The Beyond News

Coconut is the fruit of the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera).It’s used for its water, milk, oil, and tasty meat.Coconuts have been grown in tropical regions for more than 4,500 years but recently increased in popularity for their flavor, culinary uses, and potential health benefits .Here are 5 health and nutrition benefits of coconut.The raw white meat inside a coconut is referred to as the kernel. It has a firm texture and delicious, slightly sweet flavor.

If you have a whole coconut, you can scrape the raw meat out of the shell and eat it. In its processed form, you’ll usually find it sliced, shaved, or grated.Coconut milk and cream are made by pressing the raw, grated meat.Dried coconut meat is usually grated or shaved and used in cooking or baking. It can be further processed and ground into flour.Coconut oil is also extracted from the meat.

Highly nutritious

Unlike many other fruits that are high in carbs, coconuts provide mostly fat.They also contain protein, several important minerals, and small amounts of B vitamins. However, they’re not a significant source of most other vitamins.

The minerals in coconut are involved in many functions in your body. Coconuts are especially high in manganese, which is essential for bone health and the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and cholesterol .They’re also rich in copper and iron, which help form red blood cells, as well as selenium, an important antioxidant that protects your cells.Here are the nutrition facts for 1 cup (100 grams) of raw and dried coconut meat.

Much of the fat in coconut is in the form of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs).Your body metabolizes MCTs differently than other types of fats, absorbing them directly from your small intestine and rapidly using them for energy.One review on the benefits of MCTs in people with obesity found these fats may promote body fat loss when eaten in place of long-chain saturated fats from animal foods .

May benefit heart health

Studies have found that people who live on Polynesian islands and frequently eat coconut meat have lower rates of heart disease than those who follow a Western diet .However, native Polynesians also eat more fish and less processed foods, so it’s unclear if these lower rates are due to eating coconut or other aspects of their diet .

Another study in 1,837 Filipino women found that those who ate more coconut oil not only had higher levels of HDL (good) cholesterol but also higher levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides .Overall, it concluded that coconut oil has a neutral effect on cholesterol levels .Consuming virgin coconut oil, which is extracted from dried coconut meat, may reduce belly fat. This is especially beneficial because excess belly fat increases your risk of heart disease and diabetes .

A study in 20 people with obesity found the waist size of male participants decreased by an average of about 1 inch (about 3 cm) after they consumed 1 ounce (30 ml) of virgin coconut oil daily for 4 weeks. The female participants did not experience a significant reduction .However, in one longer study, women who consumed 1 ounce (30 ml) of refined coconut oil daily for 12 weeks experienced a reduction of 0.5 inches (1.4 cm) from their waist measurement, on average.

 May promote blood sugar control

Coconut is low in carbs and high in fiber and fat, so it may help stabilize your blood sugar.One rat study found that coconut had antidiabetic effects, possibly due to its arginine content. Arginine is an amino acid that’s important for the functioning of pancreatic cells, which release the hormone insulin to regulate your blood sugar levels .

When rats with diabetes were fed protein made from coconut meat, their blood sugar, insulin levels, and other glucose metabolism markers were much better than those that didn’t eat coconut protein .In addition, beta cells in their pancreas started making more insulin a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar. Researchers suspected the improved beta-cell function was also due to the high amounts of arginine found in coconut .

The high fiber content of coconut meat can also help slow digestion and improve insulin resistance, which can help regulate blood sugar levels as well .