Plant atlas Short
Coconut: The Aromatic Kind With a Pandan Scent
Aromatic Coconut · มะพร้าว · Cocos nucifera
Aromatic Coconut — มะพร้าว (ma-phrao) — Cocos nucifera.
In a meta-analysis, purified MCT fats modestly improved general cognition, mainly in people without a common Alzheimer's-risk gene. Coconut oil and milk contain a different fat mixture. You eat the meat and drink the water, which give you manganese, copper, iron, and fiber. Manganese supports energy metabolism and antioxidant defenses; copper supports connective tissue and healthy nerve function. In the kitchen, tom kha gai simmers coconut milk with chicken, galangal, and lemongrass, and ho mok pla steams sea bass in coconut milk. Whole coconut oil is high in saturated fat, so enjoy the coconut milk in your soup and skip the coconut-oil shortcut. To grow one, lay a sprouted coconut on its side and half-bury it, and it sends up its first palm.
Woon Maphrao On — วุ้นมะพร้าวอ่อน (woon-ma-prao-on)
Ho Mok Pla Kapong Maphrao On — ห่อหมกปลากะพงมะพร้าวอ่อน (ho-mok-pla-ka-pong-ma-prao-on)
Food and nutrients
Rich in: manganese, copper, fiber, iron
Research context
Purified MCT fats — the concentrated C8/C10 fraction — modestly improved general cognition in a meta-analysis — J Alzheimer's Dis, 2023
Sources
Source: Meta-analysis of MCT/ketogenic interventions on cognition: 10 trials, n=848. J Alzheimers Dis (2023). PMID 37248908.
Narration transcript
Opening
Crack open an aromatic coconut and the water carries a soft pandan scent, part popcorn, part jasmine — the reason this variety is prized above the plain kind. Coconut — มะพร้าว, ma-phrao. You drink the sweet water and scoop the soft white meat, simmered into tom kha gai or steamed with fish in ho mok pla.
Woon Maphrao On (วุ้นมะพร้าวอ่อน)
Woon maphrao on is a soft coconut jelly that sets coconut water with agar and sugar, poured back into the shell over slices of tender coconut meat, served cold.
Ho Mok Pla Kapong Maphrao On (ห่อหมกปลากะพงมะพร้าวอ่อน)
Ho mok pla kapong maphrao on is a steamed coconut fish curry that cooks sea bass with red curry paste, coconut milk, and egg inside a young coconut shell, eaten hot with jasmine rice.
Nutrition summary
Fresh coconut meat is a good source of manganese and copper, and it brings a solid amount of fiber as well.
Manganese
Manganese helps the body use food for energy and maintain normal connective tissue.
Copper
Copper helps your body use iron and maintain normal connective tissue.
Fiber
Fiber adds bulk to meals and can help with fullness.
Iron
Iron is part of hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen in your blood, and it supports normal energy metabolism.
Closing
One caution: coconut water is very high in potassium, so if you have kidney disease or take potassium-sparing medication, go easy on large amounts. And while coconut milk gives tom kha its body, whole coconut oil is heavy in saturated fat, so keep that light. A sprouted coconut laid on its side and half-buried will send up its first palm. Follow Longevity Biome, and LIKE this video for regular updates.
Related playlists
Keep watching
