The coconut palm is one of those wonderful plants that has many uses throughout Africa and the Orient. In fact, the Sanskrit name for the coconut palm is kalpa vriksha, which translates as "the tree which provides all the necessities of life".

These include the fleshy white part that is edible and can be grated and then pressed to make nutritious coconut milk and cream, used in making delicious meals and sauces; the grated leftover fibres can be used as livestock feed; refreshing coconut water (which is nearly identical to blood plasma and is known to have been used in emergency cases as an intravenous hydration fluid); husk fibre used in making ropes and mats; palm trunks used  for building; leaves that provide materials for baskets and roofing thatch; the husk and shells that can be used for fuel and are a good source of charcoal; … The list is endless!
The coconut itself offers many health benefits due to its fibre, vitamins and nutritional content, but it’s the oil that makes it a miracle food and medicine. Coconut oil was once thought of as being high in saturated fat, but the most recent studies have shown it to be of a kind that is actually beneficial to our bodies.

Today, coconut oil is described as the 'healthiest oil on earth. It has been linked with benefits such as reducing the risk of heart attacks; it is ant-fungal and anti bacterial, so it can aid in the cure of ailments such as sore throats, congested chests and Athlete’s foot; it boosts your metabolism (great for weight loss!) and energy levels; brings temporary relief to sunburnt skin, and aids in healing and repairing; aids in stress relief and increased immunity, as well as digestion and chronic constipation; and has been claimed to cure arthritis.

Other benefits are its properties in skin and hair care; it works as an insect repellent and brings relief from insect bites; and you can even use it on your skin to help prevent wrinkles.

Make Your Own

1. Coconut oil is made by grating and then pressing the dried coconut meat.
2. Coconut milk is a delicious additive to any meal, giving your dishes a distinctive flavour when cooking – it can be used when making rice or in rich sauces for fish and other proteins. Coconut milk is approximately 17% fat, and is made by pressing grated coconut with hot water or hot milk, which extracts the oil and aromatic compounds from the fibre.
3. Coconut cream: this rises to the top when coconut milk is refrigerated and left to set.