Data source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, FDC 170169 (Nuts, coconut meat, raw).
Fun facts
- It is called a coconut, but botanically it is a drupe, like a peach or mango: outer skin, a fibrous husk, a hard shell, and only then the meat and water.
- Mature coconut meat is rich: 354 kcal and 33.5g of fat per 100g, about four times the calories of banana. In return it has a hefty 9g of fiber.
- Coconut fat is mostly saturated, unlike the oils from seeds or avocado. That is why coconut oil turns solid on cool days.
- Ben Tre is Vietnam's coconut province. Coconut meat goes into cakes, sweet soups, candied coconut and coconut candy; young coconut is scooped straight from the shell, softer and thinner than mature meat.
Choosing and storing
A good mature coconut feels heavy and sloshes when shaken, with dry, mold-free eyes. Freshly grated coconut from the market spoils fast because of its fat and water, so buy only what you need, keep it in the fridge and use within a day or two. To keep it longer, split into small bags and freeze. Unsweetened dried coconut keeps in a sealed jar somewhere cool and dry.
Cooking it well
Toast grated coconut in a dry pan until lightly golden for a nutty aroma with no extra oil. Since coconut meat is calorie-dense, using it as a sprinkle for flavor works better than eating it by the bowl. Candied coconut and coconut candy are usually cooked with lots of sugar, so the added sugar is the part worth watching. Coconut fat gets a closer look in is coconut oil good for you.
