Coconut is beneficial to a healthy diet

Coconut is beneficial to a healthy diet

Coconut is beneficial to a healthy diet. image: pexels

COCONUT is a fruit that can be very beneficial to a healthy diet according to the Spanish Nutrition Foundation (FEN)

The coconut is a tropical fruit that is notable for its characteristic smell and taste, which has led to its use as an ingredient in many baked goods, beverages, or yoghurts, among other recipes, but not many people are really aware that coconut is rich in fibre and minerals, in addition to offering other nutritional benefits, although it is also high in saturated fat.

According to the Spanish Nutrition Foundation (FEN), the main benefits in the use of coconut in a diet is are, fibre, iron, selenium, and potassium, but they point out that the nutritional values of each one will vary depending on the maturity of the fruit at the time, with the aforementioned fat being its second-highest component, after water.

Fatty acids account for around 86 per cent of the total fat content of each coconut, so FEN recommends moderate consumption, which is perhaps why, as they point out, ” coconut is consumed infrequently, and in very small quantities, so that its consumption fresh does not pose any inconvenience to health; what’s more, it enriches our diet with nutrients, flavours, and aromas”.

Another remarkable characteristic of coconut is that its caloric value is the highest of all fruits, having a total of 373 kcal per 100 grams of edible product, a figure much higher than that of any other fruit, while on the other hand, it provides a low amount of carbohydrates and even less protein, but is rich in fibre, which of course provides digestive benefits.

The presence of minerals, selenium, iron, and potassium, each have their own benefits, selenium contributes to the maintenance of hair and nails under normal conditions, while iron helps the formation of red blood cells, and haemoglobin, with potassium helping to maintain normal blood pressure, as reported by 20minutos.es.

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Written by

Chris King

Originally from Wales, Chris spent years on the Costa del Sol before moving to the Algarve where he is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com

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