TREE OF LIFE

FRESH COCONUT

For some time now coconut has gained recognition as a nutritious health fruit. It provides a nutritious source of meat, juice, milk, and oil that has fed and nourished populations around the world for generations. Coconut is highly rich in fibre, vitamins, and minerals. According to nutritionists and health personnels, this fruit has been classified as a "functional food" because it provides many health benefits beyond its nutritional content.

In Ghana fresh coconut water can be accessed at any point you see a pile of coconut and one unique thing you find is that usually a packet of straw is seen beside the coconut, which can be used to drink the coconut juice, even though most people prefer drinking from the pod. All manner of persons regardless of age and status, are seen gulping coconut water usually by the roadside, just to relax and make them feel refreshed once again. Now the selling of coconut by the roadside has become a lucrative job for the youths in Ghana and according to them business has always been good. This points to the fact that Ghanaians have realized the essence of consuming coconut.

The joy associated with consuming coconut

Oil extracted from coconut, possesses healing properties far beyond that of any other dietary oil and is extensively used in traditional medicine and cooking. Once mistakenly believed to be unhealthy because of its high saturated fat content, it is now known that the fat in coconut oil is unique and different from all other fats and possesses many health-giving properties.

Coconut oil has been described as "the healthiest oil on earth." What makes coconut oil so good? The coconut oil is used largely for hair and for many the results are just amazing. If we talk about the skin then really, the oil of this fruit has miraculous effect.

Natural medicine treatments have now gained more popularity in most parts of the world  to the extent that coconut oil is now used in massaging the body as a way of keeping the it fit. Massage is one of the oldest forms of treatment, which ensures perfect balance within the body, proper blood circulation, great sense of relaxation and most importantly greater sense of well-being. Moreover, the results entirely depend upon the experience of the therapist and the most important thing is the kind of the massage oils used. Hence, to have a coconut massage is healthy and very beneficial for people of all ages.

This fruit plays a very significant role in our lives, as from its leaf which serves as a source of shade, can be used for handicrafts, its roots serves medicinal purposes and dye stuff; all are equally useful in one-way or the other.