrates. The main ingredients of coconut oil are lauric, caprylic and capric acids.

Selection and storage of coconut

As an exotic and non-mass fruit in our country, the choice of coconut can often be a problem. When you want to buy a good walnut, make sure it is full and heavy, without cracks, and when shaking you should hear how the water moves. Take a good look at the three holes of the coconut, which must be healthy and free of mold. Only after opening the coconut can it be determined whether its inside is bitter. The easiest way to break it is with the help of a kitchen chopper.

Coconut can be stored for a long time. As long as it is healthy, it can withstand up to 2 months at room temperature, sometimes even longer. When intact, the coconut lasts 1-2 months at room temperature. The open coconut must be stored in the lower, closing box of the refrigerator. Dried coconut has practically no shelf life, as long as it is well sealed and packed in a cool place.

Use on coconut

The liquid of the coconut can be extracted after drilling holes with an awl. Once the coconuts fall from the palm, they are opened and left in the sun for a few hours. When the inside begins to separate from the shell, it is removed and crushed into small pieces, which dry for at least a week. Usually coconut is ground first into fine flour, which is heated to 125 degrees and passed through a press. In this way, coconut oil is extracted, which is refined to purify. This raw material is widely used in cooking or in the cosmetics industry.

When the bark is grated and boiled in boiling water, an oil is obtained which is used as a cooking fat. Coconut is widely used in Asian, African, Indian, Indonesian and South American cuisine. Coconut is often used to make soups, sauces, dishes and desserts and superb exotic cocktails. Coconut water and coconut milk are mostly used in soups and sauces. The grated inside goes well with chicken. Coconut oil is used in the confectionery industry. Coconut shavings are popular as a decoration of confectionery - coconut candies, coconut cakes, chocolates, pies, coconut cakes.

Benefits of coconut

Coconut has proven benefits for human health, with the latest research, it can also help lose weight. According to some experts, if a person tries to lose weight, he should not overdo it with coconut milk and the products it contains, because it is rich in fat. However, the latest research in the field shows that if you include a little coconut oil in your daily menu, it will help burn calories faster. Coconut oil boosts metabolism and speeds up metabolism. As a result, energy production increases and a person's vitality increases. Proven coconut is a powerful remedy against obesity and metabolic diseases.

In Pacific folk medicine, local healers use the flesh of the coconut to kill intestinal parasites, drive away constipation, and build muscle mass in exhausted and weak people. Coconut water is often used by them for kidney and bladder infections, and coconut milk is given for stomach ulcers and sore throats.

A number of other studies have also confirmed that coconut oil regulates blood insulin levels and prevents the development of diabetes. It improves the utilization of blood sugar and insulin secretion in diabetes and has a very beneficial effect on thyroid function. Coconut juice contains many minerals, it is recommended to be consumed during heavy exercise. According to Eastern medicine, coconut milk stimulates the cardiovascular system. The coconut it is also a powerful tool in the treatment of nervous disorders, venereal and urological diseases. Coconut oil has been proven to help the body absorb calcium better, doctors recommend its use to prevent osteoporosis, strengthen bones and teeth.

The inhabitants of tropical countries have been using coconut palms and their fruits for various purposes for thousands of years. They make a tonic from it, they use the inside as food, they make dishes from the shell, they make coarse fabrics and mats from the fibers that wrap the shell. Coconut oil protects the skin from drying, sagging and wrinkling. It is useful for hair loss and scalp problems.

Lauric, caprylic and capric acids of coconut oil antimicrobial, antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory action, they have an extremely beneficial effect on health. Auric acid is contained in approximately 50% of the fatty acids in coconut oil. They are a strong antimicrobial agent that helps with severe bacterial, viral and fungal infections.

It has an effect in the treatment of herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS and other viral diseases. This raw coconut destroys bacteria that cause ulcers, pneumonia, infections of the throat and urinary system, gonorrhea and other diseases. There is evidence that coconut oil helps with asthma and cancer and tuberculosis.