The fruit of the coconut palm, which belongs to the Palm family, is the coconut. The beneficial properties of the fruit have been known in its homeland (Malaysia) since ancient times. In appearance, it resembles a huge nut, covered with a brown shell with fibers.
The core of the coconut is white juice (also called "coconut milk"), which over time, as the fruit ripens, turns into fragrant pulp. Interestingly, the coconut tree became the only member of the whole genus Cocos. The name of the coconut has Portuguese roots and comes from coco ("monkey"), because the spots on the surface of the fruit often repeat the outline of the monkey's face. The fruit ripens in about 8-11 months.
How does a coconut ripen?
The hard, brown-skinned fruit that we see in stores is the peeled coconut, the core. Before selling, the outer fibrous shell of the coconut - exocarp - is removed. It is laced with thick fibers that prevent the fruit from breaking when dropped from a palm tree.
The inner layer of the coconut is the endocarp. The shell resembles a shell and contains in its structure three characteristic pores, similar to the eyes. They are needed for the ripening of the seed: white dense pulp (thickness of about 12 mm) and liquid ("coconut water", "coconut milk"). As it ripens, the pulp releases special oils into the juice, which leads to its hardening.
Young, not fully ripe coconuts with a green shell are harvested after six months of ripening. Inside there is a hard core with pulp and a lot of liquid. A mature fetus can be considered not earlier than 10 months of waiting. The outer fibrous shell must be peeled off and the fruit dried well in the sun.
The inside of the fruit is pulp without liquid. It is these fruits that are used for traditional Thai, Malaysian, Indonesian dishes, where coconut is the basic ingredient. The beneficial properties of the fruit do not lose their strength after heat treatment.
Varieties
Despite the fact that we are used to seeing the same coconut fruits in stores, there are a lot of them. In exotic countries, as a rule, young fruits are used for food, and fully ripe ones are needed to obtain coconut oil, fry dishes (but they are not eaten fresh).
The color of young fruits can be very different: green, orange, yellow, brown. Differs in variety and shape, coconuts can be oblong, round, oval. Interestingly, depending on the variety, the size of the coconut also changes, but this parameter is not yet a guarantee of a large amount of coconut water. After all, the core (inner shell) does not adhere tightly to the outer layer and has its own size.
Coconut pulp: beneficial properties
Coconut pulp is saturated with amino acids, vitamins B1, B12, E, A, C, iron, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus. In exotic countries, the pulp of the fruit is used to treat indigestion, prepare drops for otitis media, treat wounds, and burns. Eating coconut pulp regularly will help you:
- normalize metabolism;
- adjust weight;
- improve immunity;
- normalize blood sugar levels;
- cleanse the gastrointestinal tract of toxins, toxins;
- reduce the likelihood of osteoporosis;
- improve the functioning of the kidneys, pancreas;
- improve vision;
- strengthen the joints.
South Asians consider coconut to be the most powerful aphrodisiac. The beneficial properties of the pulp and milk of this fruit not only help to improve health, but also to establish an intimate life.
Coconut juice: beneficial properties
The fruit juice is about 45% composed of coconut oil, which has a very beneficial effect on the stomach, pancreas, and heart system. It also contains lauric acid (the same substance is found in breast milk), which increases immunity. Coconut milk is a very healthy product that will help you:
- restore strength after physical exertion;
- improve health status in diabetes mellitus;
- improve the work of the heart system;
- reduce the likelihood of developing atherosclerosis;
- normalize metabolism;
- strengthen immunity;
- lower blood cholesterol levels;
- improve skin condition, strengthen hair, nails.
The best thirst quencher is a half-ripe coconut. The beneficial properties of the fruit help to avoid dehydration, saturate the body with moisture for a long time. In the homeland of the fetus, it is even used for the preparation of saline, the treatment of kidney diseases, urinary tract infections, and inflammation.
Contraindications
The fruit that will strengthen your health and immunity, without a doubt, can be considered exactly coconut. Useful properties, calorie content of the fruit - that's not all you need to know before eating it.
While coconut has many benefits, it's important to be aware of the potential harm. First of all, refrain from cosmetic products with coconut oil, dishes with this fruit, if you are prone to frequent allergic reactions (in particular, to exotic fruits, citrus fruits). Coconut is very high in calories (pulp), so be careful with the amount you eat.
Bdyuda, coconut cocktails: calories
Coconut is a high-calorie product. 100 g of fresh pulp has an energy value of 354 calories (15.23 g carbohydrates, 33.49 g fat, 3.33 g protein). On average, the daily requirement of a person is 1500. But coconut water contains almost no calories (only 17 calories per 100 g).
Coconut cocktail "African lullaby"
Mix 60 ml of Baileys liqueur with 25 ml of coconut milk and 120 ml of regular ice in a blender. Then pour into a serving container and sprinkle with chopped nutmeg over the surface.
Shrimp in a coconut crust
Pour 350 g of Japanese Panko croutons into a preheated frying pan and fry for about 5 minutes. Then pour the crackers into a bowl and add 120 g of coconut pulp. Separately mix 120 g mustard, half teaspoon curry, and 1 egg (or 2 whites). Shrimp should be dipped in a mustard-egg mixture, and then in croutons with coconut.
Preheat oven to 180 ° and gently arrange the shrimp on the wire mesh. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Garnish with thin lemon wedges for an effective serving.
The fruit that will definitely help you to strengthen your health, boost your immunity is coconut. Useful properties and contraindications - all these aspects need to be known before using this fruit.
If the spruce is considered the symbol of the evergreen dark coniferous taiga, then the coconut tree is considered the symbol of the hot sunny tropics. The classic is the snow-white sand of a coral atoll, blue sky, scorching sun, turquoise, clear water and .... a palm tree.
The coconut tree was probably born somewhere in the Malaysian archipelago. It is the most common and essential in the tropics. It is called the "tree of life" - and these are not just words. The inhabitants of the tropics use almost all parts of this tree.
The spread of the coconut tree in the world
Leaves and wood are used for construction, fruits for food. But for many people, the coconut tree may not be the tree of life at all, but the tree of death, since a coconut that falls on a person's head can be fatal. About 150 people die from falling nuts every year! For comparison, sharks die 10 times less, but at the same time everyone is afraid of sharks, and no one is particularly afraid of resting under palm trees. Also, dropping it, for example, on a car can also be unpleasant, a dent is provided. An average coconut weighing about 1 kg hits the ground with a force of 1 ton. The weight of a coconut can be up to 3 kg.
Let's take a closer look at its structure:
Coconut
What we are used to seeing on supermarket shelves is a peeled nut (more precisely, it is a drupe, or an edible bone, a fruit inside a fruit), but the whole nut looks much larger. The outer shell of the nut (exocarp) is permeated with fibers, which protects the integrity of the nut when it falls. Then comes the inner shell (endocarp) - this is the shell of a coconut with 3 pores that resemble eyes. These pores lead to 3 ovules, one of which then develops into a seed. The seed consists of a fleshy white surface layer about 12 mm thick (pulp, or copra) and endosperm. Endosperm is liquid and transparent (coconut water), with the appearance of oil droplets secreted by copra, gradually turns into a milky emulsion, then thickens and hardens. Fruits grow in groups of 15 - 20 pieces, fully ripening within 8 - 10 months. In cultivated form, the palm tree begins to bear fruit from 7 to 9 years and lasts for about 50 years. One palm tree produces 60 to 120 fruits per year.
How to open a coconut correctly?
An unripe nut with a green shell contains the most liquid and the least white flesh. It can be easily cut at the point where the coconut is attached to the tree, it can also be cracked with a strong impact on the stone, but the necessary liquid can be spilled.
Green unripe coconuts
Green coconut prepared for drinking
Young coconuts on a peduncle
In ripe coconuts, the liquid is sweeter. The outer smooth layer, together with the fibrous layer, is cleaned with a stake stuck in the ground, and it can also be cleaned with a knife, a time-consuming process.
How to open a ripe coconut
Ripe fruits have a darker outer shell and a brown inner shell, which is what we are used to seeing in supermarkets. The nut shape is sometimes similar to an American football ball.
Coconut eyes
Here we see those same 3 pores that look like eyes. You can get to the cherished liquid by piercing these eyes with something sharp. It is recommended to pierce 2 eyes so that liquid flows out of one and air enters the other. By the same principle, it is recommended to open the juice box by making a hole next to the main one.
Open ripe coconut
After you have poured all the liquid from the nut, you need to open it to get to the copra. To do this, you need to tap on its circumference with some object, for example, a machete or even a hammer. We got to the copra - we cut it off and eat it, or for other purposes. Bon Appetit!
What is "Uto"?
This is what the Cook Islands Polynesians call sprouted coconuts. The inside of a sprouted coconut has a softer flesh, and when cooked over charcoal, it tastes like pudding. After cooking uto on charcoal, it is easier to crack the nut, and it is done in the same way as for mature coconut, without piercing the "eyes".
Coconut sprout, young palm
Coconut endosperm is initially liquid and transparent, in fact, this is coconut water - our longed-for liquid. With the time of its ripening, droplets of oil secreted by copra enter the endosperm, and then this liquid turns into a solid core. At this time, a sprout is already visible from the outside.
Coconut water from young coconut
Kukur - a tool for rubbing copra
Pressing grated copra - coconut milk
Coconut milk is a grated copra squeeze product. Ripe copra is rubbed on a grater, then the resulting shavings are thoroughly squeezed out and milk is obtained. It can be made thinner by adding plain water or raw coconut water. Copra fatty concentrate (coconut sauce) can cause stomach upset if you are not used to. When added sugar, a very tasty product is obtained.
Sprouted fetus endosperm (Uto)
What is copra used for?
If coconut water is the inside of the endosperm, then copra is the outside. Copra is a source of coconut oil, which is a valuable product due to the content of various fatty acids. It is used for cosmetic and health purposes.
Copra harvesting
At one time, copra harvesting became almost the main occupation of the inhabitants of the tropical islands. Tropical atolls were specially planted with coconut trees, where there were few of them, and copra was harvested. It was a valuable commercial product of traders from the South Seas and South Asia. Copra is harvested to this day.
Copra is ground and then boiled in water to produce coconut oil. Copra contains 70% coconut oil. The by-product contains 18 - 25% protein and is used as animal feed. One palm is planted at a distance of 9 m from another palm, which allows a density of 100-160 trees per hectare. Average earnings in Vanuatu are $ 0.20 per kilogram of nuts, which equals 8 fruits. Total $ 320 per hectare per year. The Philippines is considered to be the largest copra producer. The annual production cost exceeds $ 80 million. Copra is procured by both large companies and private farmers.
If not properly dried, the Aspergillus family of molds can develop on copra, which produces the deadly poison Aflatoxin. According to some reports, it is considered the most powerful carcinogen and causes liver disease. Aflatoxin can be passed to humans through milk and meat from animals that have eaten copra. However, the presence of mold on dried copra is not the reason for its rejection (!) It cannot be eaten, but it is suitable for sale. The oil produced industrially from such copra will not be affected by aflatoxin!
Other parts of the coconut tree
The coconut tree has other beneficial parts as well. The leaves, like the wood of the coconut tree, are used for construction. The leaves are woven and then the roof of a tropical hut is constructed. Baskets and all sorts of other items are also woven from leaves. The simplest dishes can be made from the shell of coconuts.
The chemical composition of the components of the coconut tree
Using coconut water as a saline solution similar to a dropper
During the 1941-45 Pacific War, conflicting parties regularly used coconut water as an "alternative" to blood plasma for the wounded. Coconut water is a universal donor, it is identical to human blood plasma. Coconut water is a natural isotonic drink with the same electrolyte balance as our blood. Coconut water is more nutritious than whole milk: less fat and no cholesterol! Coconut water has a unique content of chloride compounds (118 mg) compared to sports drinks (39 mg).
Coconut water contains about 294 mg of potassium, more than almost all sports drinks (117 mg) and energy drinks. At the same time, it has less sodium (25 mg) than sports (41 mg) and energy (200 mg) drinks.
Natural sugars in coconut water - 5 mg, in sports and energy drinks - from 10-25 mg of modified sugars. Chloride - 118 mg compared to 39 mg of chloride in sports drinks.
Contains: saturated fat, dietary fiber, sugars, proteins, vitamin C, riboflavin, thiamin, viacin, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, folate, pantothenic acid, choline, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, zinc, sodium, selenium, copper, manganese.
Coconut oil
1.0 - 3.0% stearic, 7.5 - 10.5% palmitic, 13 - 19% myristic, 44 - 52% lauric, 0.2 - 2.0% nylon, 6.0 - 9.7% caprylic, 4.5 - 10% capric, 5 - 8% oleic, 1.5 - 2.8% linoleic, up to 1.3% hexadecenoic acids.
Coconut is the only species of the genus Cocos, a cob-flowered plant belonging to the palm family. The scientific name of the genus Cocos comes from the Portuguese word Coco, which means "monkey". It was given because of the spots on the nut that make it look like a monkey's face. The name of the coconut is translated from Sanskrit as "a tree that is able to provide everything necessary for life." And from the Malay language it means "a tree of a thousand applications". In the Philippines, the coconut is called the tree of life.
Origin
The center of origin of the coconut palm is the area of the Sunda Islands and the Polynesian islands, which are neighboring. The expansion of the coconut tree along these tropical islands and coasts occurs both by land and by water. From the palms that lurched over the river or the sea, the fruits of the coconut fell into the water and were carried along the current for quite long distances. It is known that the germination of coconuts is maintained even in seawater for up to 110 days. During this time, they are able to swim up to 3000 miles. Until now, the coconut palm is self-propagating by sea across all the islands of the Pacific Ocean. However, human activities had an even greater impact on the spread of this plant. It is believed that Indian traders brought the coconut tree to Africa and the Polynesians brought it to America. Thus, Spanish navigators discovered the coconut tree at the end of the 15th century. on the coast of Central America.
Description of the plant
The coconut palm reaches 20-40 m in height, the trunk diameter is up to 60 cm at the base. At the age of 4-6 years, the trunk begins to form, while, due to the absence of cambium, its secondary thickening does not occur. Typically, the barrel is curved. Palm leaves are large, up to 1 m wide and up to 6 m long. The leaf reaches its normal size only after a year, and its life time is over 3 years. The coconut palm has an average of 30 to 40 leaves at different stages of their life cycle. It can be assumed that approximately 1 sheet is formed and dies off monthly. that is, 12-15 sheets per year. Therefore, by the number of leaf scars, one can roughly judge the age of a palm tree.
The fruits of the coconut palm are among the largest fruits in the plant kingdom. Their length reaches 30-40 cm, and their width is up to 25-30 cm. The weight of the fruit can exceed 2 kg. The coconut is covered on the outside with a leathery exocarp that is green, yellow or reddish in color. This is followed by a layer of fibrous mesocarp with a thickness of 2-15 cm, which protects the seed of the plant from overheating and, in addition, ensures the buoyancy of the fruit. In addition, potassium and other ash elements accumulate in it in significant quantities. In young fruits, this mesocarp is edible. The internal cavity of an unripe nut is completely filled with liquid endosperm, while in a mature nut it is only half full. This juice stays cool even in very hot weather, thanks to the surrounding mesocarp layer.
A feature of these plants is that palm trees willingly grow in the immediate vicinity of sea water, however, they do not need it at all. This is because the shallow roots of the palm tree absorb moisture from the soil that is abundantly irrigated at the seaside.
Coconut composition
Unripe coconuts, which are no more than 5 months old, contain juice - the so-called coconut water. This liquid is clear, sour-sweet in taste, in addition rich in nutrients, moreover cool and good thirst quencher. When the fruit begins to ripen, drops of fat appear in the juice of the coconut, and over time it is transformed into coconut milk. It is such a sweet-smelling white emulsion, which subsequently becomes even thicker and then turns into pulp. In our stores, they often sell already ripe coconuts, which have almost no liquid inside.
On the oceans and islands, coconut milk and juice are common drinks. And many dishes are prepared from fresh coconut pulp, and oil is obtained from dried coconut. Several decades ago, coconut oil (fat) was often used in cooking, but then it was replaced by soybean oil. However, coconut oil is still very popular in cosmetology.
Coconuts contain many useful substances, in particular vitamins of group A, C and group B, as well as minerals - calcium, potassium, sodium, iron, phosphorus, in addition, there are natural sugars, carbohydrates, proteins, fatty oil and organic acids.
Benefits of coconut
Coconut oil and milk have an excellent cleansing effect, and the fats they contain restore the activity of many organs and systems in the body. If some products are replaced more often with products that are made from coconut pulp (for example, butter), then metabolism can be normalized. Due to the fact that the smell of coconut reduces appetite and reduces hunger, and the substances it contains are quickly converted into energy and are not stored in the body as fats.
If the pulp of coconut is consumed regularly, the immune system will be strengthened, and the person himself will become less susceptible to viral and fungal infections. However, for this it is necessary either to live in a tropical country, or in those regions where coconuts are sold fresh all the time, and not from time to time.
In the cooking of many countries, the coconut nut is used practically without a trace. So, not only sweet dishes, desserts and drinks are prepared with coconut milk, but also sauces, soups, nut derivatives are added to salads, cereals, snacks, pastries and puddings, meat, fish and seafood, fruit and vegetable dishes are prepared with them.
Thanks to the fibers it contains, coconut flakes are excellent at freeing the intestines from toxins and toxins. Its structure remains porous even after being saturated with water, which explains its cleansing properties.
Like other vegetable oils, coconut oil contains a lot of fatty acids, but it differs from others in its high content of lauric acid, which is also found in breast milk. It is known that lauric acid kills many viruses (measles, herpes, flu, etc.) due to its antimicrobial and antibacterial properties,
Coconut oil has a pleasant and delicate aroma, therefore it is widely used in cosmetology. And products with walnut derivatives tone and nourish the skin, make it elastic and firm. In the course of using cosmetic products with oils and coconut extracts, acne is reduced, as well as minor damages and defects disappear, wrinkles are smoothed, in addition, the development of allergic reactions is reduced.
Coconut oil is often used as a massage oil, and if you regularly use it for general body massage, the tone of the whole body improves, and the aging process slows down.
Healing and medicinal properties of coconut
Coconut and all products derived from it (milk and butter) have the following beneficial properties:
- Coconut oil nourishes and strengthens the hair, improves its general condition and appearance, and coconut milk is an excellent thirst quencher. In addition, both of these products have an excellent effect on the condition of the skin, smoothes wrinkles, softens and moisturizes it.
- Improves the functioning of the liver and digestive system.
- Normalizes the function of the thyroid gland.
- Helps with joint problems and relaxes muscles.
- They increase immunity and increase resistance to various infections, in addition, they reduce the adaptability of viruses to antibiotics.
- Coconut oil and pulp normalize blood cholesterol levels.
- Help the body with colds, diarrhea, gallbladder diseases and even AIDS.
- They have antimicrobial, anthelmintic, antiviral and wound healing effects.
- Reduces the risk of cancer and degenerative processes.
- Reduces the risk of atherosclerosis and other diseases of the cardiovascular system.
- In addition, coconut is a strong aphrodisiac and normalizes the functions of the reproductive system.
- The pulp and milk of coconut is excellent for restoring strength and, in addition, improves vision.
- Coconut oil improves absorption
We have long been accustomed to and loved those overseas products that quite often end up on our table. One of them is coconut. His homeland is such distant countries as Portugal, Indonesia, Brazil. It is rich in vitamins, has excellent taste, and coconut flakes are a frequent ingredient in many desserts. But you need to know what we eat, so it's worth thinking about the question: is a coconut a fruit or a nut?
To begin with, let's define what this word really means. According to the dictionaries, this is the name of the tree itself, that is, the coconut tree, or the coconut. It seems that there is nothing complicated, because it is already clear that a coconut is a nut. But not everything is so simple! If you dig deeper, it turns out that a nut can be considered a fruit, which consists of a seed in a hard shell. The coconut lacks a seed as such, it is replaced by a delicate liquid substance - milk. Thus, hazelnuts or hazelnuts can be considered a real nut.
It would seem that now everything is clear: coconut is a fruit! But this is also a false statement. Indeed, in botany, such a term does not exist at all, and people call fruits tasty fruits that are suitable for eating.
Where is the truth?
It lies in the fact that the correct answer to the question: a coconut is a fruit or a nut does not exist, since this fruit is a dry drupe. So the apricot and peach we know are more closely related to the coconut than, say, the walnut. The fact that coconut is exactly a drupe indicates that it has several layers, of different structures in a hard shell.
The coconut has an inner shell called the endocarp and the outer one called the exocarp. Curiously, the inner layer has three pores, or, as they are called, specks. They make the coconut fruit look like a monkey's face.
The value of the coconut
Regardless of the type of fruit, coconut is a very tasty and healthy product. Any part of it can be used. Milk is used as a drink that will saturate with vigor and energy. The white pulp of this fruit can serve as a basis for cosmetics, candles, and confectionery. The hard brown fibers on the shell of the fruit are used to create bags, ropes, mats and other household items.
Fun Facts About Coconuts: Video
Modern man is familiar with a huge amount of fruits, including exotic ones. Their variety is maddening and sometimes confusing at the grocery store. Coconut is especially popular - its composition is amazing, and the scope of its use has long gone beyond the scope of simple cooking. Coconut has benefits and harms to the body, the article goes into detail about this.
In contact with
First of all, you need to figure out why coconut is useful. This is an amazing product and contains many vitamins and nutrients. Now the product can be found in any supermarket. Therefore, if it is on the counter, it urgently needs to be bought!
Calorie content 100 grams and whole
354 is how many calories there are in 100 g of coconut. One fruit can reach 1.5 kg. The usual coconut that is sold in the store usually weighs 300-400 grams. The calorie content of fresh fruit is 1062 - 1416 kcal. An extremely nutritious product. However, you should not worry about the calorie content of coconut; it is impossible to eat it whole by yourself at a time.
Nutritional value and properties
Coconut is nutritious and contains fiber and amino acids. Also, coconut is able to help the nervous system, because it contains magnesium and bromine. 100 g of pulp contains:
- saturated fat (30 g);
- proteins (3 g)
- carbohydrates (15 g).
Sugar - 6 g and fiber - 9 g.
The pulp of a ripe nut should easily separate from the shell
Benefits for the body
The health benefits of coconut cannot be denied. Even the ancient tribes knew how the coconut is useful for the body, and practiced the use of the coconut as. This fresh delicacy normalizes digestion, strengthens the immune system, and is actively used in cosmetology.
Is it possible harm from use?
The topic of the benefits and harms of coconut is discussed by experts. Coconut is not only useful, but harm from it is also possible:
- Almost all of the fats in coconut are saturated acids, which are nutritious but in some cases, such as undesirable.
- It can be harmful if the person is allergic. Coconut should not be given to young children under one year old, because their body is not yet ready to use such a product.
- Coconut can cause digestive problems if not properly selected. During transportation, storage conditions may be violated, then the fruit begins to deteriorate, the benefits of the coconut disappear, and its use becomes completely impossible.
Is it a fruit, a nut or a berry?
Many people ask this question. First you need to figure out what a fruit, nut and berry are:
- fruit is the edible fruit of the tree;
- a nut is a fruit of a tree with an edible kernel and a hard shell;
- berry is a juicy fruit of a herbaceous plant or shrub.
Based on these definitions, one might mistakenly think that the fruit of the coconut tree is a nut or a fruit or even a berry. His fans, having heard this question, especially often answer that coconut is a fruit or a nut.
In fact, coconut is a drupe. It is often called "stone fruit". It is like a plum, apricot, cherry, which are also drupes.
You can also characterize a product based on its appearance. The coconut, just picked from the palm tree, looks almost the same as in the store: the fruit is covered with "hairs" and rather "fluffy". Further, a layer of thick shell is hidden, and behind it the most delicious is pulp and coconut water.
How to choose the store?
The benefits of coconut for the body are undeniable. Having studied all the useful properties of coconut, you can safely proceed with the purchase. It will be very disappointing to spend money on a purchase, time to "open" the fruit and remain disappointed with taste. Here's how to choose a coconut in the store easily and correctly:
- Taking a coconut in your hands, you need to pay attention to its appearance: no damage or cracks. Turn the coconut and find three points for which it is attached to the tree. They are often called "eyes". They should be dry and slightly darker in color than the rest of the shell. You need to try to put a little pressure on one of the points. If the coconut is good, you will never be able to push through the shell. If the shell is deformed under the pressure of the fingers, the fruit is stale.
- It is necessary to bring the fetus to your ear and shake it. A dull sound indicates that there is enough coconut milk in the coconut. This fruit will be delicious, and the pulp will melt in your mouth, just like in the advertisement for "Bounty".
- It is necessary to shake the selected candidate again. If something dangles or rings inside, the coconut does not fit. This may be the pulp that has already moved away from the shell. In this case, the product is stale. Perhaps the fermentation process has already begun in it or mold has formed.
What to do with the pulp?
We figured out the useful properties, chose the fruit, but how is it now? What to do with coconut pulp in order to use it with benefit and with minimal harm? The flesh is tough and fibrous, but in some countries it is eaten raw with a spoon. For more convenience, you can remove the contents and put them on a plate.
Coconut pulp is used to prepare various desserts, cakes, hot dishes. She can replace breading when frying. In this case, the pulp is grated, and then meat or fish is rolled in it. However, there is more harm from such preparation than benefit.
It is worth remembering that open coconut fruit is stored in the refrigerator for no more than two days. Then it starts to deteriorate. If you cannot eat the coconut in two days, it is important to consider the option of preparing the pulp. For example, you can make coconut chips. To do this, you just need to thinly cut pieces of coconut pulp, roll them in cocoa or salt and send them to the oven. Ready-made chips can be eaten as a snack, added to yogurt, porridge, ice cream.
What gourmets will not invent while discovering a tropical fruit! Indeed, it may not be so easy. However, if you know a few simple tricks, it will be easy and quick to crack a coconut.
- The first step is to find the "eyes". Then take a knife and pierce one of them.
- Through the resulting hole, you can drain the liquid. Some people prefer to drink coconut milk directly from the fruit, for this it is enough to insert a tube into the “eye” and enjoy the taste.
- You need to take a hammer and knock on the entire surface of the fruit for a couple of minutes. This will help separate the pulp from the shell.
- After 2-3 minutes of light tapping, place the coconut fruit on a flat surface. For example, in the middle of the table.
- Hit hard right in the center.
- Ready!
The broken overseas delicacy remains to be peeled from the shell. It is worth noting that the place of impact does not matter, if the coconut is "beaten off" well enough, it will not be difficult to split it.
Many people believe that coconut milk is the liquid that is found inside the coconut. This opinion is wrong. The liquid inside the coconut is coconut water, which is 95% regular water. The calorie content of coconut water is only 19 Kcal per 100 g. While the calorie content of coconut milk is as much as 187 Kcal!
Coconut milk is carefully processed coconut water and pulp. In terms of its nutritional properties, it can easily become a substitute for cow, goat and any other milk. Coconut milk is a sweet liquid with a delicate creamy taste. Its taste will be appreciated by both adults and children.
Milk contains a huge amount of vitamins, useful microelements. One glass of coconut milk is a high-calorie meal. One cup contains:
- 1⁄4 daily value of iron;
- magnesium;
- potassium;
- vitamin C.
There are many recipes for coconut milk. You can drink it yourself, cook porridge on it, use it to make desserts.
The advantage of coconut milk is that it does not curdle when mixed with fruits and berries.
Conclusion
- Coconut has benefits and deserves space on the refrigerator shelf, but it can also be harmful.
- It tastes wonderful. With the help of a coconut, you can prepare a huge number of dishes, from soups to delicious desserts. Coconut adds flavor to any dish. With its help, you can organize an original serving of dishes, which will not leave indifferent any guest.
- Coconut is high in calories (354 kcal per 100 g) and is full of harmful fats (30 g per 100 g), which are not typical of plant foods.
