One fruit that I don’t hear about often is the coconut! Of course, coconut oil is a big thing, and I definitely enjoy coconut-scented things, but no one really talks about just eating them. I wanted to know if coconut is actually healthy for our bodies. Other fruits are healthy, so it would make sense that coconuts are healthy for us too, right?
Now, you might be thinking, “Wait, aren’t coconuts a nut? It’s literally in the name.” It turns out, neither of us is wrong! The coconut is technically a drupe, which is where the classification of fruit comes in. On the other hand, coconuts grow on trees, which also makes them tree nuts.
Coconuts can be consumed a few different ways:
- Raw white meat
- Milk
- Cream
- Dried meat
- Flour
- Oil
The good news is that coconuts do contain some helpful nutrients. Coconuts provide fat and do not contain many carbohydrates like several other fruits. Additional benefits of coconuts are that they contain protein, minerals, B vitamins, copper, and iron.
Coconut water is a great source of potassium, which helps regulate sodium levels and blood pressure in the body. Some people believe that coconut water is more hydrating than regular water, but that is not true.
Coconut flour can be used as an alternative to white flour. It offers a good amount of protein. This can be a simple option for those who are on a gluten-free diet and cannot consume wheat flour, which generally contains gluten.
Several sources claim that coconuts can help you lose weight, but that is not necessarily true. Studies on this topic are mostly inconclusive, and more research needs to be done to make that claim. The fruit contains fatty acids that the body is able to quickly metabolize; however, coconuts are also very high in calories, and weight loss occurs when you use more calories than you intake.
One of the biggest issues with coconuts is that they can increase your LDL cholesterol, which is bad cholesterol. While coconuts can also increase your HDL (good) cholesterol, health professionals often warn about the potential effects that coconuts can have on the heart.
We talked a little bit about the fat in coconuts, but did I mention that there is a lot of fat in coconuts? Specifically, coconuts contain medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which contain fatty acids. According to the Heart Foundation, other than raising cholesterol levels, more research needs to be done on the health quality of coconuts for the heart.
So, the bottom line is that coconuts are not necessarily bad for you, but they shouldn’t be your first fruit option. Coconut is great when used in cooking, and there are some important nutrients you can gain from consuming coconuts. It’s crucial to remember that coconuts have a lot of calories and a lot of fat, so eat them in moderation.
If you’re looking to add more tropical fruit to your diet, try fruits like pineapple, papaya, grapefruit, or even bananas! There are science-based benefits to eating these fruits without worrying about excess calories or fat.