Numerous other dwarf cultivars also developed as the initial dwarf cultivar was introduced to other regions and hybridized with various tall cultivars. [164] The smell of coconuts comes from the 6-pentyloxan-2-one molecule, known as -decalactone in the food and fragrance industries. Coconut water can be drunk fresh or used in cooking as in binakol. In the Philippines, dried half shells are also used as a music instrument in a folk dance called maglalatik. ", "The Alcohol Industry of the Philippine Islands Part II: Distilled Liquors; their Consumption and Manufacture", "Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory from the American Heart Association", "The effect of coconut oil consumption on cardiovascular risk factors (Systematic review)", "Coconut oil consumption and cardiovascular risk factors in humans", "Hans van Amsterdam: Coconut Cup with Cover (17.190.622ab) Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History The Metropolitan Museum of Art", "Remembering PT-109: A carved walking stick evokes ship commander John F. Kennedy's dramatic rescue at sea", "MO63.4852 Coconut shell paperweight with PT109 rescue message", "The chemical composition and biological properties of coconut (, "Data sheet about delta-decalactone and its properties", "Defensive tool use in a coconut-carrying octopus", "Aussie scientists find coconut-carrying octopus", "A tool-wielding octopus? According to the Encyclopaedia Brittanica, the coconut and African oil palms have important roles in international trade as sources of vegetable oil and fat. [18][19][20], A full-sized coconut fruit weighs about 1.4 kilograms (3pounds 1ounce). The UN Food and Agriculture Organization reports the top producers are the Philippines, Indonesia, Brazil, and India. Grated coconut that is dehydrated by drying or baking is known as "desiccated coconut." [20], The evolutionary history and fossil distribution of Cocos nucifera and other members of the tribe Cocoseae is more ambiguous than modern-day dispersal and distribution, with its ultimate origin and pre-human dispersal still unclear. [13] It is consumed throughout the humid tropics, and has been introduced into the retail market as a processed sports drink. Linguistic, archaeological, and genetic evidence all point to the early domestication of Pacific coconuts by the Austronesian peoples in maritime Southeast Asia during the Austronesian expansion (c.3000 to 1500BCE). [74], Brontispa longissima (coconut leaf beetle) feeds on young leaves, and damages both seedlings and mature coconut palms. According to epidemiological research published in 1981, a group of Polynesians for whom coconut represented 60% of the daily diet had no evidence of heart disease or hypercholesterolemia, despite the high lauric and myristic acid intake. [158], The Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club of New Orleans traditionally throws hand-decorated coconuts, one of the most valuable Mardi Gras souvenirs, to parade revelers. [174], The flowers are used sometimes in wedding ceremonies in Cambodia. Neera is fast becoming a popular drink. It is known as a bunot in the Philippines and simply a "coconut brush" in Jamaica. What Are the Major Regions of Manufacturing Lisa Smith has been an editor and writer since 1991. Male flower Bracteate, ebracteolate, sessile, staminate, incomplete, trimerous, actinomorphic and pistillodes are present. Coconut is the fruit of the coconut palm. Nutrition Facts: Vegetable Oil, Coconut. Other cultivars of niu leka may also exist in other islands of the Pacific, and some are probably descendants of advanced crosses between Compact Dwarfs and Southeast Asian Dwarf types.[11][65]. [127][128][129] Desiccated coconut are used in confections and desserts such as macaroons. Dried coconut flesh is called copra, and the oil and milk derived from it are commonly used in cooking frying in particular as well as in soaps and cosmetics. The small cylindrical embryo is embedded in the solid endosperm directly below the functional pore of the endosperm. The coconut tree provides food, fuel, cosmetics, folk medicine and building materials, among many other uses. Traditionally, dessert banana plants and local wild beach flora such as Scaevola taccada and Ipomoea pes-caprae were used as humidity-supplying green undergrowth for coconut trees, mixed with sea almond and sea hibiscus. What's Funny About The Business Of Monkeys Picking Coconuts? However, the word cocus could also mean "cook" like coquus in Latin,[42] so Linnaeus chose Cocos directly from the Portuguese word coco instead. Each spike in the spadix bears 2 to 3 female flowers at the base and 200 to 300 male flowers at the top. It is also often stated that coconuts can travel 110 days, or 5,000km (3,000mi), by sea and still be able to germinate. The haustorium absorbs the solid endosperm to nourish the seedling. The tender nut supplies coconut water, a popular thirst quencher of health and hygienic value. Indo-Atlantic coconuts were also introduced into the Atlantic Ocean by Portuguese ships from their colonies in coastal India and Sri Lanka; first being introduced to coastal West Africa, then onwards into the Caribbean and the east coast of Brazil. [109] The production of coconuts is the main source of Sri Lanka economy, with 12% of cultivated land and 409,244 hectares used for coconut growing (2017). The liquid of the nut, known as coconut water, is used in beverages. Oilseeds, overall. In India, the woven coconut leaves are used to build wedding marquees, especially in the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. [118][119], Maturity is difficult to assess on an unopened coconut, and there is no technically proven method for determining maturity. In 2007, the Philippines imposed a quarantine in Metro Manila and 26 provinces to stop the spread of the pest and protect the Philippine coconut industry managed by some 3.5million farmers.[75]. A long handle made from some other wood may be inserted into the base of the bundle and used as a two-handed broom. The husks of the coconut are a source of coir, a fiber used in the production of brushes, matting, and other products. Several countries' economies are based on the coconut palm. [145] They can also be processed to extract palm sugar. And no coconut can float over the sea faster than a balsa raft moves with the wind behind it. Mature coconuts are ovoid or ellipsoid in shape, 3045 cm (1218 inches) in length and 1520 cm (68 inches) in diameter. The terms are derived from the Samoan language and was adopted into scientific usage by Harries (1978). The importance of the coconut in Austronesian cultures is evidenced by shared terminology of even very specific parts and uses of coconuts, which were carried outwards from the Philippines during the Austronesian migrations. Coconut copra, used to make coconut oil, is prepared at the coconut farms, using very simple techniques and taken to large scale oil mills through a complex and speculative marketing system. [179] In the story of Sina and the Eel, the origin of the coconut is related as the beautiful woman Sina burying an eel, which eventually became the first coconut. [78], A more controversial method employed by a small number of coconut farmers in Thailand and Malaysia use trained pig-tailed macaques to harvest coconuts. These are grown for recreational purposes or as an income generator. Coconut is an important food crop produced worldwide and is a palm family member. ", "Indian state decides coconut trees are no longer trees but palms", "Medieval Sourcebook: Ibn Battuta: Travels in Asia and Africa 13251354", "Coconut Industry in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Export Development Board", "Australia has a lot of coconut palms so why don't we have a coconut industry? [86][87][88][84], The pole method uses a long pole with a cutting device at the end. [14][15], The interior of the endocarp is hollow and is lined with a thin brown seed coat around 0.2mm (164in) thick. Scientific studies have found it effective for treating enlarged prostate and improving serum cholesterol. See also Can I Rub Coconut Oil On My Gums? During germination, the embryo pushes out of the functional pore and forms a haustorium (the coconut sprout) inside the central cavity. [1] In addition, fossils of potential Cocos ancestors have been recovered from both Colombia and India. What Are the Major Regions of Manufacturing Lisa Smith has been an editor and writer since 1991. [79][80][81], To avoid this, coconuts workers in the Philippines and Guam traditionally use bolos tied with a rope to the waist to cut grooves at regular intervals on the coconut trunks. Virgin coconut oil is predicted to experience high demand from consumers with higher health consciousness and as well as aging population. In the United States, coconut palms can be grown and reproduced outdoors without irrigation in Hawaii, southern and central Florida,[110] and the territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. As of 2006, the U. Coconut is a crop of small and marginal farmers since 98% of about five million coconut holdings in the country are less than two hectares. [43], The specific name nucifera is derived from the Latin words nux (nut) and fera (bearing), for 'nut-bearing'. Coconut flesh is high in fat and can be dried or eaten fresh or processed into coconut milk orcoconut oil. Severe frost is usually fatal, although they have been known to recover from temperatures of 4C (25F). Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 59 (7): 995. Predominantly, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, . The original one is held each October in Greenwich. Food Industry Coconut is known as a common ingredient in food processing. In Kerala, coconut trunks are used for house construction. Its BRIX level is 16 [sugars] compared to 12 in sugarcane juice. The coconut is also an important economic resource for the production of fiber and other materials. 2022 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Coconut oil is also a main ingredient in Ayurvedic oils. [26][27][31], Outside of New Zealand and India, only two other regions have reported Cocos-like fossils, namely Australia and Colombia. Dried half shells are used as the bodies of musical instruments, including the Chinese yehu and banhu, along with the Vietnamese n go and Arabo-Turkic rebab. Economics of Coconut Oil; Just Change Trust; 2006; Bangalore, India. It can be reduced further to yield coconut sugar also referred to as palm sugar or jaggery. It also had ceremonial importance in pre-colonial animistic religions. Demand grew by 8 percent annually during 1993 to 2004. Rigby (1995) assigned them to modern Cocos nucifera based on its size. [101], Coconut flour has also been developed for use in baking, to combat malnutrition. Importance of Coconut: The coconut palm is one of the most beautiful and useful trees in the world, grown in more than 80 countries of the tropical. [157] The shell and husk can be burned for smoke to repel mosquitoes[156] and are used in parts of South India for this purpose. In Australia, a Cocos-like fossil fruit, measuring 10cm 9.5cm (3+78in 3+34in), were recovered from the Chinchilla Sand Formation dated to the latest Pliocene or basal Pleistocene. Half coconut shells are used in theatre Foley sound effects work, struck together to create the sound effect of a horse's hoofbeats. It can be eaten as food or used as medicine. Beneficial Effects of Virgin Coconut Oil on Lipid Parameters and in Vitro LDL Oxidation. 70% of the total coconut production is for domestic consumption in most producing countries making Coconut a critical global food security crop. Consumers feel that fresh-cut fruits and vegetables are the healthiest formats available for processed fruits and vegetables, which has allowed the fresh-cut category to prosper. However, they can be found in humid areas with low annual precipitation such as in Karachi, Pakistan, which receives only about 250mm (9+34in) of rainfall per year, but is consistently warm and humid. Coconut requires low to no inputs within an existing land use area unchanged in 100 years. Philippine and Malayan dwarf coconuts diverged early into two distinct types. They have a thick fibrous husk surrounding the single-seeded nut. Coconut oil is one of nine internationally traded vegetable oils and ranks eighth in global production. coconut, edible fruit of the coconut palm ( Cocos nucifera ), a tree of the palm family (Arecaceae). Coconut oil has high world demand as an ingredient in cosmetics, soaps, hair oils, body oils and in food products and has surged in popularity because of its health benefits. In Kerala, India, the main coconut pests are the coconut mite, the rhinoceros beetle, the red palm weevil, and the coconut leaf caterpillar. The fresh kernel includes moisture 45% protein, 4%, fat 37%, minerals 4% and carbohydrates 10%. The Coconut tree belongs to the palm family. In the Hainuwele myth from Maluku, a girl emerges from the blossom of a coconut tree. [49], In contrast to the Pacific coconuts, Indo-Atlantic coconuts were largely spread by Arab and Persian traders into the East African coast. The meat can be eaten fresh from the coconut but the meat can also be used to make oil, milk, cream and desiccated coconut. The liquid of the nut, known as coconut water, is used in beverages. [154] Activated carbon manufactured from coconut shell is considered extremely effective for the removal of impurities. Early Spanish explorers called it coco, meaning "monkey face." The origin of dwarf varieties is Southeast Asia, which contain the tall cultivars that are genetically closest to dwarf coconuts. Coconut oil has anti-inflammatory properties, making it beneficial for irritated, chafed skin. [143], The sap can be reduced by boiling to create a sweet syrup or candy such as te kamamai in Kiribati or dhiyaa hakuru and addu bondi in the Maldives. According to the Encyclopaedia Brittanica, the coconut and African oil palms have important roles in international trade as sources of vegetable oil and fat. The traditional coconut farming in these countries is an integral part of their life, culture and identity. . The queen palm was originally classified in the genus Cocos along with the coconut, but was later reclassified in Syagrus. (April 2006). A sugar containing juice which is obtained by tapping unopened spadix is known as toddy. (2009). Aids in hydration. Later, the endosperm matures and deposits onto the coconut rind during the cellular phase. It can be used in liquid form as would other vegetable oils, or in solid form similar to butter or lard. A hard shell encloses the insignificant embryo with its abundant endosperm, composed of both meat and liquid. Coconut accounted for nearly 117 billion Indian rupees in the Indian economy in fiscal year 2020. Coconut oil and milk are ingredients in cooking, frying, soaps and cosmetics, and foods like margarine and popcorn. The reasons why coconut are cultivated only in Yemen's Al Mahrah and Hadramaut governorates and in the Sultanate of Oman, but not in other suitable areas in the Arabian Peninsula, may originate from the fact that Oman and Hadramaut had long dhow trade relations with Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia, East Africa, and Zanzibar, as well as southern India and China. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 59 (7): 995. Coconut is the most versatile tree in the world and is known as "the tree of life". [78] Manually climbing trees is traditional in most countries and requires a specific posture that exerts pressure on the trunk with the feet. Malauhog (literally "mucus-like") refers to very young coconut meat (around 6 to 7 months old) which has a translucent appearance and a gooey texture that disintegrates easily. The hard shells, fibrous husks and long pinnate leaves can be used as material to make a variety of products for furnishing and decoration. Conclusion A high source of important vitamins and minerals, as well as high in fibre, fruits are an excellent food choice. Spread coconut flakes thinly on a baking sheet and put them in the oven for around five or 10 minutes until they're golden brown. All the parts-of the Wonder palm are useful to making in one way or other. Its versatility and value make it an important commodity that continues to play a vital role in the economic development of many countries around the world. Most less-developed countries depend on agriculture as a major source of income and employment. Hawaiians hollowed the trunk to form drums, containers, or small canoes. [48][51][57] During the colonial era, Pacific coconuts were further introduced to Mexico from the Spanish East Indies via the Manila galleons. Traditional areas of coconut in India are the states of Kerala, Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Goa, West Bengal, Pondicherry, Maharashtra and Islands of Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar.