Does coconut count as a vegetable?
Coconut is a fruit that has many culinary and non-culinary uses. From coconut water to coconut oil, every part of the coconut has value. But there is often confusion around how to classify coconut – is it a fruit, a nut, or even a vegetable? Let’s take a look at the botany and nutrition of coconuts to understand where they fit in our diets.
Botanical Classification of Coconuts
Coconuts grow on palm trees (Cocos nucifera), which are part of the Arecaceae family. Botanically speaking, coconuts are drupe fruits. A drupe is a type of fruit that has an outer fleshy part surrounding a shell (coconut’s exocarp and mesocarp) with a seed inside (coconut’s endocarp). Other examples of drupes include peaches, plums, and cherries.
The fleshy part of the coconut is the meat or pulp that we eat. This comes from the mesocarp and is botanically classified as a fruit. The fuzzy outer husk (exocarp) and hard inner shell (endocarp) protect the seed inside. So while the coconut seed is considered a nut, the coconut meat is definitively a fruit.
Nutritional Profile of Coconuts
Since coconuts are fruits, they have the nutrition profile of fruits. Here is a nutritional breakdown of raw coconut meat (per 100 grams):
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 354 |
| Fat | 33 g |
| Protein | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 15 g |
| Fiber | 9 g |
| Sugars | 6 g |
| Manganese | 60% DV |
| Copper | 44% DV |
| Iron | 11% DV |
| Phosphorus | 10% DV |
| Magnesium | 10% DV |
| Selenium | 7% DV |
As you can see, coconut is high in healthy fats, fiber, and micronutrients like manganese, copper, and iron. It contains moderate protein and carbohydrates. This nutrition profile is consistent with other fruits and nuts, not vegetables.
How Coconuts Are Used
Culinary uses of coconut include:
- Coconut meat – Used fresh or dried in cooking and baking. Common in South and Southeast Asian cuisines.
- Coconut milk – Made by steeping grated coconut meat in hot water. Used in many curries and stews.
- Coconut oil – Pressed from coconut meat. Used for frying and high-heat cooking.
- Coconut water – The juice inside young, green coconuts. Often drank as a refreshing beverage.
- Coconut sugar – Made from the sap of flower buds. Substitute for regular sugar.
- Coconut flour – Finely ground coconut meat. Gluten-free alternative to regular flour.
- Shredded coconut – Dried, shredded coconut meat. Topping for cakes and desserts.
As you can see, most culinary uses of coconut center around the meat, milk, water, and sugar derived from the fruit. The coconut meat is most often used like other fruits – baked into desserts, blended into smoothies, or eaten raw.
Do Coconuts Have Vegetable-Like Uses?
Unlike most vegetables, coconut meat and products derived from it do not get used as main ingredients in savory dishes. You would not find coconuts cooked into stir-fries, stews, salads, etc. like you would other vegetables. Some savoryexceptions include:
- Coconut aminos – A soy sauce substitute made from coconut tree sap.
- Toddy – A beer made from fermented coconut tree sap.
- Nata de coco – Fermented coconut water jelly that can be added to savory dishes.
However, these savory uses make up a small proportion of overall coconut consumption. The main components of the coconut fruit itself (meat, milk, water, sugar) are overwhelmingly used in sweet dishes. The tree byproducts like sap and jelly are the only exceptions.
Nutritional Evaluation
From a nutritional perspective, coconut is very high in fat, especially saturated fat. Coconuts contain 33 grams of total fat and 29 grams of saturated fat per 100 gram serving. In contrast, most vegetables are very low in fat. Here’s a comparison of the fat content in 100 grams of coconut versus common vegetables:
| Food | Total Fat (g) | Saturated Fat (g) |
|---|---|---|
| Coconut meat | 33 | 29 |
| Broccoli | 0.4 | 0.1 |
| Carrots | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| Spinach | 0.4 | 0.1 |
| Sweet Potato | 0.1 | 0.1 |
The high saturated fat content of coconut is atypical for vegetables. The sweet flavor and role in desserts and baked goods is also uncharacteristic of most veggies. Therefore, from a nutritional standpoint, coconut aligns much more closely with nuts and fruits.
Coconut Allergies
Food allergies provide another lens to evaluate whether a food is botanically a nut, fruit, or vegetable. This is because allergies tend to occur within botanical food families. For example, people with tree nut allergies can also react to coconuts, indicating the relationship between coconuts and nuts.
However, those with latex allergies can also be allergic to coconuts. This is because both latex and coconuts contain proteins called chitinases. Many fruits contain similar proteins, while vegetables and nuts do not. So coconut allergies align more closely with fruits than vegetables or nuts.
Conclusion
Botanically speaking, coconuts are classified as fruits, not vegetables or nuts. The culinary uses of coconuts focus on the sweet coconut meat, milk, water, sugar, and oil – similar to other fruits. The nutrition profile shows high fat and low protein and carbs, consistent with nuts and fruits, not veggies.
While coconuts do have some savory applications, these are relatively minor in comparison to sweet desserts and dishes. The high saturated fat and allergy connections also differentiate coconuts from typical vegetables. So while coconuts display a few vegetable-like properties, overall they align much more closely with fruits or nuts.
In summary, coconuts are best classified botanically and nutritionally as fruits, not vegetables. Their sweet flavor profile, composition of vitamins and minerals, and uses in cuisine place them firmly in the camp of fruits rather than veggies.