Going Nuts Over Coconuts

 The Truth About the Misunderstood Coconut.

A native of the Island of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), the Coconut is to us what honey is to the Scotts. In most parts of our Island the coconut in some form or another is on the dining table at every meal and the meal would not start without it.

For those of you who don’t know, the coconut palm tree is so strongly entrenched in the day-to-day life of the Sri Lankan community that it has been christened as “Kapruka” (tree of life). It’s precious because every part of the tree is helpful and is used.

The Interesting Tale of the Sri Lankan Coconut

The Ceylon Coconut (Cocos Nucifera Linn of the Arecaceae) which dates back to 300 BC, came from either the Indian Archipelago or Polynesia and was brought to the Island either by Austronesian seafarers or afloat on the sea.

It was called the Coconut by the Spanish and Portuguese explorers of the 16^th Century and has played an important part in the economic, and cultural lives of Sri Lankans. Its timeline goes all the way back to the 1^st century B.C.E.

In the second century AD, the Romans spoke about the Sri Lankan (Taprobane) coconut plantations and the Ceylon kings made gifts of the fruit in the 15^th and 16^th Centuries AD.

It was the Dutch, in the 1730s, in the form of the Dutch East India Company who promoted coconut planting in its bid to improve the nation’s agricultural output but, halted it in the 1750s arguing that it conflicted with the Ceylon cinnamon production. However, at that time Sri Lanka’s coconut Triangle (located between Kurunagala, Puttalam, and Negombo) had the best soil and climate for growing coconuts.

The 1800s saw the beginning of coconut production and the export industry. The British colonialists enjoyed a drink called “Toddy”; a pre-distilled version of the nation's alcoholic beverage “Arrack”. 

The beginnings of coconut exports of desiccated coconut, coconut oil, and coconut fiber came in the later part of the 1800s.

An Unsavory Reputation

From the mid-1980s and into the 21st Century the coconut has had the reputation for being unhealthy.

Coconut oil has been deemed high In saturated fat and so, high in cholesterol, and more recently the coconut was called pure poison; by one so-called professional; taking the coconut out of the homes of the “modern” Sri Lankan family.

However, it’s so good to see that scientific research has changed this unsavory reputation to being a “superfood”. So what is “super” about the coconut?

What's so “Super” About the Coconut?

Today the words “superfood” are common language to describe fresh fruit and vegetables that do more than provide a delicious meal at meal times.

It’s a short phrase to expound on food that prevents disease; food that strengthens the immune system; food that helps you lose weight and even food that cures the incurable.

With this label attached to it; a far cry from the unhealthy reputation of just a few years ago. 

Consuming coconut in our diet has many cosmetic and health benefits. It is rich in vitamins B, C, A, E, and K and supports skin, hair, and overall body health.

Many More Benefits of the Coconut.

In Sri Lanka, those who still believe in the benefits of the coconut 

• Drink its water; 
• Shred its kernel, and use it in salads, cakes, and sweets. 
• We liquidize it and use its “milk” in our curries and desserts and its oil in our food, 
• Use it in cosmetics... Its anti-aging substance Tran-zeatine, helps our skin revive and keeps it away from the aging effects of the sun and the humidity.

1. Sri Lanka has its share of tropical diseases and drinking coconut water and eating its kernel daily means Lauric acid, the coconut's anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties build up our immune system.
2. The coconuts' high source of calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, and potassium supports the digestive system and enables toxins to be removed from the body easily, preventing urinary tract infections and kidney infections. 
3. The coconut has high-quality, naturally occurring vitamins and minerals that strengthen bones and muscles in childhood and the elderly. 
4. Its nourishing, hydrating, moisturizing, and restorative properties of the coconut keep our skin and hair healthy so we consume coconut, most naturally. We massage coconut oil into our hair for strong, thick hair growth. And for those who just have to pop a pill or put on a very expensive cream, we use coconut in cosmetics and dermatological creams. 
5. Organic coconut oil contains 92% saturated fats. However, contrary to the myths, these fats do not accumulate in the body. They are used to keep blood pressure at a healthy level. 
6. Those who consume coconuts long-term, benefit from heart-healthy fatty acids controlling the formation of fat in the body while facilitating absorption by the liver; thereby reducing the formation of LDL cholesterol and increasing the formation of HDL cholesterol.
7. Consuming coconut also increases the body’s metabolic rate and increases energy because it doesn’t have to be digested by the liver and gallbladder. It is utilized by the body immediately so its energy is immediate.
8. It helps in the secretion of insulin and supports thyroid functions by making the thyroid gland work better.

We Use Every Part of the Coconut.

As mentioned earlier, those of us who are still loyal to the coconut, drink its water and use its kernel and milk in our food. We use it in our hair and on our skin. 

But that’s not all we do with this wonderful creation. In Sri Lanka, all its parts are used, and nothing goes to waste.

• The oil and flower are used as the base for herbal medicines and cosmetics. 
• We also use its flower sap to make Meerah (coconut sugar) and alcohol; 
• its shell to make utensils, and activated carbon; 
• its coir is used to make coir ropes, fertilizer, and insulation complement.
• Its trunk is used for furniture, and roofing beams because it is a solid, strong fibrous wood that’s resistant to warping.
• Its husk is used to grow our Orchids, Anthuriums, and other tropical plants. 
• Its roots are boiled to obtain dye.

Now, you don’t need to agree with me and what I say. I have done my research and made my decision. And my belief comes from my research and the habits of generations. You do your research and decide.

So when you are next in Sri Lanka and you are offered some part of the coconut as refreshment, you can rest easy that your whole self is reveling in its goodness.

Leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts, after all, I think that going nuts over coconuts is something everyone should try at least once. 

Tree of Life indeed!!!