Product Origin: Philippines
Health benefits of coconut- from Nutrition-and-you.com
- Coconut is a very versatile and indispensable fruit for most people under the tropical belt. It is a complete food rich in calories, vitamins, and minerals. An average-size nut weighing 400 g edible meat and water provide almost all the daily-required essential minerals, vitamins, and energy for a medium-sized person.
- 100 g kernel consists of 354 calories. Much of this comes from the fats and protein. Although, its meat is disproportionately high in saturated fats in comparison to other common edible nuts, coconut has many bioactive compounds that are essential for better health.
- The important saturated fatty acid in the coconut is lauric acid (1:12 carbon fatty acid). Lauric acid increases HDL cholesterol levels in the blood. HDL is a high-density lipoprotein, which has beneficial effects on the coronary arteries by preventing vessel blockade (atherosclerosis). Medicine recommends high HDL to total cholesterol levels in the blood for the same reason.
- Coconut water is a very refreshing drink to beat tropical summer thirst. The juice is packed with simple sugar, electrolytes, minerals, and bioactive compounds such as cytokinin, and enzymes such as acid phosphatase, catalase, dehydrogenase, peroxidase, polymerases, etc. Altogether, these enzymes aid in digestion and metabolism.
- Research studies suggest that cytokinins (e.g., kinetin and trans-zeatin) in coconut water showed significant anti-ageing, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-thrombotic effects.
- The kernel is an excellent source of minerals such as copper, calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, and zinc.
- It is also a very good source of B-complex vitamins such as folates, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, and pyridoxine. These vitamins are essential as the body requires them from external sources to replenish supplies.
- Coconut meat and water contain a very good amount of potassium. 100 g of fresh meat contains 356 mg% or 7.5% of daily required levels of potassium.