Is a Coconut a Fruit, Seed, or Nut? What Are the Health Benefits?

Coconuts are a type of fruit. The health benefits of coconut include that it supplies medium chain triglycerides, which are good for your brain.

You may have heard coconut has health benefits, and you've probably enjoyed its unique taste. Perhaps you've chosen products containing coconut oil for your skin and hair. But unless you are a botanist, you may not know whether coconuts are fruits, seeds, or nuts. 

If you've been to the tropics, you may have seen coconuts in their natural form, as large green elongated balls. Supermarkets usually sell coconuts with the fibrous outer shell removed, exposing the smaller brown ball that contains the white meat. You can also buy shredded or flaked coconut in cans and bags. But is coconut a fruit, or does it fall into another category?

Yes, coconuts are a type of fruit. Botanists classify coconuts as one-seeded drupes. A drupe is a fruit with a hard, stony covering around the seed embryo. Peaches, mangos, olives, and cherries are examples of drupes. So are pecans and almonds. A coconut has the same basic structure but is much larger. 

Drupes have three layers: the outer skin or exocarp, the middle layer or mesocarp, and the inner part or endocarp. The center part or endocarp contains the baby plant.

The exocarp of a coconut is the green skin that turns brown when fully mature. The mesocarp consists of inedible fibers that have many uses. The endocarp is the brown shell and white meat. If you look closely, you can also see the plant embryo tucked into the white meat at one end of the coconut. Since it contains a baby plant, a coconut is also a type of seed. 

A coconut endocarp is partly liquid at some stages. People often call this liquid milk, but coconut water is more accurate. As the coconut matures, the water becomes the meat of the coconut. An immature fruit will feel very heavy because it is full of liquid. As it matures, it will get lighter, and the small amount of liquid left will make a sloshing sound. 

One definition of a nut is a one-seeded fruit. Coconuts meet that definition, but they aren't true nuts. True nuts must either decay or pass through an animal's digestive system to release the seed. Coconuts can sprout without going through one of these processes. Instead, they begin the process of sprouting inside the intact shell.

The hard shell of a coconut has three indentations on one end. One is an opening that the sprouting plant will eventually grow through. You can easily push an item like a thin nail or wire through this opening. The other two indentations are not really openings.

Coconuts are the source of several foods, including:

• Coconut meat, usually flaked or shredded
• Coconut water
• Coconut milk, processed from coconut meat
• Coconut oil, extracted from coconut meat

Some coconut products are healthy choices, while others are less so.

The meat of the coconut is seldom eaten alone. It is usually added to baked goods, nutrition bars, trail mix, and similar foods. It adds flavor and nutritional value but is quite high in calories. 

One ounce of unsweetened flaked coconut contains:

• 185 calories
• 18 grams of fat 
• 7 grams of carbohydrate 
• 2 grams of protein

Coconut water is a clear liquid found inside coconuts. Some people use it for hydration because it contains electrolytes, including:

• Sodium
• Potassium
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Phosphorus

Coconut water has some advantages over sports drinks. It has a greater variety of electrolytes and is less acidic. Its sugar content is natural. Sports drinks typically use high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners. Coconut water is also lower in sodium than sports drinks. If you work out extra hard, you may need more sodium. Most people don't. Plain water is also great for hydration. 

Where does coconut milk come from if the liquid inside a coconut is not coconut milk? It is created by grating the meat of the coconut and cooking it with water. Coconut milk is a high-calorie, high-fat food, and most of the fat is saturated fat. It contains some fiber and small amounts of vitamins and minerals.

Many recipes call for coconut milk, especially those with an Asian flair. When cooking with coconut milk, you can reduce the calories by using small amounts or choosing a light version.

Coconut oil has a reputation as a healthy oil, but does it deserve the label? Like all oils and fats, coconut oil contains about 120 calories per tablespoon. Coconut oil is mostly firm at room temperature. That's because it's almost entirely saturated fat, which is usually solid. Healthier unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature.

Some say that coconut oil is healthy because it contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) that are easily used by the body. Commercial coconut oil doesn't contain MCTs. Commercial coconut oil is primarily lauric acid, which behaves like a regular long-chain fatty acid.

In clinical trials, when people add coconut oil to their diets, their cholesterol levels rise. Coconut oil acts much like other saturated fats, such as butter and beef fat. Unsaturated fats like olive oil don't raise cholesterol levels as much. 

Coconut oil can indeed raise HDL cholesterol, the good cholesterol. But an analysis of clinical trials shows that coconut oil increases the LDL or bad cholesterol more. Total cholesterol goes up, too.

Your HDL cholesterol can only do so much to reduce your risk of heart disease. And changing your diet may not be the best way to raise your HDL numbers. Exercise will also improve your HDL levels while providing other health benefits. 

Coconuts provide two other foods that may be hard to find in your local grocery store. These foods are only available when the fruit is very young or quite mature.

When the coconut is young and green, the coconut water is gel-like. If you open the coconut at this stage, you can eat it with a spoon. In fact, one name for this delicacy is "spoon meat". 

The seed embryo will sprout if the coconut matures and falls from the tree. A spongy mass will form from its base, filling the coconut cavity. Called a coconut apple, this mass will break down the meat of the coconut to feed the growing plant. Some people enjoy eating the coconut apple, which is sweet and crisp.  

Some people classify coconuts as tree nuts, which can trigger allergic reactions. But coconuts look nothing like other tree nuts, like walnuts and hazelnuts. Also, the coconut palm isn't technically a tree. It has no bark or branches. Botanically, it is a flowering plant with a large woody stem.

As you might expect, people with tree nut allergies seldom react to coconut. In general, coconut allergies are rare but can be dangerous because coconut is hard to avoid. Cosmetics and toiletries often contain coconut oil. Many foods contain coconut products. If you have a coconut allergy, read food and toiletry labels carefully.

Researchers got the idea that coconuts could be super healthy by looking at people who eat a lot of coconuts. People whose diets include coconuts often have low rates of heart disease. The problem is separating the coconuts in the diet from other factors. The benefit could easily come from combining fruits, vegetables, and fish in many traditional diets rather than from the coconut.

Most coconut products are high in calories but can be healthy in small amounts. Be mindful of the saturated fat content when using coconut milk or coconut oil. Use small amounts for the flavor.

A coconut is a fruit. If you want to impress your friends, call it a drupe. 

And if you ever have the chance to sample spoon meat or a coconut apple, don't pass it up.