The coconut is one of the most widely consumed fruits in the world. It is the fruit that’s produced by the coconut palm, a very common tree found in almost all tropical areas.
The coconut is consumed primarily because of the taste from its meat, and it is also an excellent source of hydration. The coconut water is consumed by millions and is also sold separately.
Many people also use coconuts to make oil and even milk, which is used for health purposes. The coconut milk and oil can have positive effects on a person’s skin and their hair.
Coconuts have been cultivated and grown in many tropical regions for more than 4,500 years, but they have risen in popularity sharply only a few centuries ago.
As the world has become more aware of its potential health benefits and the unique taste that coconuts offer, their popularity has increased by a considerable margin.
Before we talk about the many benefits that coconuts provide, it’s important to discuss their physical appearance.
If you take a walk around a beach that is littered with coconut palms, you will notice that some coconuts are brown and hairy, while others have a green appearance from the outside.
To put it simply, there is not much of a difference between a green coconut and a brown one.
When a coconut is at an early developmental stage, they contain a white husk underneath the outer layer, which is green. The reason why they are classified separately is because of theirlevel of maturity. It is the difference in their age. When you strip the outer skin off of a young coconut, the white husk will appear.
Another major difference is that the white coconut, which is the younger one, is more delicious and also comes with a greater amount of coconut water. Even the meat is softer in a young coconut, so they are often sold at a higher price in most fruit markets.
On the other hand, the brown coconut is the one that you will usually find in most stores all over the world.
The coconut has a hard and hairy shell that protects fibrous white flesh on the inside. The taste is distinctively tropical, and the amount of meat is also a bit more when compared with the younger coconuts.
There are plenty of ways to consume the flesh; you can either eat it raw, grate it or use it for toast shavings.
What About the Hair?
There are several reasons for the hairy husk of the coconut, and most of them have to do with the survival of the fruit. First of all, you should know that coconut trees, and other palm trees, usually grow to incredible heights.
You will find these trees in mostly tropical areas with sand all around, so when a coconut falls from such a height, there is a pretty strong chance of the fruit falling on the ground and breaking open on impact.
As a result, all of its seeds can get damaged upon a fall. The hairy and hard husk developed by the coconut is designed to protect the fruit in case of a fall. Tender coconuts usually crack open when they fall to the ground, and they end up losing all of the water.
Within a day, they get bad. Mature coconuts, however, don’t have to worry about this; even if they fall from a considerable height, they won’t sustain any damage.
Another reason for the hairy husk of the coconut is the climate in which it grows. In most cases, coconuts grow in relatively dry and extreme climates, so one of the bigger issues for the plant is to ensure that the seed is kept alive until it is able to germinate.
Needless to say, in areas where the amount of water in the soil is scarce, a fallen coconut will have to survive for quite a while before it is able to get the right conditions needed to germinate the seeds and grow on its own.
To survive all on its own, the coconut fruit has developed this hairy, husky shell that prevents any kind of fall damage and also protects the seed underneath for a longer period of time.
You should think of a coconut husk as a crash helmet designed to withstand heavy impact. Also, you should know that the husk is buoyant enough so that it can float on the waves in the sea for months and still sprout when it reaches the land and the right conditions are met.
There is a powdery substance that serves as a coat on the fibers that are incredible at absorbing nutrients and water. This makes it easy for the plant to establish a foothold on beaches and other environments where it receives very little in the way of nutrition.
Coconuts Are Incredibly Healthy
Now that you know the purpose behind its hairy husk, it’s also important to talk about the many benefits that coconuts offer to human health.
First and foremost, you should know that this is one of the most nutritious fruits that you will find. It is incredibly nutritious and contains high amounts of manganese, which is imperative for bone health and for a faster carbohydrate metabolism.
More importantly, it also contains generous amounts of healthy fats, which your body needs to improve overall functions. There is also a study that indicates coconuts can improve overall blood sugar level control.
The antidiabetic effects were confirmed on a rat study and showed that the fruit could prove to be beneficial for people who often have to deal with high sugar.
On top of that, coconuts usually contain high amounts of antioxidants. These antioxidants include salicylic acid, gallic acid, caffeic acid, and several others. These antioxidants are needed by your body to protect the cells from damage caused due to oxidation.
These are just some of the many wonderful things that you should know about the coconut, and the advantages that it offers.
I have a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When I’m not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies…I’m at home with my wife, two daughters and a dog. Outside of family, I love grilling and barbequing on my Big Green Egg and working on projects around the house.