THE coconut is a life-giving tree. And true to its word of giving life, its use extends to everything life can give.

Indeed, there is just no limit to the possibilities of what one can do with coconuts— from the food we eat, to the accessories and clothes we wear and even furniture for our own homes.

Everything about the coconut is useful— its fruit, the shell, leaves and the tree itself— nothing can escape the ingenuity of man.

If you are creative enough, probably you can add up to this already growing list of the coconut’s yummy, exciting, useful and fashionable uses.

Coconut fruit

A mature coconut or niyog is used in making sweets and special Filipino dishes.

The coconut fruit produces buko, often used for salads and halo-halo.

Buko is of three kinds—mala-kanin (just like boiled rice), mala-uhog (ready for eating) and mala-katad (like leather), which is used for making sweets.

The “sport fruit” of the coconut, or makapuno, is used for making preserves and ice cream. It can be kept in storage and will not germinate.

Coconut fruit residues

With coconut, nothing’s left without use. With just a little drying and finishing…

You can make coconut flower pots…

Trays…

Or your own coconut trophy…

A coconut clock can also help you wake up from slumber.

Or how about filling your living rooms with coconut-made figurines… (You can have them shaped like a cat or some other animal you like).

Coconuts can also help you save with an interesting coconut-made piggy bank.

Or maybe celebrate Christmas at home with your coconut-made Christmas balls or Christmas lights.

Coconut husk and fiber

Coconut husks and fibers can also be put to good use like beautiful trays and mats…

Or they can be molded to serve as fiber-cement boards…

Or roofing boards…

Coconut leaves

Coconut leaves make good and sturdy baskets… or useful placemats and handmade paper!

Coconut lumber

What’s more… you can design a full house with your coconuts!

Coconut lumber for a house made of coconut wood

Furniture…

Dining set…

And other handicraft novelty items!

Coconut water

The coconut water is also called liquid endosperm.

Coconut water can be made into coconut vinegar, coconut wine and the more famous, fiber-rich nata de coco that is also a popular dessert.

Coconut water therapy, doctors say, can cure renal disorders. “Bukolysis,” as it is fondly called, is the medical process of dissolving urinary stones by drinking buko water from coconuts that are between seven and nine months old.  

Biolife News Service

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THE coconut is a life-giving tree. And true to its word of giving life, its use extends to everything life can give.

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