CocoS Nucifera

The botanical name for the coconut is cocos nucifera with nucifera meaning "bearing nuts" and coco means "monkey face". The Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera) is a member of the Family Arecaceae. It is grown throughout the tropical world, for decoration as well as for its many culinary and non-culinary uses. The coconut provides a nutritious source of meat, juice, milk, and oil that has fed and nourished populations around the world for generations. Coconut meat contains less fat than other dry nuts such as peanuts and almonds, it is noted for its high amount of saturated fat; approximately 90% of the fat found in coconut meat is saturated. Coconut meat also contains less sugar and more protein than popular fruits such as bananas, apples and oranges. Coconut oil can be rapidly processed and extracted as a fully organic product from fresh coconut flesh, and used in many ways including as a medicine and in cosmetics, or as a direct replacement for diesel fuel. Coconut water which contains sugar, fibre, proteins, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Coconut water provides an isotonic electrolyte balance, and is a highly nutritious food source. Coconut milk is made by processing grated coconut with hot water or milk, which extracts the oil and aromatic compounds.This is an extremely important ingredient for many cuisines of Asia.

Khopra (desiccated coconut) contains about 60 to 70% coconut oil. Coconut oil is composed mostly of triglycerides of saturated fatty acids. Lauric (40 to 55%) and myristic acid (15 to 20%) dominate, but several other fatty acids are found at concentrations of 5 to 10%: The two short-chain acids caprylic and capric acid (which are responsible for the smell of overaged coconut oil), the long-chain palmitic acid and oleic acid, which is the only unsaturated fatty acid found at significant amounts.