Widely cultivated in the tropics, the coconut has amassed a lot of legends about its origin, relevant to the places it has taken root! So ancient and so wide are its cultivation that it is difficult to fix its original habitat. But in spite of these problems, there are good reasons for placing its origin in Melanesian region. Some scientists even suppose that its original home might be the submerged land to the north west of New Guinea!
Image Source: www.wikipedia.org
Scientists believe that the nuts were carried in ancient days by the ocean waves and tides to distant lands. Later man took up this responsibility as he found the palm a “kalpavriksha” over 30 species are confined to Central and South America.
The queen palm (cocos plumosa) is indeed an enchanting palm with its golden or orange bunches of fruits. In addition there are innumerable varieties differing in shapes and sizes of fruits, colour of the fronts, the heights to which it will grow! Cocos yatay is a native of Argentina; Coco coronata is Brazilian. While most of the dwarf varieties are Malayan!
Coconut water (it is called milk) is a delicious drink. Though it is 95.5% water, it has in it protein (0.1) fat (0.1) mineral matter (0.4), carbohydrate (4.0), calcium (0.02), Iron (0.5 mg). The percentage of arginine, alanine, cystine and serine in the protein are higher than protein of cows milk!
A whole book can be written on the uses of different parts of the coconut. There is no other oil that can beat coconut oil for the variety of uses. Sweet toddy tapped from its sheath is used not only as a drink but also used to produce jaggery, coco-vinegar etc.
Ant's Cow
Study of Heridity
Most Nutritious Fruit
Image Source: www.wikipedia.org
Scientists believe that the nuts were carried in ancient days by the ocean waves and tides to distant lands. Later man took up this responsibility as he found the palm a “kalpavriksha” over 30 species are confined to Central and South America.
The queen palm (cocos plumosa) is indeed an enchanting palm with its golden or orange bunches of fruits. In addition there are innumerable varieties differing in shapes and sizes of fruits, colour of the fronts, the heights to which it will grow! Cocos yatay is a native of Argentina; Coco coronata is Brazilian. While most of the dwarf varieties are Malayan!
Coconut water (it is called milk) is a delicious drink. Though it is 95.5% water, it has in it protein (0.1) fat (0.1) mineral matter (0.4), carbohydrate (4.0), calcium (0.02), Iron (0.5 mg). The percentage of arginine, alanine, cystine and serine in the protein are higher than protein of cows milk!
A whole book can be written on the uses of different parts of the coconut. There is no other oil that can beat coconut oil for the variety of uses. Sweet toddy tapped from its sheath is used not only as a drink but also used to produce jaggery, coco-vinegar etc.
Ant's Cow
Study of Heridity
Most Nutritious Fruit
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