COCONUT (Shree Phal in Ayurveda)- The Most Underrated Superfood.
Updated: Sep 8
In America, you’ll find plenty of Ayurvedic gurus and new-age nutritionists talking about turmeric, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, fennel, and other traditional spices. Yet one important part of the Ayurvedic diet is rarely discussed and is often overlooked by even the most prominent nutritionists in the U.S.: coconut, also known as Shree Phal. In Ayurveda and Indian tradition, coconut holds a unique place. It is not simply regarded as another fruit or food, it is associated with Shree, a symbol of auspiciousness, prosperity, and reverence. Yet in the U.S., coconut remains largely misunderstood and underappreciated.
There are several reasons why Coconut is underrated in USA-
1-Most of North America is not tropical, while the coconut palm thrives in tropical climates. This naturally limits the availability of fresh coconuts.
2-When coconut is available, it is often sold as frozen, shredded, or processed coconut. While these forms can still be useful, they don't offer the same experience as opening and consuming a fresh, whole coconut.
3-The ideal way to experience coconut is to buy it whole and in its shell and open it at home. Just as you wouldn't normally buy half an apple and expect the same freshness as a whole fruit, a whole coconut allows you to preserve its contents until you are ready to consume them.
4-Opening a coconut at home is a skill that becomes easier with practice. Its hard shell may seem intimidating at first, but that very shell serves an important purpose: it naturally protects the coconut inside.
5-buying whole coconuts comes with its own challenge—knowing how to choose a good one. There is always a risk that a coconut may be spoiled or past its prime by the time you open it at home.
6-This is where experience matters. Someone who regularly consumes fresh coconut learns to recognize a good coconut by its weight, sound, appearance, and feel. With practice, they also learn how to open it safely and use the coconut in its whole form rather than relying primarily on frozen or processed alternatives.
7-Perhaps this is one reason coconut has remained overlooked in the modern American diet: it requires a little more knowledge, effort, and experience than simply picking up a packaged product from a shelf.
Yet for those willing to learn, the whole coconut offers something that processed coconut simply cannot replicate—the experience of consuming a traditional food in its natural, fresh form.
3 yummy dishes that I always use fresh coconut -
Coconut chutney
Sundal (chickpea salad)
Coconut based sweets like koyokattai, puttu etc
Rest of curries and recipes you can get away with grated or frozen coconut.
Significance of Shree Phal or Coconut-
The coconut (Cocos nucifera) is globally recognized as the "Tree of Life" (or Kalpavriksha in Sanskrit) and what are its unique characters
1- Every single part of the plant is usable, especially in southern India like Bangalore where I come from, coconut tree is still considered luck and prosperity and every house used to have minimum 2 coconut trees in their backyard.
2- Every puja or ritual or festival is considered incomplete without the breaking of the coconut indicating its reverence and hence why it’s called Shree.
3- Its three distinct spots represent the three eyes of Lord Shiva. One for distant vision, one for near vision and last one for inner vision or third eye.
4- The ubiquitous ritual of breaking a coconut before new ventures or during prayers (Puja) carries a psychological metaphor. This is why it’s still a common cultural practice especially if you’re trying to seek repentance .
5- For Austronesian and Pacific Island cultures (such as Samoa and the Philippines), the coconut was the foundational technology for exploration. It provided portable fresh water and preserved food (fermented into vinegar) that sustained sailors across thousands of miles of open ocean.
6-Oceanic Hydrochory (Seed Dispersal): Botanically a drupe rather than a true nut, the coconut possesses a fibrous husk (mesocarp) that acts as a natural life jacket. It can float in highly saline ocean water for over 100 days without damaging the internal seed, allowing the plant to self-colonize isolated coastal ecosystems across the globe.
7-Medium-Chain Triglycerides (MCTs): Unlike the long-chain fatty acids found in most saturated fats, coconut flesh and virgin coconut oil are rich in MCTs like lauric acid, caprylic acid, and capric acid. MCTs bypass standard fat digestion and travel straight to the liver, where they are immediately converted into efficient energy (ketones), boosting metabolic function.
8-Natural Antimicrobial and Immune Support: Lauric acid accounts for nearly 50% of the fatty acids in coconut oil. When digested, it forms a compound called monolaurin. Both lauric acid and monolaurin are scientifically proven to disrupt the lipid membranes of harmful pathogens, giving the coconut powerful antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties.
9-Isotonic Electrolyte Hydration: Sterile tender coconut water is a natural biochemical solution packed with essential minerals like potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sodium. Its osmotic pressure is remarkably similar to human blood plasma, making it an excellent natural rehydration drink.
10-Coastal Bio-Shield: Ecologically, the extensive, fibrous root system of the coconut palm plays a vital scientific role in stabilizing sandy coastlines. It actively prevents soil erosion and buffers fragile tropical shores against violent storm surges and tsunamis.
Ayurvedic remedies of Coconut Oil
🥥 1. Oral & Dental Remedies or Gandusha / Kavala (Oil Pulling)Swishing one tablespoon of organic, virgin coconut oil in your mouth on an empty stomach for 15 to 20 minutes is a foundational morning ritual.
Therapeutic Action: It eliminates fat-soluble oral toxins (Ama), reduces gum inflammation (gingivitis), and naturally whitens teeth. Dosha Impact: It cools oral heat, preventing painful mouth ulcers and bleeding gums common to high-Pitta constitutions.
2. Hair & Scalp Remedies or Shiroabhyanga (Head Massage)-Warm coconut oil is infused with cooling Ayurvedic herbs like Brahmi, Bhringraj, or Amla and massaged deeply into the scalp.
Therapeutic Action: Regular massage strengthens hair roots, stimulates growth, and stops premature graying caused by excess metabolic heat (Bhrajaka Pitta).
Nervous System: Massaging the head before sleep calms an overactive central nervous system, relieving tension headaches and insomnia.
3. Skin Care & Healing or Abhyanga (Self-Massage) & Burn Relief-Using organic coconut oil as a full-body massage oil is highly recommended, especially during hot summer months.
Therapeutic Action: It serves as a soothing, natural skin barrier for inflammatory skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and hives.
Emergency Coolant: Applying pure coconut oil mixed with a pinch of turmeric or aloe vera gel instantly cools minor sunburns, thermal burns, and chemical skin rashes.
4. Digestive & Internal Remedies-Amla Pitta (Acid Reflux) Relief-Drinking fresh, tender coconut water morning and evening is a direct antidote to intense gastric burning.
Therapeutic Action: It neutralizes hyperacidity in the stomach lining, flushes out the urinary tract, and treats burning micturition (painful urination).
Agni Balancing: Unlike heavy oils, tender coconut water preserves your digestive fire (Agni) while completely extinguishing the toxic, burning heat of excess Pitta.
5-Spice-Balancing Chutney-Blending fresh coconut flesh with cooling coriander leaves, cumin, and ginger creates a traditional Ayurvedic Coconut chutney
Therapeutic Action: Eating this alongside spicy or dry foods serves as a digestive cushion. Mechanism: The unctuous fats inside the coconut flesh coat the digestive tract, preventing hot, sharp spices from irritating your stomach wall.
Coconut, especially coconut oil, is unusual because most of its fat is saturated fat, but a large portion consists of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs).
Feature | Ghee | Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) | Coconut Oil |
Source | Animal (Clarified butter fat from milk) | Plant (Cold-pressed fresh olives) | Plant (Flesh of the coconut) |
Predominant Fat Type | Saturated fat (~65%) | Monounsaturated fat (Oleic acid) | Saturated fat (~85-90% MCTs) |
Smoke Point | Very High (~485°F / 250°C) | Moderate (~375°F - 410°F) | Medium (~350°F) |
Flavor Profile | Rich, nutty, and slightly caramelized | Fruity, peppery, or herbaceous | Sweet, tropical, and distinctively coconutty |
Cholesterol | Contains dietary cholesterol | Zero cholesterol | Zero cholesterol |
Unique Nutrients | Butyrate, Vitamins A, D, E, K | Polyphenols and antioxidants | Lauric acid (Medium-chain fats) |
Coconut oil is often compared to mother's milk because they are two of nature's richest sources of lauric acid. Aside from a few specific palm oils, human breast milk and coconut oil are among the rare natural sources that contain this specific fat in high concentrations. This molecular connection yields several shared biological characteristics:
1. The Power of Lauric Acid & Monolaurin
Coconut oil consists of roughly 50% lauric acid. When human beings ingest lauric acid, the body converts it into a monoglyceride called monolaurin. Both lauric acid and monolaurin are heavily praised for their strong antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. In breast milk, this compound serves as a primary shield to protect an infant’s developing immune system from viruses and bacteria.
2. High Concentration of MCT-
both substances are uniquely high in Medium-Chain Triglycerides (MCTs), primarily lauric acid and capric acid. Unlike the long-chain fatty acids found in most other cooking oils (which require a complex enzymatic breakdown), MCTs are easily absorbed and digested. They travel straight to the liver to be converted into immediate energy, making them highly efficient for a growing infant or a quick energy boost for an adult.
3. The Dietary Connection for Lactation-
Because of this exact parallel, a nursing mother's diet directly influences her milk composition. Studies have shown that when breastfeeding mothers consume virgin coconut oil, the levels of protective lauric acid and capric acid in their breast milk significantly increase within hours. This essentially fortifies the milk's natural immune-boosting properties.
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