Nutrient Dense Ingredients: Wild / Organic Coconut Fruit
Read a detailed breakdown of the taste, culinary use and recipes, main nutrient levels, scientific research and health benefits, top quality online sourcing options, how to grow organic coconuts in a garden, and where to wildcraft.
Coconut Taste, Culinary Use, and Recipes
Yes, coconut is botanically a fruit! Coconut can be consumed as flesh or water and each has it’s own unique flavor. Coconut flesh has a nutty, creamy, and slightly sweet flavor. Coconut water is salty, sweet, and slightly sour.
The flesh is great as is, in smoothies, cereals, curry soups, healthy desserts, or used as a cooking oil. The water is great as is or as a base in smoothies or vegetable juices.
Nutrient Dense Recipes With Coconut
~ Blueberry Coconut Water Smoothie
~ Coconut Flour Brownies
~ Coconut Milk
Coconut Meat Nutrient Levels
Data below is for 1 cup (80 grams) of coconut meat and is compiled from the USDA FoodData Central and CheckYourFood.com.
Macronutrients
~ Fatty acids: 29g (42% RDA)
~ Amino acids: 3g (5%)
~ Carbohydrates: 3g (3%)
Micronutrients
~ Manganese: 0.8mg (27% RDA)
~ Fiber: 7.2g (24% RDA)
~ Copper: 0.256mg (19% RDA)
~ Iron: 1.68mg (13% RDA)
~ Phosphorus: 75.2mg (11% RDA)
~ Magnesium: 32.8mg (9% RDA)
Coconut Water Nutrient Levels
Data below is for 1 glass (200ml) of coconut water and is compiled from the USDA FoodData Central and CheckYourFood.com.
Macronutrients
~ Carbohydrates: 7g (6% RDA)
~ Amino acids: 1g (3% RDA)
~ Fatty acids: 0g
Micronutrients
~ Magnesium: 50mg (14% RDA)
~ Potassium: 500mg (11% RDA)
~ Manganese: 0.284mg (10% RDA)
~ Riboflavin (B2): 0.114mg (9% RDA)
~ Fiber: 2.2g (8% RDA)
~ Copper: 0.08mg (6% RDA)
Coconut Research and Benefits
Coconut meat and water have many proven health benefits with the most well researched being support of brain health and hydration respectively.
Clinical Study Title: Effects of Dietary Coconut Oil on the Biochemical and Anthropometric Profiles of Women Presenting Abdominal Obesity. (Source)
Review Study Title: Can ketones help rescue brain fuel supply in later life? Implications for cognitive health during aging and the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. (Source)
Clinical Study Title: A Diet Rich in Coconut Oil Reduces Diurnal Postprandial Variations in Circulating Tissue Plasminogen Activator Antigen and Fasting Lipoprotein (a) Compared with a Diet Rich in Unsaturated Fat in Women. (Source)
Clinical Study Title: The Effect of Coconut Oil pulling on Streptococcus mutans Count in Saliva in Comparison with Chlorhexidine Mouthwash. (Source)
Clinical Study Title: Rehydration with sodium-enriched coconut water after exercise-induced dehydration. (Source)
Coconut Sourcing, Growing, and Wildcrafting
Online Sourcing
Below are the sources I use and recommend:
~ Butter (whole flesh blended)
Growing Organically at Home
Coconut trees will only thrive outdoors in coastal tropical regions from 25 degrees north latitude to 25 degrees south latitude. Here is a great article from Gardening Know How about growing coconut palm trees.
Wildcrafting
I had the good fortune to harvest and enjoy wild coconuts while living in Hawaii. The main areas where you will find them wild are sandy soils in tropical areas such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and India.