Coconut From Palm to Plate

Published On: 1 July 2026989 words4.9 min read

Published On: 1 July 2026

It’s amazing how coconuts conjure up images of tropical beaches shaded by coconut palms. Just the thought of these beaches makes me long to return to the Seychelles where coconut palms provide refreshing shade on pristine beaches. Even better is to buy a fresh coconut from a street vendor and laze on the beach sipping fresh coconut water while soaking up the view.

The coconut has been an important part of human life for centuries. Often called the “Tree of Life”, the coconut palm provides food, liquid, oil, fibre, timber and shelter making it one of the world’s most useful plants.

Coconuts are a member of the palm family and are the only living species of the genus Cocos. They originate in the Indo-Pacific region. Because coconuts (the seed of the coconut palm) can float and remain viable for months, ocean currents helped disperse them across vast distances around tropical coastlines where they would germinate and take root. Coconuts were a valuable portable food source for early sailors and traders. These portable, nutrient dense, long lasting seeds were often taken on long sea voyages. By the 16th century, Portuguese and Spanish explorers had transported coconuts to Africa, the Caribbean and the Americas, where they became an important crop.

Coconut palms can grow up to 30m tall and yield up to 75 fruit each, per year! While travelling in Vietnam in January 2026, we went on a tour of a coconut grove in the Mekong Delta. The trees in this grove were unusually short allowing us to pic the fruit from the tree without a ladder.

From ancient coastal communities to modern kitchens around the world, the coconut continues to be celebrated as a symbol of nourishment, sustainability and tropical abundance.

A hard nut to crack: What’s in it for me?

Raw coconut flesh is made up of 47% water, 33% fat, 15% carbohydrates and 3% protein. Coconut is a good source of manganese and copper.

Because of their high oil content, the nutritional value per 100g of coconut is: 1480 kJ of energy.

Nutritionally, coconut oil is high in saturated fats, so it should be enjoyed, in moderation, as part of a balanced diet.

Shell-ebrating Coconut:

Coconut Water hydrates naturally (this is the liquid naturally occurring inside fresh coconuts). It can be enjoyed as a refreshing drink or used in cooking. A jelly like dessert (“nata de coco”) can be produced by fermenting coconut water.
Coconut vinegar can be produced by fermenting coconut water.
The white flesh of the mature fruit is an inherent part of the diet of people living in the tropics and subtropics and can be enjoyed fresh or dried as an ingredient in baking and cooking.
Coconut cream is made from mixing finely grated/pulverized coconut flesh with water. It has a thick, rich consistency, contains a high percentage of fat and the solids often separate out from the liquid in tins. It is commonly used in desserts, creamy curries, sauces and toppings. For cooking, coconut cream can be thinned out with water to make coconut milk.
Coconut milk is made by diluting coconut cream with water giving it a thinner consistency making it an ideal ingredient in soups, curries, beverages, smoothies and baking.
Coconut oil is extracted from the flesh (kernel) of mature coconuts and is widely used in cooking, cosmetics and skincare. It is prized for its distinctive aroma, rich flavour and versatility.
Palm leaves are used to make baskets, mats and used as building material.
Coir from the fibrous husks are used to make ropes, brushes, calking material, mattress filling and is added to potting soil to make it hold water well.
Tree trunks used as building material in rural areas.
Coconut sap is drunk either fresh or fermented in the Philippines as toddy. This toddy can be fermented into palm wine which can be distilled into arrack (spirit type alcoholic drink). The sap can also be reduced by boiling to create a sweet syrup or reduced further to produce coconut sugar.
The roots of the coconut palm were historically used to make dye or frayed into toothbrushes.
Hard shells are turned into charcoal to be used as a heat source.

Life is better when you are a little nutty!

Our free recipe this month makes a delicious crunchy yet chewy coconut biscuit with a blob of apricot jam to offset the sweetness and a crunchy nut, this biscuit ticks all the right boxes.

Coconut, Jam & Nut Biscuits

Makes about 30 biscuits

Ingredients:

1 egg separated
1 tin condensed milk
10 ml lemon juice
15 ml cornflour/potato flour
220 g desiccated coconut
60 ml apricot jam (I prefer homemade as it is more tart than shop bought)
1 almond per biscuit (approx. 30 almonds)’
A little water in a bowl

Method:

Preheat oven to 180⁰ C and line 2 – 3 baking pans with baking paper.
Beat egg white in a small bowl until just forming stiff peaks:
In a separate large bowl, beat well together:
- 1 tin condensed milk
- 10 ml lemon juice
- 15 ml cornflour (or potato flour)
- 1 egg yolk
- Add 220g desiccated coconut and stir well.
Fold the beaten egg white into the condensed milk/coconut mixture using a large metal spoon.
Drop slightly heaped teaspoonfulls of mixture onto prepared baking sheets, leaving sufficient space for spreading of the biscuits (I usually fit about 12 biscuits per baking sheet).
Dip your thumb into the prepared water and press your wet thumb into the centre of each ‘biscuit’ to form a well (do not go all the way through to the baking sheet).
Fill each indent/well with jam. Press an almond into the jam on each biscuit.
Bake at 180⁰ C for 8 minutes, then turn the oven down to 160⁰ C and bake until the biscuits have golden, crispy edges going lighter into the centre (another 5 to 8 minutes).
Remove biscuits from the oven. Allow to cool on the baking tray. Transfer to a cooling rack only once biscuits are cool to the touch.