On many islands, coconut is a staple in the diet. These skilled, unpaid laborers can pick hundreds of coconuts daily. Virgin coconut oil (VCO), extracted from fresh coconut kernel using the cold press method, that produces the finest and purest grade coconut oil with maximum retention of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants, thus making it the mother of all oils. [13] It is consumed throughout the humid tropics, and has been introduced into the retail market as a processed sports drink. It is also used as a natural moisturizer, especially for winter. Nutrition Facts: Vegetable Oil, Coconut. Easily kills parasites and helps remove them from body. Coconuts sold domestically in coconut-producing countries are typically not de-husked. Coconut palms require warm conditions for successful growth, and are intolerant of cold weather. [158], The Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club of New Orleans traditionally throws hand-decorated coconuts, one of the most valuable Mardi Gras souvenirs, to parade revelers. Halved, drained coconuts can also be hung up as bird feeders, and after the flesh has gone, can be filled with fat in winter to attract tits. They usually remain genetically isolated when introduced to new regions, making it possible to trace their origins. He consulted the catalogue Herbarium Amboinense by Georg Eberhard Rumphius where Rumphius said that coccus was a homonym of coccum and coccus from Greek kokkos meaning "grain"[41] or "berry", but Romans identified coccus with "kermes insects"; Rumphius preferred the word cocus as a replacement. Coconut water can be drunk fresh or used in cooking as in binakol. Economic importance The palms with the greatest importance in world commerce are the coconut and the African oil palm ( Elaeis guineensis ); both are prime sources of vegetable oil and fat. In comparison, mature coconuts with the husk intact can be stored for three to five months at normal room temperature . The Makapuno (phenomenon) coconut is recognized to be due to the absence of two enzymes in the nut that are responsible in the degradation of the galactomannan in the solid endosp Phylogenetic evidence supports the closest relatives of Cocos being either Syagrus or Attalea, both of which are found in South America. See also Can Raw Coconut Cause Stomach Pain? Coconut is a plant-based source of saturated fat. The various products of Coconut include tender Coconut water, copra, Coconut oil, raw They are considered a rare delicacy, as harvesting the buds kills the palms. Moreover, it also helps to increase productivity and improve agricultural product value. 37(9):830-5, 2004. The inner flesh of the mature seed, as well as the coconut milk extracted from it, form a regular part of the diets of many people in the tropics and subtropics. Rigby (1995) assigned them to modern Cocos nucifera based on its size. Several countries' economies are based on the coconut palm. [70] In the Hawaiian Islands, the coconut is regarded as a Polynesian introduction, first brought to the islands by early Polynesian voyagers (also Austronesians) from their homelands in the southern islands of Polynesia.[39]. And no coconut can float over the sea faster than a balsa raft moves with the wind behind it. The word Narali is derived from naral implying "coconut" in Marathi. The decoration of foots is astringent and is used as mouth was and gargle. Lagos and the coconut connection - The Guardian Nigeria News In addition to its economic value as a source of food and materials, the coconut is also an important source of income for many small-scale farmers and communities. It is also popular in Indonesia (where it is known as kopyor) for making beverages. Early Spanish explorers called it coco, meaning "monkey face." De-husked coconuts typically weigh around 750 to 850 grams (1lb 10oz to 1lb 14oz). They eventually form the edible solid endosperm (the "coconut meat" or "coconut flesh") which hardens over time. [32], Further complicating measures to determine the evolutionary history of Cocos is the genetic diversity present within C. nucifera as well as its relatedness to other palms. Specimens have been collected from the sea as far north as Norway (but it is not known where they entered the water). Efficient utilisation of resources: Fruit production allows for more efficient resource utilisation because it is a perennial crop, allowing growers to remain actively involved in farm operations throughout the year and to utilise all available resources and assets such as machinery, labour and land for production purposes throughout the year, as opposed to agronomic crops. The liquid of the nut, known as coconut water, is used in beverages. Coconut water is traditionally used as a growth supplement in plant tissue culture and micropropagation. [7][8][9] Given proper care and growing conditions, coconut palms produce their first fruit in six to ten years, taking 15 to 20 years to reach peak production. Coconut oil has anti-inflammatory properties, making it beneficial for irritated, chafed skin. [165], Researchers from the Melbourne Museum in Australia observed the octopus species Amphioctopus marginatus use tools, specifically coconut shells, for defense and shelter. Coconut meat can also be cut into larger pieces or strips, dried, and salted to make "coconut chips" or "coco chips". [59], Coconuts today can be grouped into two highly genetically distinct subpopulations: the Indo-Atlantic group originating from southern India and nearby regions (including Sri Lanka, the Laccadives, and the Maldives); and the Pacific group originating from the region between maritime Southeast Asia and Melanesia. Cocos-like fossils of fruits include "Cocos" intertrappeansis, "Cocos" pantii, and "Cocos" sahnii. The coconut water strengthens your immune system and removes bacteria that cause urinary tract infections, gonorrhea, gum diseases and viruses which are causing cold, infection diseases and typhus. She has worked in some of the worlds most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. [52][53] Other evidence for a Central Indo-Pacific origin is the native range of the coconut crab; and the higher amounts of C. nucifera-specific insect pests in the region (90%) in comparison to the Americas (20%), and Africa (4%). Inflorescence : Large, lateral arising from the axils of leaves, compound spadix, enclosed by large woody bract called spathe. Several countries economies are based on the coconut palm. They control formation and circulation of fats in body. [49][50], Genetic studies of coconuts have also confirmed pre-Columbian populations of coconuts in Panama in South America. [66] However, it can also be argued that the placement of the vulnerable eye of the nut (down when floating), and the site of the coir cushion are better positioned to ensure that the water-filled nut does not fracture when dropping on rocky ground, rather than for flotation. Though Kerala has the largest number of coconut trees, in terms of production per hectare, Tamil Nadu leads all other states. The cups were frequently engraved and decorated with precious metals.[155]. Coconut trees also are increasingly grown for decorative purposes along the coasts of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia with the help of irrigation. Coconut oil and milk are ingredients in cooking, frying, soaps and cosmetics, and foods like margarine and popcorn. For for the bucking horse, see. Corrections? Macapuno is a coconut variety with a jelly-like coconut meat. in history at New Mexico State University. It is predominantly used in the bakery and confectionary industries (especially in non-coconut-producing countries) because of its longer shelf life compared to freshly grated coconut. How useful is a coconut tree Write 5 sentences? (1995). Based on color and size, younger coconuts tend to be smaller and have brighter colors, while more mature coconuts have browner colors and are larger. The coconut industry in Guyana - NAREI "Effects of coconut oil on testosterone-induced prostatic hyperplasia in Sprague-Dawley rats". One recently selected cultivar, the 'Maypan', has been bred for resistance to this disease. Coconut withstands conditions considered marginal for many food crops and is a stabilizing factor in the farming systems of fragile environments. Malakatad (literally "leather-like") refers to fully mature coconut meat (around 8 to 9 months old) with an opaque white appearance, a tough rubbery to leathery texture, and is difficult to separate from the shell. Gatchalian et al 1994 developed a sonometry technique for precisely determining the stage of ripeness of young coconuts. In Johann Vollmann and Istvan Rajcan (Eds.). [182] The earliest direct description is given by Cosmas Indicopleustes in his Topographia Christiana written around 545, referred to as "the great nut of India". Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. [70], Given that coconuts are ideally suited for inter-island group ocean dispersal, obviously some natural distribution did take place. The leaves also provide material for baskets that can draw well water and for roofing thatch; they can be woven into mats, cooking skewers, and kindling arrows as well. Traditional Training of Pig-tailed Macaques as Coconut HarvestersM Bertrand; Science; Jan 1967. Various other products made from thickened coconut milk with sugar and/or eggs like coconut jam and coconut custard are also widespread in Southeast Asia. Malakanin (literally "cooked rice-like") refers to young coconut meat (around 78 months old) which has a more opaque white appearance, a soft texture similar to cooked rice, and can still be easily scraped off the coconut shell. The President, National Coconut Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NACOPPMAN), Nma Okoroji, has said coconuts can help generate over $400 billion for the Nigerian economy . In Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore and Tirupur regions top the production list. China is the largest producer of watermelon, Brazil of oranges, Italy of grapes and India of bananas. Androecium Absent but staminodes are present. Economic importance of coconut fruit. Botanical description and The coconut palm is one of the most beautiful and useful trees in the world, grown in more than 80 countries of the tropical. Coconut flesh is high in fat and can be dried or eaten fresh or processed into coconut milk or coconut oil. This type of root system is known as fibrous or adventitious, and is a characteristic of grass species. Nearly one third of the world's population depends on coconut for nutrition and trade. VCO is extracted f rom the fresh , matur e coconut kernel mechanically with or without t he use of heat. In Thailand, the coconut husk is used as a potting medium to produce healthy forest tree saplings. Traditionally, dessert banana plants and local wild beach flora such as Scaevola taccada and Ipomoea pes-caprae were used as humidity-supplying green undergrowth for coconut trees, mixed with sea almond and sea hibiscus.