COCONUT AND ITS VAST USAGE (COCONUT WATER AND OIL)
How did such a hard nut get so useful, that it’s edible and serves a lot of purposes?
Let’s call that discovery and nature’s gift to humanity.
Coconut is an edible fruit gotten from the coconut palm (cocos nucifer) whose tree is in the palm family.
One coconut tree can bear over a hundred fruit on a stalk.
All parts of a coconut fruit have their use ranging from the liquid found in the nut called “coconut water” to the coconut milk, the coconut oil, coconut flesh, and the coconut shells and bark.
We’re going to be focusing on coconut water and oil, how it’s processed, its uses, and its importance too.
COCONUT AND ITS VAST USAGE (COCONUT WATER AND OIL)
THE COCONUT WATER
The coconut water, no one has been able to know how the water gets in there, but it’s so tasty and refreshing.
The coconut water is found inside the nut where the white layer(flesh) is seen. After opening its bark and shell.
Coconut water is very healthy to consume as it acts as a significant energy booster. It contains glucose in it. The water can be used in making other beverages and also used in making smoothies too.
It doesn’t have a specific time for consuming it, it’s mostly served at the beach as it’s cooling and flows with the serenity.
Coconut water can also be preserved in refrigerators too, just in case you want it served chilled.
Nutrient Value
It’s a good energy booster: it’s known for performing this wonder as it can be consumed when someone is intoxicated or feeling weak and in no time, the person regains strength.
- Neutralizes the human system
- Used as an antibiotic
- Aids in digestion
- A source of calcium and glucose
- Repairs tissues etc
THE COCONUT OIL
Coconut oil is extracted from the coconut flesh.
But, the coconut has two of its form.
The one with a green bark still tender with a softer flesh it’s edible. And the dry ones with a brown bark and a harder flesh can still be eaten but it’s best for the oil extraction.
The Process.
The coconut oil is extracted from the flesh of the coconut and it takes different processes.
Firstly, the coconut flesh (which is the white layer of the coconut) is extracted and blended properly till lumps of its flesh can’t be found. (Advisable to use a blender)
Turn out the blended coconut, and pour boiled water into the coconut, add a little cold water such that you can put your hands to wash the chaff, use a sieve to separate it to get the coconut milk. Do so till the milk is completely extracted from the chaff.
Allow the milk to settle then use a scooper to take out the suspended milk into a pot or pan. Do so until you’ve been able to scoop the milk completely (try to avoid getting water into the pan while scooping the milk)
When done put it on heat, and leave the pan open as it cooks for about 40mins at this point you’ll see the oil getting visible and the milk is already getting brown. Allow to heat till golden brown(avoid overheating to burn) then sieve out the oil into a jar.
Allow to cool off and preserve. Coconut oil serves a lot of purposes.
It can be used for cooking/ frying (always leaves this coconut flavor in food)
Enhances smooth and healthy skin, it can be added to body creams or applied on the skin too.
Boost hair growth and softens the hair when applied.
It’s a healthy cholesterol
We’ll discuss other important uses of coconut in our next article on coconut.
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