Knowing how to eat a coconut is important if you want to enjoy all that this tropical fruit has to offer!
How to Eat a Coconut?
A coconut can be an intimidating fruit to approach, considering it has such a tough outer shell, as well as unusual hairy skin that looks anything but appetizing.
Steps To Crack Open a Coconut
- Step 1: To begin with, you want to remove that hair on the outer skin by pulling and peeling it off, revealing the brown, textured nut inside.
- Step 2: Turn the coconut so the soft spots are facing up.
- Step 3: Then place a nail through 1-2 soft spots and knock them in with a hammer.
- Step 4: Remove the nails and turn the coconut over, allowing the coconut water to drain.
- Step 5: Collect this water, as it is rich in nutrients and antioxidants. [1]
- Step 6: Once the coconut is empty, lay it flat on a towel and strike it with a hammer 2-3 times on the outer shell until it cracks open.
Coconut is low in carbs & rich in amino acids, & healthy fats. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
How To Prepare Coconut To Eat?
Depending on the age of your coconut, you will proceed in one of two ways:
- Young or immature coconuts: The flesh of a young coconut will often be tightly bound to the outer shell, so you can scoop out the tender flesh with a spoon, all the way to the hard outer edge.
- Mature coconuts: For the mature kinds, you can often pry out the entirety of the fruit by wedging a knife between the husk and the fruit’s edge.
Uses of Raw Coconut
You can use the coconut flesh in a number of ways:
- Snack: You can eat the coconut raw or add it to salads.
- Dishes and soups: Cook with it to make curries, sauces, or soups.
- Oils and creams: Process it into various creams, oils, and juices.
