Another ancestral variety is the niu leka of Polynesia (sometimes called the "Compact Dwarfs"). Although it shares similar characteristics to dwarf coconuts (including slow growth), it is genetically distinct and is thus believed to be independently domesticated, likely in Tonga. Other cultivars of niu leka may also exist in other islands of the Pacific, and some are probably descendants of advanced crosses between Compact Dwarfs and Southeast Asian Dwarf types. [11] [65] Dispersal Coconut trees on a beach in Upolu, Samoa

Zizumbo-Villarreal, D.; Arellano-Morín, J. Germination patterns in coconut populations ( Cocos nucifera L.) in Mexico. Genet. Resour. Crop Evol. 1998, 45, 465–473. [ Google Scholar] [ CrossRef] The roots are used as a dye, a mouthwash, and a folk medicine for diarrhea and dysentery. [7] A frayed piece of root can also be used as a toothbrush. In Cambodia, the roots are used in traditional medicine as a treatment for dysentery. [159] Other uses Making a rug from coconut fiberA study in 2011 identified two highly genetically differentiated subpopulations of coconuts, one originating from Island Southeast Asia (the Pacific group) and the other from the southern margins of the Indian subcontinent (the Indo-Atlantic group). The Pacific group is the only one to display clear genetic and phenotypic indications that they were domesticated; including dwarf habit, self-pollination, and the round " niu vai" fruit morphology with larger endosperm-to-husk ratios. The distribution of the Pacific coconuts correspond to regions settled by Austronesian voyagers indicating that its spread was largely the result of human introductions. It is most strikingly displayed in Madagascar, an island settled by Austronesian sailors at around 2000 to 1500 BP. The coconut populations on the island show genetic admixture between the two subpopulations indicating that Pacific coconuts were brought by the Austronesian settlers that later interbred with the local Indo-Atlantic coconuts. [49] [50] A wa'a kaulua ( double-hulled canoe) from Hawai'i. Catamarans were one of the early technological innovations of Austronesian peoples that allowed them to colonize the islands of the Indo-Pacific and introduce coconuts and other canoe plants along their migration routes. [54] [55] [56] When researchers pitted virgin coconut oil against a placebo control, the coconut oil did worse. Not only was there no difference in fat burning, the study subjects ended up hungrier after the coconut oil meal. Coconut oil was less satiating than the same number of calories of a control oil. It turns out coconut oil is just as fattening as other oils in terms of total, belly, or butt/thigh fat and may have adverse metabolic effects. López-Villalobos, A.; Dodds, P.F.; Hornung, R. Changes in fatty acid composition during development of tissues of coconut ( Cocos nucifera L.) embryos in the intact nut and in vitro. J. Exp. Bot. 2001, 52, 933–942. [ Google Scholar] [ CrossRef][ Green Version] Coconut meat can also be cut into larger pieces or strips, dried, and salted to make "coconut chips" or "coco chips". [126] These can be toasted or baked to make bacon-like fixings. [131] Macapuno

Harries, H.C. A ten point coconut nursery programme to avoid germination problems. Planter 1983, 59, 207–214. [ Google Scholar] To avoid this, coconuts workers in the Philippines and Guam traditionally use bolos tied with a rope to the waist to cut grooves at regular intervals on the coconut trunks. This basically turns the trunk of the tree into a ladder, though it reduces the value of coconut timber recovered from the trees and can be an entry point for infection. [84] [80] [85] Other manual methods to make climbing easier include using a system of pulleys and ropes; using pieces of vine, rope, or cloth tied to both hands or feet; using spikes attached to the feet or legs; or attaching coconut husks to the trunk with ropes. [86] Modern methods use hydraulic elevators mounted on tractors or ladders. [87] Mechanical coconut climbing devices and even automated robots have also been recently developed in countries like India, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia. [88] [89] [90] [86] See also: List of dishes using coconut milk Coconut milk, a widely used ingredient in the cuisines of regions where coconuts are native

Determining whether to harvest is also important. Gatchalian et al 1994 developed a sonometry technique for precisely determining the stage of ripeness of young coconuts. [92] One review even suggested that coconut oil may help lower blood sugar levels, which may be due to its anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidant content ( 20). Hanold, D.; Randles, J. Coconut cadang-cadang disease and its viroid agent. Plant Dis. 1991, 75, 330–335. [ Google Scholar] [ CrossRef][ Green Version] In Goa, the coconut tree has been reclassified by the government as a palm (rather than a tree), enabling farmers and developers to clear land with fewer restrictions and without needing permission from the forest department before cutting a coconut tree. [106] [107] Middle East

Two important coconut products were first developed in the Philippines, macapuno and nata de coco. Macapuno is a coconut variety with a jelly-like coconut meat. Its meat is sweetened, cut into strands, and sold in glass jars as coconut strings, sometimes labeled as "coconut sport". Nata de coco, also called coconut gel, is another jelly-like coconut product made from fermented coconut water. [102] [103] India Coconuts being sold on a street in India Apical buds of adult plants are edible, and are known as "palm cabbage" or heart of palm. They are considered a rare delicacy, as harvesting the buds kills the palms. Hearts of palm are eaten in salads, sometimes called "millionaire's salad". Walters, C.; Ballesteros, D.; Vertucci, V.A. Structural mechanics of seed deterioration: Standing the test of time. Plant Sci. 2010, 179, 565–573. [ Google Scholar] [ CrossRef] The high fiber content of coconut meat can also help slow digestion and may potentially improve insulin resistance, which can help regulate blood sugar levels as well ( 22).See also: Domesticated plants and animals of Austronesia, Austronesian peoples, and Genomics of domestication Chronological dispersal of Austronesian peoples across the Indo-Pacific [46] [47]