The coconut may seem like a regular fruit, but it’s a marvelous fruit that can be processed into various kinds of products. Not many people know that a single coconut can be turned and processed into various kinds of things, such as coconut oil, coconut briquettes, coconut water, and others. you can even make hookah from it! Naturally, all of these products have their own benefits and functions, and we are about to find out what they are.
About the Coconut Tree
One coconut tree can produce 75 coconuts (give or take) on a yearly basis. Although the coconut sap and fruit are full with natural nutrients, the plants themselves are also important for building materials and even for fuels. In case you don’t know it, the global annual coconut production reaches 61 million tons – and that’s a pretty impressive number.
Products You Can Make from Coconut
Not only coconut is highly sustainable, but it’s also functional. Not many fruits can produce so much different items and products out of a single fruit. So, what kinds of products can you make from a coconut?
Copra
Copra refers to the (dried) coconut nut kernels. When copra is extracted, you get coconut oil. Copra has been produced through natural system all over the world. People have dried it out, right under the sun in a traditional manner. In some places, people may use kilns to dry the nut kernels out, or they may use other (air) drying methods.
The coconut oil from copra is amazing. Unlike other oils, it is rich in nutrients. It melts in low temperature and its neutral taste is just beautiful. This oil is often used in traditional household as the cooking oil, but modern beauty products have included the oil in their products.
When the oil is extracted, it will leave the so-called coconut cake, mainly used for the livestock. This concentrated feed is healthy and natural, and what’s important is that you have no waste from using the nut kernels.
Coconut Coir or Fiber
When you crack a coconut open, you will find hairy husk surrounding the white meat. The hair is basically the fiber surrounding the husk – sort of protecting it. It’s contained on the coconut’s outer shell. This coconut coir is pretty functional and useful as you can make it into brushes, door mats, and even ropes.
Coconut Peat
After you open a coconut and find the (hairy) husk, you will find a pith amongst the coir. It’s called coconut peat. It’s not fibrous, but it’s rather spongy and lightweight. According to gardeners, this peat is handy to boost the soil’s best condition. Moreover, the peat has this natural anti fungal trait, which is great for all horticultural products. The peat is 100% naturally biodegradable and organic, which makes it a great choice. The peat is the real proof that no fruit is being wasted.
Coconut Meat and Water
All these times, people think that the meat is the most popular product of the coconut. Whether it’s flaked, desiccated, or others, the meat is healthy and natural. You will find the coconut water inside the meat (which is located inside the kernel). You are free to enjoy the water as naturally refreshing drink, but when you mix it up with the meat, you can get coconut milk, which is super tasty when included in many various cooking and cuisine.
So, the meat can be enjoyed as snacks or you can eat it just like that. When you are served coconut drink, you can basically scoop the inside part of the kernel (you can use a spoon) and just enjoy the tasty treat. Some people may enjoy the coconut water with syrup, but the water itself is pretty refreshing, natural, and healthy. The water has its own unique sweet taste, and you definitely don’t need to add extra honey, sugar, or other sweetener types.
Coconut Oil
There are two types of coconut oil extraction, depending on the processing materials: the VCO (Virgin Coconut Oil) and the refined coconut oil. The VCO is extracted from the fresh kernel or meat of the mature coconut. The refined coconut oil is made from copra (or the coconut meat).
In general, the meat would be dehydrated by smoke drying and sun drying for at least 6 days – the longest one would be 8 days. The copra would be then cut into small pieces and cooked for 30 minutes in the cooker. In a more modern way, an oil expeller would squeeze the cooked copra to get the VCO, and the last oil would go through the filter press to make the refined oil.
VCO can be used for cooking. It’s healthy and clean, and you won’t have to worry about your cholesterol level. But the VCO can also be used for beauty routine. You can use it for your skin or hair, considering that it’s packed with all the important natural vitamins and nutrients.
Coconut Charcoal
Coconut trees can be converted into fuel. Traditional communities have been using the trees for centuries for fuel source. Fuel can be generated from burning the kernel. Coconut charcoal is made by burning the shells with pyrolysis process that requires limited oxygen supply so it would be carbonized first. Afterwards, the charcoal would be crushed into powdery form and then combined together with adhesive. You can produce different size and shape of charcoal briquettes.
Charcoal made from coconut shells is considered clean and eco-friendly. This kind of charcoal is also used in traditional medicine as well as beauty industry. When used for water filtration, it is able to draw out toxins. You can even make coconut charcoal BBQ which means that the charcoal briquettes are used in barbeque. It’s safe and smokeless, and it’s a food grade material.
Coconut Shisha
You may have never guessed it, but you can even enjoy coconut flavored shisha if you want to. Unlike other tobacco shisha whose flavor is sharp and unpleasant, this coconut shisha tastes fresh and pleasant.
Final Words
Coconut is definitely a magical fruit that can be manufactured to various items. You should be able to take advantage of those natural products for your own good. You can enjoy various health benefits from this natural fruit.
