The coconut is the fruit of the coconut palm. Unlike the names of most fruits, the name of this fruit does not come from the Greek – its name comes from the Spanish and Portuguese word coco, which means “monkey face”. The fruit is green colored and of average size. There are three indentations (germination pores) that are clearly visible on the outside surface once the husk is removed. Inside, there is a hard white edible nut and liquid – coconut water. Dehydrated coconut is produced from the white nut in the fruit. There are various sizes and shapes on the market. Nowadays, the biggest producers of coconut are the Philippines, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. |