Co-Co For Coconuts!

I have an appreciation for coconut that's immeasurable to other fruits. Aside from the usual fruits I pick and consume, coconut has a bit of a different story from others on my food journey.

When I was in college back home, there was a coffee house down the block from my campus. One day, I wanted something to drink other than my usual caramel latte. I told the barista I was open to suggestions regarding lemonade - I know, polar opposites.

"Have you ever tried coconut lemonade?" he asked me.

"Nooooo, but tell me more," I said smiling.

Four pumps of coconut syrup, a few ice cubes of ice, and extra lemonade was the day I added coconut to my grocery list. Whether it's coconut rum or coconut syrup, it's close by in my kitchen. When I was studying Caribbean cooking, I began learning how to cook curry chicken with coconut water. At night after class, I'll experiment at my hotel barista job with different liquors and coconut water, and syrups.

Known as 'The Tree of Life', the rabbit hole of coconut has me fascinated with the flexibility of the fruit as a whole, but wait until you read about how nutritious the furry fruit really is for you!

Known as one of the most beautiful and useful trees in the Tropics, coconut belongs to the monotypic genus, Cocos, the subfamily of Arecoideae.

Research debate coconuts originated in southeast Asia and the islands near the Indian and Pacific oceans.

Mature coconut trees grow upwards of 18 feet tall and yield about 100 large hairy brown soccer ball-sized tropic fruit.

The coconut meat is packed with multiple vitamins and minerals - and edible.

Yes, I thought the same thing when I first read about coconut meat. Interestingly to say, coconut flakes are a form of coconut meat.

Thanks to coconut flakes, I agree that coconut meat is versatile and tasty. I love making chocolate-covered coconut balls.

You can enjoy coconut meat raw or dried. I love using sweetened dried coconut with my pastry desserts and quick snacks. I don't care to use much sugar and luckily sweetened coconut pairs like a perfect date.

Snacking on coconut is a healthy investment considering the superfood is rich in manganese, copper, iron, and selenium. These essential minerals promote bone health, cell protection, and development as well as energy.

The inner white area of coconut contains antibacterial properties. Studies proved virgin coconut oil can inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that causes staph infections.

Let's discuss coconut oil...

A few years ago, I became fascinated with coconut oil because it was cost-effective for my household. Whether it was for my hair, moisturizing upon showering, or cooking (separate containers, of course), coconut oil has many purposes in my household.

I was shocked to discover coconuts, the most concentrated source of medium chain triglycerides, also known as MCTs.

Coconut oil is known for containing biofuels and lubricants, such as lauric acid, which acts as an anti-microbial activity and can reduce the HIV virus.

Did you know coconuts are influential worldwide?

The fibrous one-seeded drupe fruit is grown upwards in 80 countries!

Today, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Phillippines, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and Sri Lanka are the major coconut-producing countries.

While sharpening my hunting skills, my instructor informed me that coconut trees live true to their label as the "Tree of Life" - you'll find that you're able to recycle and reuse coconut trees as the wood used for furniture building as well as coconut branches are good for roofing and the nuts are useful for eating and drinking.

How do you use coconut in your healthy lifestyle?

Let's go co-co and discuss below!