By Suzanne Davis
Special to CSMS Magazine
The word coconut derives from the Spanish word Cocos Nuceifra, which means monkey nut-bearing-face because of its color and the three eyes on the front of the fruit. The Coconut fruit was originated from the Nicobar Islands of the Indian Ocean where coconuts were used as currency for the purchase of goods until the early part of the twentieth century.
Coconut has an excellent source of milk, juice, and oil that has been provided nourishment to generations of all ages for decades now. In South America and the Caribbean, coconut is a main part of an average person’s daily diet and is a fruit delight in many island dishes. According the New England Journal of Health, almost one-third of the world’s population depends on the coconut for food and economic necessities.
In addition, coconuts have been used in general medicine for decades in many different cultures and religions around the world. In folk medicine, the coconut was used to treat a variety of medical illness such as asthma, gingivitis, gonorrhea, and tuberculosis. In modern age medicine, the coconut is used for killing the viruses of the most severe medical diseases such as Hepatitis C, influenza, herpes, and AIDS. Coconuts also boost energy and endurance; they destroy tapeworms, lice, and can even prevent tooth decay and periodontal disease.
The oil made from the coconut is beneficial to your health because the medium-chain fatty acid stored inside the oil helps to protect the body from heart disease and lowers the risk of arteriosclerosis, bladder infection, liver disease, and kidney disease. Coconut oil also destroys terminal germ and bacteria agents in the body because of the lauric acids and capric acid stored in the coconut oil to kill germ disease such as pathologic bacteria, fungi, yeasts disease, protozoa 3.8. The coconut oil is also a weight loss agent because of diet-induced thermogeneis in the oil that burn calories , stimulate weight loss, and prevents obesity.
Note: Suzanne Davis is a nutritionist specialized in Caribbean cuisine. She wrote this piece exclusively for CSMS Magazine. She lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia.
Also see Cashew: nature’s favorite nut
Peach: The Healthy Persian Fruit
Watermelon: nature’s healthiest fruit
Avocados: nature’s health conscience fruit
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