Going (coco) nuts!
April 15, 2009
My earliest memories of coconut go back to my home-village, where palm trees were ubiquitous. Our house was surrounded and secluded by tall trees that always had drinks to offer. I, for one, could not wait for the subtle, heavenly taste of sweet coconut water, especially in summer. You are my Everest!
Getting access to coconuts was a big challenge. I tried and failed endlessly to master the mysterious, vague art of climbing up a palm tree. And I never made it past a few feet.
I frantically used to search for a Kasem bhai, the master of the tree-climbing art- our farmhouse caretaker. This old, seemingly weak, and incredibly thin and tall man was my idol.
He got half-naked, tied up the end of the lungi to his waist, opened his shirt and achieved my Mission Impossible. And after the remarkable event that I had witnessed, came the best part: the coconuts themselves. After a few drinks I again got ambitious. “One day, I’ll climb to the top”, I used to say. People aim for the stars; I, aimed for coconuts!
Coconut talk
The benefits of coconut seem to be infinite. So much so, in Sanskrit, coconut palms are referred to as ‘the trees which provide all the necessities of life’. In Malay, it’s called ‘pokok serbu guna’, meaning ‘the tree of a thousand uses’. Philippines, the largest coconut producer, gave the title ‘Tree of Life’ to coco palms.
Coconut drink
Coconut water refreshes you, saves you from dehydration; and it contains more potassium than most sports drinks. It is a common sight to see athletes having a sip of coconut water during breaks. It also assists in fading the rashes you get from chicken pox, etc.
Drinking coconut water with one teaspoon of olive oil for three days will kill intestinal worms, which will ease your digestion. Here’s another reason to drink coconut water- it can help you lose a few pounds. Try substituting soft drinks with coconuts. Coconut water is a filling drink, with almost no fat.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil also helps in weight loss and, clarifying a common misconception, it is not a threat to your heart. People think that the huge quantity of fat is harmful. But actually the fat found in coconut oil is beneficial. Instead of circulating throughout our bloodstream, it directly goes to the liver, where it is converted into energy (like carbs) instead of being stored as fat.
The fat also speeds up the body’s metabolism, thus burning more calories. It also assists in preventing kidney and gall bladder diseases. Also, the enormous benefits of coconut oil on your hair and skin should never be underestimated.
Coconut milk
It is made from the flesh of mature coconuts. This also comes with a series of health benefits. For example, it fights up a lot of harmful bacteria and viruses.
Art it is!
The coconut also has a whole lot of other, non-culinary uses. The hard shells of the mature coconuts are polished and meticulously handcrafted to make art pieces!
Aarong has a collection of accessories made out of coconuts. Among them are spoons, banks, etc. You can also check out a set of two ‘cups’ (coconut shells) attached with a couple of bamboos surrounding them, making an easy to carry serving tray. These elegant, unconventional and innovative coconut products come with quite reasonable price tags.
Nuts
And if you think that this is the end of all the uses, think again. After all, it’s the fruit of the ‘Tree of life’. Coconut oil, extracted from a staggering 150,000 coconuts, was used as an experimental program in search of alternative fuels, to partially fuel a commercial airliner owned by Richard Branson, owner of the brand Virgin. Indeed, people are going crazy- absolutely nuts- for coconuts, and they have every reason, or need, to do so!
By M H Haider
Source: The Daily Star
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