After centuries of being the silent heroes of many civilizations, coconuts are finally getting their time in the spotlight, and going by what the fruit and in fact the whole plant can do, the spotlight is permanent. The coconut tree is called the ‘tree of life’ for its multiple uses. Not a single part of the tree goes to waste. Every single part can be put to use in some way or the other. The trunk is used as timber in construction, the leaves are used as roofing materials and the roots are used for creating dyes, toothbrushes, mouthwash and medicines. The outer shell can be used as a bowl or painted and used as decorative items around the house.

It was said that having a coconut tree to your name is akin to being in possession of boundless wealth. It is easy enough to understand this sentiment once you know the extent of its uses.

In this article, we will be looking at the health benefits and uses, exclusively of the coconut fruit.

Nutritional Value

  • The white fleshy part inside the coconut is called the meat. Yeah, the kind that vegans will love. That can be eaten by itself or used to make coconut milk and cream. It is also grated and processed for coconut flour. Now that its versatility has been established, as it will be again and again, let’s also say that coconut is richer in fats than carbohydrates. It’s a good booster for metabolism and is rich in manganese, iron and selenium. This makes it very beneficial for people with PCOD.
  • Also, drink coconut water and eat the coconut meat for clear skin. It has just the right number of electrolytes and a significant number of antioxidants that will keep you healthy and wise.
  • While it can’t protect you from heartbreak, it can protect your heart health.
  • Considering it has more fibre and fats, coconuts can also help in weight loss and regulation of blood sugar levels, while increasing insulin resistance. You know what to buy on your next trip to the supermarket now.
  • Coconut is considered to have anti-aging benefits. Honestly, you would have been surprised if this had not been on the list of health benefits. This is attributed to its high nutritional value that fights free radicals, repairs organ damage and reverses aging.
  • Coconuts have been observed to have cancer fighting properties, especially cancer of the colon and breast.
  • It truly is a fruit that keeps on giving. Coconuts are supposed to be good for oral hygiene as well, be it a rinse with the water, when coconut oil is used for oil pulling or simply when it is used in substitutes for toothpaste. There’s not much that this fruit cannot do.

Informative: Busting Food Myths

For Skin And Hair

Coconuts are all the rage in skin care, aren’t they. Be it in terms of skin creams, hair masks, scrubs or as oils. Let’s look at what coconut can do for the skin, when used as is.

  • Coconut oil is highly moisturizing. If you have dry skin, you could not have asked for a better product for yourself. Rub a tiny amount into your skin after a shower and you will find yourself with glowy, moisturized skin in no time at all.
  • Mix a tiny amount of coconut oil with sugar, and voila, you have a scrub. You can use this on your face, lips and body. Does this tip make you regret how you splurged at Sephora?
  • It can be used as a makeup remover. It breaks down makeup completely and thoroughly while not stripping the skin.
  • A regular light face massage with coconut oil can give you an even skin tone. Honestly, having a bottle of coconut oil with you is akin to cutting down your skincare cabinet in half.
  • You don’t need cuticle oil if you have coconut oil. Just a drop on each finger and you will have strong nails and moisturized fingers.
  • Coconut oil is very beneficial for your hair. Just apply coconut oil to your hair once a week for a few hours and you will be surprised at the improvement in the quality of the health of your tresses. Not only does it moisturize your scalp and hair, it has anti fungal and anti-microbial properties, not to mention how fast your hair starts growing once you start using coconut oil.
  • Did we mention that your hair starts shining with its use? People have reported that when they do coconut oil massages, they have been able to skip conditioners and serums, at least for moisture if not to tame flyaways.

Conclusion

Coconuts can be easily added to food. You can shred it and add it to your baking experiments. It can be used in curries and stews. Coconut flakes work in savories. You can drink coconut water and eat its meat as a snack. Regular flour can be substituted with coconut flour, which also happens to be gluten free and a healthier alternative in your day to day life. And don’t just use coconut oil on your face and hair. You can use it to cook as well, for a nice, aromatic and easy flavor.

Coconuts make one think of the phrase ‘does money grow on trees?’. A single bottle of coconut oil can cut one’s skincare and hair care expenses in half. Including coconuts in our diet is an investment in health that cuts our future medical bills in half. Maybe the seeds of the coconut tree were Jack’s magic beans. After all, in the words of Dustin Hoffman, the two basic things to sustain life are sunshine and coconuts.

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