Coconut

Cocos nuciferaAlso called cocoanut and coco nut

Coconut is a fruit sold whole. Its seed is soft and gelatinous when raw and can be eaten raw or used in baking.

Plant-based
Gluten-free
No listed allergens

About the plain ingredient, not packaged products; general information, not medical advice. Details

Category: Fruit
Part used: Seed
Family: Arecaceae
Texture: Gelatinous, soft
Cooked most in: Asia, Africa, Oceania
Top country: Indonesia
Dishes: 61 in the catalogue
Energy: 354 kcal per 100 g

Photo: Tom Ek · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

In the kitchen

How to use coconut

Typical ways to cook or use it

Bake
Raw

Preparing it

Mature coconut meat is tough; it can be grated and dried before use.

Flavour

Taste and texture

Texture, raw

Gelatinous
Soft

Shopping

Choosing and storing coconut

Keeping it

Fridge · whole
Counter · whole

Sold as: Whole

Nutrition

What 100 g of coconut holds

Per 100 g, raw. Averages from USDA; real values vary by variety, season and growing conditions.

Protein 6%Fat 64%Carbohydrate 29%of the macronutrients by weight

Nutrition per 100 g of coconut, raw
Energy	354 kcal · 1,481 kJ
Protein	3.3 g
Fat	33 g
of which saturated	30 g
Carbohydrate	15 g
of which sugars	6.2 g
Fibre	9 g
Sodium	20 mg
Cholesterol	0 mg

Nutrition per 100 g of coconut, raw: minerals and vitamins
Potassium	356 mg
Calcium	14 mg
Iron	2.4 mg
Magnesium	32 mg
Zinc	1.1 mg
Vitamin C	3.3 mg
Folate	26 µg

Source: USDA FoodData Central (food 170169), public domain. Minerals and vitamins are listed only where USDA measured a non-zero amount.

Around the world

Where coconut is cooked

61 dishes in the catalogue use coconut. Here is where they come from.

Dishes by continent

Countries whose dishes use it most

Counts are catalogued dishes from each country that list coconut among their ingredients.

Origins

Native to: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Australia, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Vanuatu

The 1500s · Mexico
Pacific coconuts reached Mexico on Manila galleons beginning in the 16th century.
The 1500s · Western Africa, Caribbean and Brazil
Portuguese ships carried Indo-Atlantic coconuts to West Africa, then the Caribbean and Brazil, beginning in the 16th century.

On the table

Dishes made with coconut

48 of the 61 catalogued dishes that use it, spread across the countries they come from.

Kuwah Pliëk U
Indonesia
Maskurolhi
Maldives
Undhiyu
India
Bobozee
Nigeria
Koba
Madagascar
Fruit Bat Soup
Palau
Kuah beulangong
Indonesia
Spicy porridge
Indonesia
Timphan
Indonesia
Bika Ambon
Indonesia
Urap
Indonesia
Klappertaart
Indonesia
Manuk Napinadar
Indonesia
Boh puniaram
Indonesia
Kuwah eungkôt yèe
Indonesia
Manuk labakh
Indonesia
Dadar gulung
Indonesia
Balungan hayam
Indonesia
Nagasari
Indonesia
Pais
Indonesia
Putri noong
Indonesia
Serundeng
Indonesia
Botok
Indonesia
Cenil
Indonesia
Ketan sarikaya
Indonesia
Lentho
Indonesia
Onde-onde
Indonesia
Pukis
Indonesia
Tasak telu
Indonesia
Tetal
Indonesia
Buah jingah
Indonesia
Es doger
Indonesia
Katirisala
Indonesia
Lapek sagan
Indonesia
Lupis
Indonesia
Ampas Tarigu
Indonesia
Boiled jengkol
Indonesia
Buffalo satay, kudus
Indonesia
Jaring beras
Indonesia
Amparan tatak
Indonesia
Bika
Indonesia
Garigit
Indonesia
Getas
Indonesia
Kakicak
Indonesia
Lapek bugih
Indonesia
Ongol-ongol
Indonesia
Pohulpohul
Indonesia
Putu ambung
Indonesia

Dish lists come from Wikidata; a dish counts when its recorded ingredients include coconut.

Good to know

Diet and allergens: coconut in detail

These notes describe the plain ingredient. Packaged and prepared products vary, so read the label; for allergies and medical diets ask a doctor or dietitian.

Allergens: None of the 15 listed allergens foundChecked and not found: soy, eggs, fish, milk, lupin, wheat, celery, sesame, mustard, peanuts, molluscs, sulphites, tree nuts, crustaceans, gluten cereals.
Animal origin: No animal ingredients foundChecked and not found: egg, fish, meat, dairy, honey, insect, gelatin, poultry, bone char, shellfish, other animal, animal fining, animal rennet.
Gluten: None
Alcohol: None
Caffeine: None
Pork: None

Family

Related forms

A kind of: fruit
Made from it: coconut milk (extracted), coconut oil (extracted)