Make life a little sweeter by incorporating these amazingly nutritious and incredibly delicious coconut into your diet. Release your culinary creativity by using coconut to add refreshing tropical flavor to traditional recipes to make them delightfully exciting. They’re a fantastic way to satisfy a craving for something sweet without compromising your dedication to healthy eating.

Overview

Coconut, edible fruit of the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera), a tree of the palm family (Arecaceae). Coconuts probably originated somewhere in Indo-Malaya and are one of the most important crops of the tropics. Coconut flesh is high in fat and can be dried or eaten fresh or processed into coconut milk or coconut oil. The liquid of the nut, known as coconut water, is used in beverages.

Benefits

Coconut helps to improve blood cholesterol levels in the body and lowers the risk of heart diseases. The saturated fats in coconut raise the good cholesterol in the body and control the LDL to a benign subtype.
It controls diabetes by positively affecting the hormones for blood sugar control. This slows down the rise in blood sugar level and helps to reduce glycemic cravings. Coconut benefits quick digestion and other symptoms associated with digestive and bowel disorders. It supports absorption of nutrients and minerals while providing dietary fiber. It also reduces vomiting and nausea.
Coconut nutrition is excellent for the immunity system. It is antiviral, antifungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-parasitic. Intake of coconut oil can help the body to mount resistance to both viruses and bacteria that cause illness.
Coconut helps to increase energy by burning fat. You can opt for coconut for weight loss support. The triglycerides found in coconut oil increase 24 hours of energy expenditure by 5% leading to weight loss in the long run. It is also known to reduce hunger pangs.
Coconut contains high content of monolaurin and lauric acid which helps to kill bacteria, viruses and fungi and keeps infections at bay.
Eating coconuts regularly supports the development of healthy bones and teeth. It improves the body’s ability to absorb calcium and manganese which aid bone development. It also prevents osteoporosis, a condition which makes the bones thin and fragile and loses its density. Thus it is a healthy alternative for those who are lactose intolerant.
Eating coconut regularly boosts oxygen in the skin and promotes blood circulation. Our cells need an adequate amount of oxygen which can only be made possible by proper circulation in the body that carries oxygen. This allows proper breathing of the skin and promotes healthy and flawless complexion.
Eating coconut regularly boosts oxygen in the skin and promotes blood circulation. Our cells need an adequate amount of oxygen which can only be made possible by proper circulation in the body that carries oxygen. This allows proper breathing of the skin and promotes healthy and flawless complexion.

Side Effects

Coconut is high in calories and contains saturated fat, which may be linked to increased cholesterol levels. Check with your healthcare professional about eating it if you have very high cholesterol or are at risk of heart disease.

How To Consume

Dry coconut is delicious eaten by itself as a snack, added to hot or cold cereal, and as an addition to baked goods. It can also be used in smoothies, sprinkled on salads, or stirred into sautéed vegetables. It is also a common ingredient in Thai and Indian dishes.

Nutritional Value

One piece of dry coconut contain:

Calories 160
Fat 15g
Sodium 9mg
Carbohydrates 6.8g
Fiber 4g
Sugars 2.8g
Protein 1.5g
Potassium 160mg
Manganese 0.68mg
Selenium 4.5mcg