It was only in the 1600’s that the coconut started to become well known for its culinary and health benefits

Traditionally grown in tropical countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea and many others

Coconut trees are most commonly found on shorelines as well as in sandy sea type soils. They do not grow well in low temperatrues but rather survive in high humidity regions together with rainy and sunny weather conditions

The coconut is widely used in Southern and Central American regions, Africa, India and most Asian countries

The influence of coconuts in the lives of people from tropical countries became so prominent that it is now considered as one of the foods that shaped civilization

The fruit, water and milk has been used for food for centuaries. The white flesh has been used in all sorts of cuisines. The water is consumed world wide and is known for its nutritional value. The kernel of the coconut is also used for the extraction of oil, which is used in cooking as well as for cosmetic products. It is a very popular ingredient in many handmade natural ingredient products

It was originally believed that due to its saturated fat content it was an unhealthy product, however it has been proven that the unique structural make up of the saturated fats in coconut oil makes it easy to digest and improves absorption of essential nutrients

Rich in nutritional properties, it is used in both traditional as well as modern medicine

It is rich in anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties

It’s moisurizing properties is believed to cure all skin ailments whether it is digested or topically applied. It can be used for babies, adults as well as on your pets

It is known to be an excellent conditioner for hair as it strengthens roots and prevents hair falling out. It is also used for dandruff and other scalp related conditions

Virgin coconut oil is the best type to use, it is the purest and least refined form of all coconut oil. Those which have under gone a RBD (refined, bleached and deodorized) process have lost essential nutrients in the process

Coconut oil is derived from 2 possible processes:
1. Dried coconut – dried coconut is pressed to extract the oil and is the most common method
2. Wet-miling – fresh coconut is pressed to extract the oil, Virgin coconut oil is pressed from fresh coconut, which is the purer form of coconut oil

The price at which coconut oil is available also indicates the quality and purity of the oil

Part 2 – benefits of coconut oil coming soon………