Coconut (Cocos nucifera)
Coconuts probably originated on the islands of the Malayan Archipelago but today they are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world. The coconuts are the stones of the drupes borne by the coconut palm, and the endosperm of these stones is the edible portion. The endosperm can be eaten raw, or it is dried and used in confectionery or for the extraction of oil. The oil of the coconut is unusual, in that it is rich in saturated fats (86%) and contains only small amounts of mono- and polyunsaturated fats. The oil in coconuts is best consumed in the coconut as it then comes prepacked with all the necessary ingredients for metabolizing it.