Before we start with the article let’s have a quick look at few facts about Coconut Meat –
Facts About Coconut Meat
- Coconut meat benefits are numerous and is considered good for healthy heart.
- It may also help you increase your immunity, control blood sugar and is a good food for brain.
- A cup of a grated form of raw coconut meat provides 283 calories. It is made up of 12 grams of carbohydrate, 3 grams of protein, 5 grams of sugars, 7 grams of fiber and 27 grams of fat.
- The recommended dietary allowance of iron is 8 milligrams daily for men and 18 milligrams for women. The total amount of iron present in it is around 2 milligrams. A daily intake of around 1600 to 2000 mg of potassium is advised for adults. However, one cup of coconut meat provides 285mg of it.
- Unlike other forms of saturated fats, that are long-chain “fatty acids”, a large portion of fat in coconut meat is a “Medium-chain fatty acid”. These acids get broken down very quickly when any long-chain fatty acid. In this way, they don’t contribute towards high cholesterol, like long-chain fatty acids.
What is Coconut Meat?
Coconut is known to be one of the highly versatile and nutritious foods. This nut is cultivated in tropical climates. There are various ways to eat this nut and reap benefits from it. Coconut meat is one of the best ways to get direct access to the maximum nutritional content from this healthy nut. Fresh coconut meat serves as a superfood that should be added to your daily diet!
Coconut meat is a white-colored flesh that is present inside a coconut. It has brown and fibrous husks that effectively hides the meat inside it. To make it easier for you, many of the grocery stores nowadays make it available at their stores. Loaded with plenty of essential vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and fibers you can consume it either in the plain form or shred it onto your salads and dishes.
Coconut Meat Benefits for Overall Health
Coconut meat is loaded with nutrition. A one-third cup of coconut meat is known to have high fiber content along with significant quantities of potassium and iron. This white meat offers a wide range of therapeutic benefits to the person. By assisting in digestion, improving the cardiac condition, nourishing skin, it aids in promoting the overall health of a person.
1. Anti-inflammatory benefits
Freshly prepared coconut meat possesses remarkable healing properties due to its high antioxidant level. The type of fat present in it is “medium-chain fatty acids”. It is regarded as healthy fats that are absorbed by the body in a better way as compared to animal saturated fat. Also, MCFA fat provides anti-inflammatory effects that protect your body against various types of illnesses.
2. Boosts immune system
The fat content present in the coconut meat has plenty of beneficial antioxidants that strengthen the immune system in the body. It is also beneficial in lowering inflammation to a considerable extent.
3. Good for heart health
Despite its high saturated fat, coconut meat is free from cholesterol and relatively low in sodium. This makes it helpful in improving blood pressure, lowering high cholesterol levels and abdominal fat, and stabilize sugar levels in the blood.
4. Aids in digestion
Whats more, coconut meat benefits are for your stomach as well. If you have poor digestion then here is a good news for you. Coconut meat is a rich source of heart-healthy and dietary fiber. This fiber when gets into the body aids in the digestion. This happens by making it easy for the food to move along the digestive tract.
5. Helps in reducing weight
Coconut meat also acts as a portable and healthy snack. Loaded with fiber, it makes one feel fuller quickly so that less food is consumed. This, in turn, reduces the untimely cravings for it. So, for people who are obese or trying to lose excess weight should start including this healthy snack in their diet.
6. Aids in the metabolization of protein
Manganese is a vital ingredient present in coconut meat that metabolizing fat as well as protein. It aids in stabilizing the nervous system and the immune system in the body. Regular consumption of it helps maintain stable levels of blood sugar in the body. Manganese assists the body in using other essential nutrients like thiamine, vitamin E and iron in the body.
7. Good for muscle development
Potassium, with sodium, is also important for maintaining the proper balance of fluid in the body. It is a vital nutrient that ensures proper growth of muscle and functioning of the heart in the body.
8. Increases the level of RBC
Copper is an essential nutrient for the secretion of red blood cells in the body. When it works with iron, it also aids your body to generate more red blood cells in the body. This association of vital nutrients helps in contributing towards the overall health of blood vessels, nerves, bones and immune system.
Precautions to be taken while consuming coconut meat
There are a few precautions that need to be taken at the time of consuming coconut meat.
- Coconut meat is found to be safe when it is consumed in permissible amount. Complications can arise when it is consumed in excess. This is because the high content of saturated fat in it can cause health troubles in people. It can lead to high cholesterol levels in a person.
- In a few children or adults, eating coconut meat can even cause an allergy. Due to which they can experience difficulty in breathing and development of skin rashes. Therefore, people who are allergic to coconut should not consume it.
- Special precautions need to be taken by pregnant and breastfeeding women. It is important to avoid consuming coconut meat to not risk pregnancy.
Frequently Asked Questions about Coconut Meat
There can be some queries in regards to consuming coconut meat. Below we have prepared a questionnaire that will help you to solve your concerns regarding it to a large extent.
1. Is it beneficial to eat coconut meat daily?
Ans: According to health experts, 1/3rd cup of coconut meat has a high content of fiber and significant levels of potassium and iron. Being low in sodium makes it a healthy snack for everyone.
2. Can you eat coconut meat?
Ans: Coconut meat is a rich source of fiber that promotes heart health. It is consumed in either fresh form or dried form. Medium-chain fatty acids offer a wide range of notable benefits, that includes better heart health, effective weight reduction, and improved digestion. As it is high in saturated fat and calories, it is advised to be eaten in moderation.
3. What is the permissible limit to eat coconut meat in a day?
Ans: To get the best benefits out of coconut meat, it is recommended to consume around one-third cup of coconut meat daily. It will get you all the nutrients that you need daily. Stick to this limit as over-consumption can lead to the occurrence of varied types of health issues.
You can start with one teaspoon in a day, and then slowly increase the amount to two tablespoons in a day over the next one or two weeks. Consuming two tablespoons in a day is adequate to obtain its health benefits. It is best to increase this amount on a gradual basis.
4. How much coconut meat can you get from one large coconut?
Ans: Now that you know that coconut meat is good for your health, but you can gain all its benefits only when you eat it in moderation. One large sized ripe coconut will produce nearly one pound of meat that would, in turn, generate around five to six cups of a grated form of coconut. On placing the meat in any cheesecloth and squeezing it, would get you around a half cup of an undiluted form of coconut milk.
5. What are the consequences of overeating coconut meat?
Ans: Eating coconut meat in more than prescribed amounts will provide your body will excess amounts of saturated fat. Such a diet is not healthy as it increases the level of “bad” LDL cholesterol levels to dangerous limits. This will, in turn, increase the chances of heart disease too. This shows that the consumption of coconut meat in excess can have a severe impact on our heart.
6. Can diabetics eat fresh coconut?
Ans: Coconut flour has got a lot of dietary fiber that helps in lowering the chances of development of heart disease in a person. It has very low levels of cholesterol in it. This feature makes it beneficial for people who are suffering from diabetes. Also, the low sugar levels in coconut meat do not lead to any spike in the glucose levels in the blood.
7. What does coconut meat taste like?
Ans: Coconut meat has got a hard and crispy texture. Its juice is very delicious. It is little milky, sweet and salty. Whether young or old, coconut meat is loved by people of all age groups.
8. Is coconut meat ideal for people on a Keto diet?
Ans: Coconut is a very important ingredient for people who are on a Keto diet or low carb diet. Desiccated form of coconut has loads of fiber and essential nutrients in it. Coconut is high in saturated fat, that makes it a lot satiating.
Nutrition facts
A single cup of coconut meat comprises of following amounts of nutrients.
- 283 calories
- 3 grams of Protein
- 10 grams of Carbs
- 27 grams of Fat
- 5 grams of Sugar
- 7 grams of Fiber
- 60% of the Daily Value of Manganese
- 15% of the Daily Value of Selenium
- 44% of the Daily Value of Copper
- 13% of the Daily Value of Phosphorus
- 6% of the Daily Value of Potassium
- 11% of the Daily Value of Iron
- 10% of the Daily Value of Zinc
Coconut meat comprises of high fat and calories but moderate amounts of protein and carbohydrates. It is also rich in minerals, like copper and manganese. Where manganese aids in fat metabolism and enzyme function, copper aids in improving heart health and bone formation. Due to all these benefits, it makes it a wise decision to include it in your daily lifestyle today.
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