I recently saw a research paper that caught my attention titled Cocos nucifera (L.) (Arecaceae): A phytochemical and pharmacological review. I know, I bet you saw that title and thought it sounded interesting too. Or probably not if you aren’t as nerdy as me. But my interest was piqued because you may have noticed over the last few years that coconut and coconut water has become much more popular in health food stores.
There are many claims about coconut and how good it is for you, even that coconut water can be used as an IV solution (which is actually true in at least one case). So I wanted to know a little more about what studies have been done on coconut and what I found was pretty cool. Now most of the studies cited in the review were done on rats, but they are still interesting because they give at least some animal evidence of many different effects. Also something to remember is that the studies included all different parts of the coconut tree not just the fruit. Now I am not saying to rush out and buy coconuts or coconut water, but it is pretty amazing just how versatile nature can be.
So here are just a few of the things I found out about coconut from the research article:
Anti-inflammatory
Extracts taken from the husk fiber of the coconut are traditionally used to treat arthritis in parts of Brazil. In a few studies in animals, extracts from the husk fibers reduced inflammation induced by injection of carrageenan, and swelling caused by histamine and serotonin injections was reduced in the animal’s paw. It is unknown what specific compounds may be responsible for the anti-inflammatory effects, but that is pretty cool!
Protects the Kidneys
In a study done with rats, coconut water helped prevent the formation of kidney stones. The study was done with three groups of rats: a control group fed regular rat diet and given water, the second group was also fed a regular diet but was given ethylene glycol in their drinking water to induce kidney stones, and the third group with a regular diet as well as the ethylene glycol but was given coconut water. At the end of 7 weeks the group with coconut water had “a drastic decrease” in kidney stones compared to the second group given ethylene glycol. Also the coconut water group had a healthier kidney chemical profile.
Protects the Heart
In a couple of studies on rats, coconut water and coconut sprouts showed heart benefits. Coconut water actually protected the rats from a chemically induced heart attack! In the study with coconut sprouts they again induced heart attacks and the coconut sprout group had lower levels of cardiac markers (the chemicals they look for to determine if you had a heart attack) and had increased antioxidant status. Coconut water has also been shown to help decrease “bad” cholesterol.
Anti-Diabetic Activity
Some more studies in rats using coconut water in chemically induced diabetes showed positive results similar to oral hypoglycemic medications. Coconut water helped decrease blood glucose levels as well as decrease markers for liver damage that are normally seen in diabetic rats. While there is still more research that would need to be done it is fascinating the wide range of effects coconut can have.
Other Effects
A few other notable effects mentioned in the review include antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activites; possibility of helping to kill cancer cells; liver-protective activities; and decreasing blood pressure as well.
In closing, coconut is pretty cool! But again many of these studies are preliminary and have not been shown to have the same effects in humans. So don’t expect all your ills to be solved simply by eating coconuts or drinking coconut water. But if you enjoy coconut already, it very well may be benefiting your health.
References
Cocos nucifera (L.) (Arecaceae): A phytochemical and pharmacological review
Coconut water being used IV
