You know what your typical grocery store coconut looks and tastes like. There is more to coconuts than your typical island coconut has been letting on.
Have you been introduced to the Toddy Palm Coconut? The Toddy Palm Coconut is often referred to as an Ice Apple and can be found in many places from Vietnam to Florida. It is a highly popular fruit in India. Not your average coconut and not as big, the Toddy Palm grows in clusters with dark purple flesh. It actually resembles an eggplant more than a typical coconut. Inside are semi-sweet clusters of juice and pouches of a clear gelatin texture. The Toddy Palm is said to be useful in treating multiple ailments such as nausea and constipation. It’s also full of vitamins and minerals, like iron and calcium.
The typical coconut contains delicious milk inside that is enjoyed by many people around the world and occasionally our typical coconut gives us an even more delicious treat, the coconut embryo. The coconut embryo, whose scientific name is “coconut cotyledon” is what happens when a mature coconut has begun the process of germination and is ready to start sprouting into a coconut plant. A soft mass begins to form inside of the coconut. It is entirely edible and quite delicious and nutritious. The coconut embryo has antibacterial properties and is used as a weight loss aid. It has also been shown to help with heart health and thyroid functions.
