Coconut: Modern Medicine and Domestic Uses

Modern Medicine

Modern medical science is now confirming the use of coconut in treating many of the below conditions. Published studies in medical journals show that coconut, in one form or another, may provide a wide range of health benefits. Some of these are summarized below:

• Kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS, and other illnesses.
• Kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum disease and cavities, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, and other diseases.
• Kills fungi and yeasts that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete's foot, thrush, diaper rash, and other infections.
• Expels or kills tapeworms, lice, giardia, and other parasites.
• Provides a nutritional source of quick energy.
• Boosts energy and endurance, enhancing physical and athletic performance.
• Improves digestion and absorption of other nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
• Improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose.
• Relieves stress on pancreas and enzyme systems of the body.
• Reduces symptoms associated with pancreatitis.
• Helps relieve symptoms and reduce health risks associated with diabetes.
• Reduces problems associated with malabsorption syndrome and cystic fibrosis.
• Improves calcium and magnesium absorption and supports the development of strong bones and teeth.
• Helps protect against osteoporosis.
• Helps relieve symptoms associated with gallbladder disease.
• Relieves symptoms associated with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and stomach ulcers.
• Improves digestion and bowel function.
• Relieves pain and irritation caused by hemorrhoids.
• Reduces inflammation.
• Supports tissue healing and repair.
• Supports and aids immune system function.
• Helps protect the body from breast, colon, and other cancers.
• Is heart healthy; improves cholesterol ratio reducing risk of heart disease.
• Protects arteries from injury that causes atherosclerosis and thus protects against heart disease.
• Helps prevent periodontal disease and tooth decay.
• Functions as a protective antioxidant.
• Helps to protect the body from harmful free radicals that promote premature aging and degenerative disease.
• Does not deplete the body's antioxidant reserves like other oils do.
• Improves utilization of essential fatty acids and protects them from oxidation.
• Helps relieve symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.
• Relieves symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (prostate enlargement).
• Reduces epileptic seizures.
• Helps protect against kidney disease and bladder infections.
• Dissolves kidney stones.
• Helps prevent liver disease.
• Is lower in calories than all other fats.
• Supports thyroid function.
• Promotes loss of excess weight by increasing metabolic rate.
• Is utilized by the body to produce energy in preference to being stored as body fat like other dietary fats.
• Helps prevent obesity and overweight problems.
• Applied topically helps to form a chemical barrier on the skin to ward of infection.
• Reduces symptoms associated the psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis.
• Supports the natural chemical balance of the skin.
• Softens skin and helps relieve dryness and flaking.
• Prevents wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots.
• Promotes healthy looking hair and complexion.
• Provides protection form damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation form the sun.
• Helps control dandruff.
• Does not form harmful by-products when heated to normal cooking temperature like other vegetable oils do.
• Has no harmful or discomforting side effects.
• Is completely non-toxic to humans.

Ref: coconutresearchcenter.org

Domestic Uses

The coconut tree is the most versatile and valuable tree of the tropics. The uses to which it may be put rival those of the bamboo in variety and number. Coconuts are marketed in the shell for home use. To harvest them, one has to  climb on the palm tree to harvest them.

Coconut white flesh is shredded, flaked or grated for use in different food stuff. Dried white flesh is used in making soap, cooking fat, margarine, cosmetics, lubricants, and many other products. Coconut flakes left after coconut cream and milk has been squeezed out is used in making cattle feed and fertilizer.

The more matured the coconut is (normally brownish/green husk and dark brown shell), the concentrated the cream and milk comes out. Most people like to drink water from young coconut which is normally green in color. The flesh in young coconut is soft, tender and delicious to eat. After drinking the water, it is scooped out and eaten with a special spoon made from the fiber husk when eaten outdoors. It is especially valuable in tropical areas where pure water is scarce. The fiber from the husk is used to make mats, brushes, and cushion for packing material. The shell is used for cups, it is also polished and ornamented into decorative objects. It also a good source of fire, burns like a stove.

The leaves of the tree are used to thatch roofs, make hats, baskets. Tapped liquid from young fruit shoot makes very good alcoholic beverage and is consumed fresh from the tree without undergoing fermentation. The trunk is used for canoes, posts, rafters, and fences. The branches are used for spears, arrows, and torches. The rib of the leaf is used in making garden or outdoor brooms.