Coconut

Coconut is the fruit of a tropical palm plant. It has a hard shell, edible white flesh and clear liquid, sometimes referred to as “water,” which is often used as a beverage. Coconut flesh or “meat” is aromatic, chewy in texture and rich in taste. A coconut is a large, nut-like fruit that grows high in trees. Coconuts have very hard shells and sweet, white flesh inside. The white, flaked coconut you can buy in a bag at the grocery store is a processed form of the coconut fruit. Coconuts are distinct from other fruits because their endosperm contains a large quantity of clear liquid, called coconut water or coconut juice. Mature, ripe coconuts can be used as edible seeds, or processed for oil and plant milk from the flesh, charcoal from the hard shell, and coir from the fibrous husk. Encourage your child to sprinkle finely shredded coconut on their food by offering a small spoonful on the side at mealtime. If you have access to fresh young coconuts, invite your child to try and use a spoon to scoop the soft flesh from one half. Coconuts can take up to seven years to produce fruit once a coconut palm has been planted. The coconut can be used for food in the forms of fiber, fruit (or meat), milk, oil, and water. Because of its versatility, coconut palms are also known as the Tree of Life. It can be eaten as food or used as medicine. Coconuts contain a high amount of a saturated fat called medium chain triglycerides. These fats work differently than other types of saturated fat in the body. They might increase fat burning and reduce fat storage.Coconut palm is a tree with a slim and smooth trunk, a crown of leaves, and rounded, green or yellow fruit. Its flowers grow in clusters on a stem; a flowering structure known as an inflorescence. The female flowers are larger than the male flowers, and both are found on the same inflorescence.