The coconut is called as the tree of life because it has been providing us, human beings, food and drink, material for making home, fuels and for many other industrial uses. Its medicinal uses are many.

Coconuts play an exceptional role in the diets of mankind because they are the source of important physiologically functional components. These physiologically functional components are found in the fat part of the whole coconut, in the fat part of dry coconut, and also in the extracted coconut oil.

In a nutshell about coconut:

- Coconut is a simple dry nut known as a fibrous drupe.

- Coconut contains less fat than other dry nuts.

- In a coconut approximately 90% of the saturated fat found.

- Coconut meat also contains less sugar and more protein than popular fruits such as bananas, apples and oranges.

- It is relatively high in minerals such as iron, phosphorus and zinc

- Coconut water can be used as an intravenous fluid

- Coconut oil is processed and extracted as a fully organic product from fresh coconut flesh, and used in many ways including as a medicine and in cosmetics, or as a direct replacement for diesel fuel.
- Coconut is also commonly used as herbal remedy in Asia to treat bites from rats.

- Coir (the fiber from the husk of the coconut) is used in ropes, mats, brushes etc.

- The husk and shells can be used for fuel.