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COCONUT: Benefits, Properties and Contraindications

The coconut is a tropical fruit that provides different nutrients, vitamins and minerals capable of supplying the daily doses of elements necessary for the protection of the human body in general. This incredible food belongs to the classification of tropical fruits, fruits rich in fiber, alkaline fruits, dried fruits and fruits that provide iron to the human body. It is a fruit that comes from the coconut palm, and it is said that it was originated in Indonesia, belonging to the plant of the arecaceae family.

It is an extremely tropical fruit, which is characterized by its thick outer shell, a fibrous mesocarp and a white pulp extremely aromatic and striking to the naked eye. Normally, the countries most interested in this fruit are those in the European and Asian continent, since they can implement it for different fairs and festivals, as well as for indisputable artisan dishes and pastries. Its size varies between 20 and 30 centimeters and it can weigh up to 3 kilograms.

Its name comes from the era of discoveries, thanks to the Portuguese who were in charge of expanding it throughout the continent due to its brown and hairy surface, which resembled the face of a ghost called as by then.

Origin of the Coconut

The origin of this fruit is often confused, because many people think it comes from South Asia, specifically from the Ganges Delta, others, for their part, claim that it originated in the northwest of South America, later, some historians explained that in New Zealand was the first time the cultivation of this fruit thanks to similar plants that lie today in different fields.

The origin itself of this fruit is practically lost in the beginning of time, since many experts assure that it occurred in many places at the same time because of the climatic conditions. However, it should be emphasized that it is a fruit that was given more than 3900 years ago for extremely natural medicinal purposes.

At present, there are more than 2500 types of coconuts, many of them peculiar unlike others, among them varies the sea coconuts, the fesse coconuts and the Maldives coconuts. Commercially, this fruit is most striking for its oil, which is extracted by a mortar for the first time in Asia and which the Indians used more than 2000 years ago.

Coconut Properties

Within the nutritional properties of the coconut you get the following:

  • One of the main components of the coconut, besides the water, is the saturated fatty acid, being one of the fruits with greater contribution of index in calories for the human body. Likewise, its fibrous composition and certain vitamins of the groups E and B, which turn out to be hydrosoluble, stand out. Among its main minerals are magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium and phosphorus.
  • The composition of the coconut is changing as this fruit makes its process of maturation, among its main nutritional properties highlights the fat it provides to the body, which is the main component after water. The coconut is the fruit with the highest caloric value of all the classification of fruits.
  • On the other hand, it provides low amounts of carbohydrates, and evidently, low indexes of protein, however, it is rich in minerals, which help certain vital processes in the body such as the mineralization of the bones due to its notorious amounts of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium.
  • Thanks to its high value in fiber, the coconut is a fruit that helps to improve the intestinal transit, contributing in a direct way to reduce the risk of different diseases and to infinity of adverse reactions in the body for certain foods or substances that have been ingested previously. Magnesium is a mineral that is clearly associated with the proper functioning of the intestine.
  • On the other hand, the coconut works together as an antioxidant action, thanks to its content of vitamins E and hydrosoluble vitamins of the B complex, which will always be ideal for the good functioning of the human organism.

For its part, within the properties for health you get the following:

  • The coconut is a fruit that turns out to be aromatic and of pleasant and intense flavors, reason why it is an ideal food so that young people, adults, children, sportsmen, pregnant women, among others, consume it, since it acts of direct way so that the population stays extremely healthy and stable.
  • However, it is necessary to emphasize that its excessive consumption can increase the high levels of cholesterol in the blood, reason why it can give a hypercholesterolemia, due to its saturated fats, is for that reason, that can be consumed but without abusing its daily consumption.
  • The fiber that it possesses helps to prevent and to improve the constipation, contributing to reduce the rates of cholesterol that is in the blood, likewise, it works in the good control of the glucemia, which have to do with the level of sugar in the blood, for what it turns out to be an ideal fruit for all those persons who suffer from diabetes.
  • Finally, because of its high energy value, people who suffer from overweight should moderate their consumption, because their high levels of potassium can make individuals suffer from kidney failure, so they will require a more strict diet, away from this mineral.

Benefits of Coconut

  1. Certainly, the first thing to highlight about the coconut is that it contains a large amount of essential nutrients for the human body, which is why it is considered a good option for all those people who need an extra dose of energy in the body; its high value in minerals justifies it.
  2. The coconut is one of the fruits with greater nutritional contributions, being its minerals a vital base for it, between these they predominate the selenium and the zinc, which work like antirust properties. Similarly, the vitamin C it provides is perfect for bone health and the immune system in general.
  3. Thanks to its high levels of vitamin B1 and B3, coconut is potentially good for the nervous system and for reducing all levels of cholesterol found in the blood. The coconut is an ideal fruit for hydration, because of its high water content makes it a perfect ally for the summer or hot seasons.
  4. Another of the main benefits of the coconut is that it helps fight bacteria, due to its lauric acid content; also, it helps regulate blood pressure, due to the notable presence of potassium it possesses. It is a fruit that also works as a diuretic and natural laxative because it is a perfect ally to combat fluid retention in the body.
  5. Next, the coconut has excellent beneficial properties for the skin, which helps it to stay completely hydrated and look beautiful and much softer. On the other hand, it contributes to anti-stress, fighting it thanks to its relaxing properties.
  6. Finally, among the benefits of the coconut is that it also serves perfectly as an ally for the muscles, thanks to the fact that it provides a good source of energy needed by all those who practice a sport and need to keep in shape.

Types of Coconut

Within the main types of coconut you get the following:

Giant Coconut

These coconuts are used for oil production, as well as for extremely fresh consumer fruits. The water content of these coconuts is high and their flavor tends to be a little sweet. Among the main advantages are their large size and high copra content.

Among the main varieties of the giant coconuts you get the giant coconut of Malaysia, the giant coconut of high java, the Indian coconut of Ceylon, the high coconut of Jamaica, the giant coconut of West Africa and the giant coconut of Renell.

Dwarf Coconut

Dwarf coconuts are characterized by the good taste of the water they possess, in addition, that they tend to be the smallest coconuts of their species; they are used for the production of generally packaged beverages.

Among its main varieties you can find the yellow coconut from Malaysia, the green coconut from Brazil, the orange dwarf coconut from India, the small coconut from the big river in the north and the small coconut from Argentina.

Hybrid Coconut

It is a coconut that is produced by crossing other varieties mentioned above. They can be big size coconuts, as well as medium or small ones, they have nice flavors and good copra yields.

Among the most well known hybrid coconuts we can mention the Mapan Vic 14 hybrid coconut, which is a yellow coconut from Malaysia, with a giant coconut from Alto Panama; another hybrid coconut is the coco palmae or nucifera.

Sea Coconut

This is a coconut of almost 25 kilograms, and normally originates in the Seychelles Archipelago, where the Madagascar Coast is currently located. Its size triples many coconuts of its species, so it is a very characteristic and special coconut in the places where it is produced.

Coconut Tree

The coconut tree is called coconut tree and its scientific name is coco nucífera. It is a fruit tree type palm that originates in tropical zones, although at the present time, many of these palms exist that are reproduced in places of the Asian continent.

This type of palm belongs to the family of the arecaceae, which are cultivated or grow spontaneously in all tropical countries. Its rare name is derived from Latin and usually means nut carrier. The fruit that the palm tree gives is the coconut or coconut nut and it is the only species within the genus of the coconuts.

The coconut tree is an extremely tall palm tree, which can reach more than 30 meters in height. It is a tree that does not tolerate cold temperatures, nor great heights, in the same way, it cannot grow in hard grounds with lack of shortage in salt. It is a tree that needs humid climates and strong winds to pollinate its flowers and grow properly.

The flowers of the coconut tree are mostly male, however, when they are born female they tend to flower much more beautifully and with seeds inside; the female flowers when they finish their ripening process form an oval shaped fruit of almost 30 centimeters in diameter with an extremely fibrous pericarp.

Does the Coconut Get You Fatter ?

The coconut is one of the fruits that is within the lists of foods that should not be ingested if people wish to lose weight, since its caloric contribution is high and can make all type of individual fattening, which is detrimental for people who suffer from overweight or obesity.

Although the coconut is a fruit with great amount of nutritional properties for the health, it does not stop being a food that helps to increase the weight of the people, nevertheless, it does not stop being a rich food in source of good fats, which helps to satisfy the appetite of the organism, as well as, it contributes to the control of the metabolism, improving the health to the maximum.

It is ideal that people consume coconut in moderation because it is considered one of the foods with the highest amount of fat and fructose, since in certain quantities it can be extremely harmful to the body’s maintenance.

Does Coconut Have Fiber ?

The fiber that contains the coconut is a type of substrate mostly used in seedbeds or urban ecological gardens. Nevertheless, as far as the nutritious properties it provides a good source in fibers that has the capacity to extract all liquid retention that is in the body.

In addition, it is scientifically proven that the coconut eradicates all the harmful elements found in the stomach walls through the feces, making its structure does not harm or produce stomach pains.

Does Coconut Have Sugar ?

The coconut contains few quantities of sugar, so it is one of the main elements when it comes to reducing different sensations of heat, since they are perfectly useful to keep people hydrated.

In total it contains six grams of sugar, in addition to that, it provides minerals and essential acids that are favorable to the body. It is a fruit consumed and recommended for all those people who suffer from diabetes.

The coconut not only provides a few grams of sugar to the body but also contains a substance called cytonin that has antioxidant properties to counteract the action of free radicals that damage cells and promotes the emergence of different types of diabetes such as type 2 diabetes.

Does the Coconut Get Fat at Night ?

If people wish to lose weight, it is always advisable not to consume this fruit except as an appetizer or as a companion to a salad, whether by day or by night. It is a fruit that tends to make people fat because of its high calorie content.

Is the Coconut Diuretic ?

From the point of view of the natural and traditional medicine the coconut is considered a formidable food as diuretic, since it helps to contribute to the urination or action of urinating in a frequent way, besides that it is refreshing and has highly nutritious properties for the human organism.

Is Coconut Good For Digestion ?

The coconut helps to maintain the renal functions in a stable and balanced way, also it is an ideal fruit for the good stomach digestion, fulfilling all the corresponding hepatic functions. It is also a fruit that serves as an ally for stomach infections, promoting any irregularity that occurs in the intestinal transit system.

Does the Coconut Get You Lose Weight ?

The coconut is a fruit rich in fat and low in carbohydrates, which is why it is an excellent ally for health since it provides unique energy, improves intestinal transit and favors the immune system.

The coconut helps to lose weight thanks to its low content of carbohydrates, in addition to being a notable source of fiber, which increases the level of satiety in the body and people tend to decrease their action of being hungry.

Coconut Calories

The coconut is a highly nutritious fruit and is recommended for those people who want to gain weight since it has a total of 360 calories per 100 grams consumed.

In fats the coconut contributes a total of 36 grams, in carbohydrates a total of 3.7 grams, in fiber a total of 10.5 grams, in potassium 405 milligrams, in magnesium a total of 52 milligrams, in calcium 15.8 milligrams, in vitamin E 0.7 milligrams, in vitamins C 2 milligrams, and in folic acid 26 milligrams.

History of Coconut

The history of the coconut was born mainly in the islands of the Pacific Ocean, specifically with extremely tropical and subtropical climates, years later this incredible fruit sex managed to extend to areas of Central America and the Caribbean Sea.

There is an important fact in the history of coconut and that is that in the sixteenth century with Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo, managed to observe for the first time the presence of coconut on the Pacific coast of Central America. It is in that century, where the biggest cultivation of coconut trees around the area would begin to be born, expanding soon with commercial purposes to Spain, Portugal, Greece and India.

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COCONUT: Benefits, Properties and Contraindications
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COCONUT: Benefits, Properties and Contraindications
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The Coconut. Discover Its Properties, Fattening or Healthy. How To Preserve It ? The Vitamins and Calories It Provides in a Healthy Diet
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ALPHAPEDIA
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