The Many Uses of Coconut

Lisa Egan reveals the many new uses of coconut you might want to try.

“He who plants a coconut tree, plants food and drink, vessels and clothing, a home for himself and a heritage for his children.” ~ South Seas saying

Chances are, you pass right by an amazing, versatile, and nutritious item in your local market without giving it much thought – the coconut.

Commonly referred to as a fruit, a nut, or a seed, the furry-looking coconut is botanically classified as a drupe, which is a fruit with a hard covering enclosing the seed. Other drupes include peaches, plums, and cherries.

Coconuts are often called the “Tree of Life” because every part of the drupe and tree can be used. An ideal sustainable food crop, the roots, trunks, leaves, husks, fiber, fruit, water, sap, oil, milk and meat all are useful. The plant not only supplies food for millions of people, but also can be used to make skincare products, household cleaners, toys, instruments, furniture, housing, bowls, utensils, lighting fixtures, baskets, utility boxes, gardening planters, mattresses, draperies, upholstery, chicken feed, carbon-based water filters, and bio-diesel fuels. Read more

7 Benefits of Coconut Water

Coconut water is the clear liquid inside young coconuts, not to be confused with coconut milk. Coconut water has long been a popular drink in the tropics where it is available fresh, canned, or bottled. It is naturally fat-free and low in calories.

Many persons have gone to the Caribbean, the Pacific Islands, Florida, Hawaii, South America or Southern Asia and have tasted some very refreshing coconut water. The palm trees you have become accustomed to while on vacation are very potent sources of coconut water that has many health benefits and uses that you probably did not know about. Coconut water is the purest liquid second only to water itself. It is chock full of electrolytes, calcium, potassium, magnesium; everything that is good for you.

Coconut water is the liquid that is taken from unripe coconuts. If coconuts get ripe the liquid that is inside will harden and become a part of the white flesh of the coconut, which is used to make coconut milk. So, picking the coconut while it is unripe will ensure that the body gets all the benefits of coconut water. Read more