Coconut is in the palm family. Its name comes from 16th-century Portuguese and Spanish “cocos” meaning “smiling faces” because of the three holes found in the coconut bark that make it look like a face. Despite its name, it is not a nut but a drupe. It is different from other fruit because it contains coconut water than can be drunk fresh.
Coconut flesh can be eaten fresh or dried. Its oil and milk produced from the dried flesh can be used for cooking or frying, or even as a tanning product. Its pulp is less fatty than other oil producing products and nuts such as almonds. It also contains less sugar and more protein than other popular fruit like bananas, apples and oranges. It is a considerable source of fibre and minerals, such as iron, zinc, and phosphorus. It is versatile and healthy; no wonder we’re such fans!