Coconuts are a versatile food item rich in calories, vitamins, and minerals. They are a good source of B-complex vitamins such as folates, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, and pyridoxine. Coconut meat and water contain a good amount of potassium. Coconut water is refreshing drink! It is packed with sugars, electrolytes, minerals, and bioactive compounds and enzymes that aid in digestion and metabolism. Cytokinins in coconut water have shown significant anti-ageing, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-thrombotic effects in studies.
The coconut kernel is a wonderful source of minerals like copper, calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, and zinc. Much of the calories come from the fats and protein. Caution if you have heart disease though, as the meat does have saturated fat. However, the saturated fatty acid in the coconut is lauric acid, which can increase good HDL cholesterol levels in the blood.
References:
Coconut Nutrition Facts. Nutrition and You. Retrieved from http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/coconut.html