I, myself really love Coconut. The white fruit, rich in fiber and so many nutrients is just perfect for any dish or eaten raw or the coconut water which is deliciously awesome. The round coconut with so many hairs on its hard shell has many health benefits and also its subsidiaries, produced from coconut, constitute the wonder food too. This tropical food is very popular all over the world and its worth doesn’t end with just refreshing coconut water. When added in anything, it increases the taste of almost any dish and can be a main ingredient in many. There are many things that can be made from this mere coconut; ranging from coconut chutney to coconut ladoos, all being superawesome and super tasty.
Coconut is a fruit belonging to Cocos nucifera palm. It has greenish colour outer part, which turns brown when matured. The freshly harvested coconut contains sweet water which is extremely beneficial for health and is very tasty and refreshing. Especially, in tropical areas, coconuts are way of life people and coconut oil is staple in their kitchen from cooking to skin and haircare. Now, coconut and its derived ingredients; be it coconut oil, coconut water, coconut milk or coconut flour are being used increasingly in kitchens, restaurants and processed foods. Though it is rich in calories and laden with saturated fats, it has innumerable health benefits. It has an impressive list of health benefits, you may be surprised to know;
Rich in fiber: Coconut has very high fiber content and has a whopping 61% fiber. The fiber is very useful for body and can relieve the body from many problems of digestion or constipation. It even assists in relieving stress on the pancreas and enzyme systems and it slows down the release of glucose and transports it to the cell. Rich fiber can give obviously rich benefits!
Weight loss: Coconut oil and coconut water are really effective in losing weight. It contains medium chain fatty acids that helps in losing off those extra kilos and are also easy to digest. It helps in healthy functioning of thyroid and endocrine glands and also increases the metabolic rate. As you may have seen, tropical region inhabitants are never obese and have normal weights.
Skincare and Haircare: Coconut oil, coconut water or raw coconut are excellent for maintaining good skin health and hair. This is because it contains high fiber and antioxidants and coconut oil is very effective for massaging and moisturizer. It is useful for preventing wrinkles, anti-ageing and prevents many skin ailments. Also, massaging it in hair is very effective for reducing dandruff and keeps your hair lice free. So, in a nutshell, it is just perfect for skin and hair.
Effective for heart health: Coconut is beneficial for heart as it contains 50% lauric acid, which contributes in effectively preventing and treating many heart problems like high blod pressure, high cholesterol levels and also the saturated fats found in cococnut oil is not harmful as the fats in vegetable oils. So, coconut increases the good cholesterol and helps in improvement of cardiovascular risk.
Now, let’s have a look at the coconut derived, so-famous, beneficial products:
Coconut Oil: it contains a mixture of saturated fatty acids, which do not affect cholesterol levels in negative way. It’s the reason coconut oil has made a comeback in cooking and baking and is so popular. Its amazing effects on hair and skin are well known. Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted from kernel of matured coconuts and put to variety of uses. Use it in your daily and see the superawesome benefits.
Coconut Milk: It is made from brew of coconut meat and water but it isn’t low calorie product of coconut as coconut water. Rich and thick liquid, more like cream has 445 calories per cup. This is the reason ‘lite’ coconut milk is out in groceries stores as an substitute and is used in cooking and just turns the taste of the dish to tickle your buds.
Coconut water: It has got a lot of buzz because of its refreshing properties and taste with lovely benefits. It is a great hydrating agent after a workout and is even regarded as ‘natural’ sports drink and is very low in calories to the extent that 8 ounces of coconut water contains just 45 calories. Moreover, it can be used in smoothies and delivers a great taste on its own or when added to anything.
Coconut Flour and shredded coconut: coconut flour, being gluten free is really healthy and rich in fiber. It is used in baked goods and adds flavor to them and has great health benefits to diabetic patients. Also, shredded coconut or coconut flakes are popularly used in baking and on sweets to decorate them and add taste to the dishes. The dried shredded coconut is great on almost anything.
If you are also coconut crazy like me, you may have got surprised with all these health benefits of this super white, pure coconut. Due to its versatility, it can go with anything to everything. In addition, coconut is gluten free, non-toxic, no trans fat and is also antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal an hypoallergenic and improves the immune system and supports body function. Having so many pros of coconut, you may want to eat it everyday or atleast include any of its ingredients in you daily diet. I know fresh nariyal paani is so irresisitible and is very seasonal in northern regions. So, Go ahead, keep munching on coconut and its derived products. Afterall, it is superwesome, attractive, irresistible, pure white fruit.
Happy Eating. Happy Life.
