THE AMAZING COCONUT & ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT

THE COCONUT TREE

The coconut tree is considered one of the most (if not the most) useful trees in the world, which is why it is often called “the tree of life.” The different parts (and uses) of the coconut tree are:

The NUT, which is made up of:

            Husk – the outer layer of the nut, which is made into coir fiber that can be used to make rope, mats and brushes, fuel, organic fertilizer, and coir dust made into plastic boards, hollow blocks, insulators, and wall board.

            Shell – the hard second layer covering the meat, which can be burned to make fuel, or fashioned into containers (like cups, trays, serving dishes, pots) and toys, bags/purses, and ornaments (like jewelry, baskets, frames, lamps, coin banks, etc.).

            Meat and Water or Juice – see below for a listing of the numerous food products derived from them.

 The FLOWER – the unopened bud is the source of coconut sap, which is used to produce alcoholic drinks, vinegar, sugar, and honey; seeds that mature become coconuts, about 5 to 12 attached to a flower.

The LEAVES – used as wrapping for cooking food and rice cakes, or woven to make roofs, walls, bags, hats, and balls; the ribs are used to make brooms, window shades, and placemats; the pulp is made into paper.

The PITH, or heart of palm, is used for food and drink.

The TRUNK is made into lumber, charcoal, and furniture; shampoo is made from the bark.

The ROOTS – can be made into rope or twine, or used as a medicinal concoction for stomach ailments, dye, and improvised toothbrush and mouthwash.

FOOD PRODUCTS DERIVED FROM THE COCONUT:

Buko – young coconut with soft white meat.

Buko juice – the sweetish liquid found in the cavity of the buko.

Budbod – the toasted coconut pressings (often used as topping for rice cakes); also known as sapal.

Coconut flakes, either plain or toasted – dried coconut meat cut into flakes bigger than desiccated coconut.

Coconut flour – drived from budbod or sapal, which is dried and then ground.

Coconut oil – oil extracted from the fresh or dried meat of a mature coconut (niyog). The buko has no oil.

Coconut sap – the sweet liquid collected from the cut stem of coconut flowers.

Coconut sugar – the coconut syrup is cooked until most of its moisture has evaporated (it has a low glycemic index, compared to white and brown sugars).

Coconut syrup – coconut sap is concentrated by heating until a thick liquid is produced.

Coconut vinegar – the acidic liquid derived by fermenting either the coconut sap or coconut water.

Coconut water – the liquid found inside a mature coconut; it is a little bit acidic (while buko juice is sweetish).

Copra – coconut meat that is dried either under the sun or in mechanical dryers then pressed for its oil. It is the source of RBD (refined, bleached, and deodorized) coconut oil.

Desiccated coconut – freshly grated coconut from the white part of the coconut meat, which is sterilized, dried to remove most of its moisture, then sieved. It is used for baking and confectionery.

Gata (coconut milk) – derived from pressing the freshly grated meat of a mature coconut (niyog); it is thinner in consistency and taste than kakang gata.

Kakang Gata – coconut cream derived from the first pressing of freshly grated coconut meat; it is thicker and creamier than gata.

Lambanog – an alcoholic beverage made from the distillation of tuba to wine.

Latik – the protein solids that are left after oil is extracted from coconut meat by heating; it is used as topping or ingredient for rice cakes.

Makapuno or Macapuno – a variety of the coconut palm which does not contain water inside the coconut shell; the shell contains a gelatinous meat which is usually sweetened and used for desserts (like ice cream and halo-halo) and baked goods.

Matamis na Bao – coconut jam made by cooking coconut milk with raw sugar or panutsa (the unrefined sugar made from the juice of sugar cane).

Nata de Coco – coconut jelly made from coconut water that is fermented with a starter; the jelly is cut into cubes then cooked in syrup.

Niyog – mature coconut with meat that is thicker and firmer than the meat from a young coconut (buko). It is grated then squeezed to extract coconut milk.

RBD coconut oil – oil extracted from copra, which is refined, bleached, and deodorized; it is very stable so it is used in manufacturing commercial food products and cosmetics.

Sapal – the pressings left after coconut milk is extracted from freshly grated coconut meat; also known as budbod.

Tuba – an alcoholic drink fermented from the sweet sap of young and healthy coconut trees.

Tumbong or Tubo ng Niyog – the “pearl” or spongy growth found inside some mature coconuts; it can be eaten as is or made into dessert by cooking in syrup.

Ubod – heart of palm, obtained from the center of the topmost part of the trunk of coconut trees that are no longer productive (the rest of the trunk is made into lumber); the part of the ubod that is closer to the top is more tender and less fibrous than the lower part; it is used in salads or cooked dishes, particularly Lumpiang Ubod.

Virgin Coconut Oil – coconut oil that is pressed from fresh, mature coconut meat, processed with or without heat and without the use of chemicals; it is usually taken as a dietary supplement and used for various therapeutic purposes.

Source:

Cris C. Abiva, “The Coconut Facts Book (A Practical Guide to Using Virgin Coconut Oil),” Anvil Publishing, Inc., 2011.