I don’t know about you, but I love coconut!
From personal care to the kitchen, coconut can be found in many different forms that can be used in myriad ways.
Coconut can be used as a cooking ingredient in skin care, hair care, dental care, and even in the garden!
This tropical fruit is sold in so many forms that I’m not shocked that it has so many uses. I’m excited to share them with you today.
This article is going to explore the world of coconut and tell you about five fascinating uses for this magical fruit.
Home Project Fact: Coconut water can be drunk directly from a young coconut, but once it has matured, the water will turn into coconut flesh.
5 Uses for Coconut
As I’m sure you know, coconuts are the fruit of a tropical plant that is native across the tropics, but they were first cultivated in Southeast Asia.
Since their cultivation, various products have been made from coconut that can be used in many different ways.
Today, I am going to dive into five great uses for coconut so you can get the most out of this amazing fruit.
Cooking Ingredient
Ok, so I have to start with the most obvious one because I am a very enthusiastic cook!
Coconut is a wonderful ingredient that can be used in both savory and sweet dishes. You don’t just have the raw flesh to work with, however.
This excellent fruit is sold as coconut cream, coconut milk, desiccated coconut, coconut water, and coconut oil, all of which can be used in unique and wonderful ways.
It is not only a delicious ingredient, but coconut is also very good for you. It is high in vitamins and minerals, has antibacterial effects, and contains many antioxidants.
Skin Care
Due to its health benefits and nutty aroma, coconut is a very popular ingredient in many skincare products.
But why spend your hard-earned money on a new coconut moisturizer when you can use coconut oil in your kitchen cupboard?
If applied to the skin as an overnight moisturizer, coconut oil increases hydration and collagen production while reducing any inflammation and redness.
Hair Mask
Just as with your skin, coconut oil also has benefits for your hair.
Applying coconut oil as a hair mask on dry, frizzy, or curly hair will help reduce protein loss as well as replenish the moisture in your hair.
The first time I used this method, I was unaware that it takes a few washes to get this mask out of your hair. Thinking back on it now, it makes sense because it is an oil, after all!
Due to this, I recommend using this mask on the weekend or anytime you have a few days to get the oily mask out of your hair.
Aerating Potting Soil
I know this sounds wild, but there are even parts of the coconut that can help you with your gardening!
Coconut coir is the part of the coconut between the hard shell and the inner flesh of the coconut. It is a wonderful organic product that can help break up compacted soil or increase the drainage and aeration in potting soil.
When you buy coir from the garden store, it will come in compressed bricks that you will need to rehydrate at home. It will expand dramatically, so a little goes a long way.
When I’m repotting my plants, I like to have coir on hand beside my potting soil so I can add a handful in and mix it through the soil before placing the plant in the pot.
Oil Pulling
I know this sounds weird, but stick with me; this is actually really interesting.
Oil pulling involves placing a tablespoon of coconut oil in your mouth and swishing it around for 10-15 minutes.
This cleans your mouth of many harmful bacteria that may be hard to get with a toothbrush.
I know 10-15 minutes sounds like a really long time, but I think it is worth doing once in a while to keep your dentist at bay!
Home Project Fact: Coconut milk is created by blending coconut flesh and cooking it in water before straining out the solids.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is it ok to eat raw coconut?
It is totally safe to eat coconut flesh raw. In fact, it is rather delicious!
Try eating it as a snack or add some to a smoothie or breakfast bowl.
What can I do with an empty coconut?
An empty coconut is a welcome challenge if you love crafting like me!
Artists, especially in areas where coconuts are grown, use coconut shells to make jewelry, buttons, bowls, dishes, lanterns, and all manner of other things.
The world is your oyster so let your creativity run free and see what you can come up with.
What are the disadvantages of eating coconut?
There are not a lot of downsides to eating coconut in any form.
I don’t recommend consuming too much coconut oil at a time, as this can cause nausea. Besides this, if you have a reaction to coconut, then you may have an allergy.
I recommend seeing a doctor before using or consuming coconut again.
Conclusion
Whether you are eating it, using it as a moisturizer, or using it in your garden, coconut is a fruit that just keeps on giving!
To sum it all up, coconut can be used as a cooking ingredient, skincare, hair care, dental care, and to help aerate the soil in your garden.
I hope this has helped you appreciate how useful coconut is and inspired you to incorporate it into your life.