Description/Taste

Sea coconuts grow on tall, evergreen palms that showcase a slender gray-brown trunk marked with leaf scars and large fan-like fronds. The palms produce moderately-sized round to ovoid fruits, averaging 15 to 25 centimeters in diameter, and the fruits grow in clusters just below the fronds. The palm fruits are semi-smooth, dense, and woody, displaying variegated hues of black and brown. When the fruits are harvested unripe, they are cut open to reveal a fibrous interior, encasing 1 to 4 flat seed endosperms. The endosperms are enveloped in a thin, pink to cream-colored protective layer, and beneath this layer, there is a firm, aqueous, and translucent-white, jelly-like flesh, known as a sea coconut. The flesh has a consistency similar to lychees and is dense, containing a slender hollow center. Sea coconuts have a very mild flavor and are mostly appreciated for their juicy nature. The translucent flesh is chewy and releases a juice reminiscent of the taste of coconut water mixed with a sweet, subtle nuttiness.

Nutritional Value

Sea coconuts are a good source of calcium and phosphorus to protect the formation of bones and teeth and provide vitamin C to strengthen the immune system while reducing inflammation. The fruits also contain potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, antioxidants to protect the cells against damage caused by free radicals, and other nutrients, including zinc, iron, and B vitamins. In Eastern medicines, especially in Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM, sea coconuts are considered a cooling food consumed to remove heat from the body. The fruits are typically eaten on hot days to prevent overheating, or they are incorporated into drinks to soothe sore throats and coughs and settle upset stomachs. The fruit’s flesh can also be mashed and applied topically to calm skin irritations.