The first clarification that is necessary to be made here is that unlike its name it is not a nut but a fruit and one that is sometimes referred to as the "fruit of life." Why? Numerous research works has been carried out on the fruit and all report nothing but benefits. Every part of the fruit and its tree is beneficial in some way or another.

• Its milk is used in various delicacies and beauty products.
• Desiccated coconut is used in baking.
• The mature nut is used to make coconut oil.
• Its water is used as a plant growth hormone.
• Even the shell is used to make charcoal, activated carbon and handicraft items.
• Ropes, coir etc. are made from its fibrous husk.
• The leaves are used to make paper pulp.
• The trunk for wood products and roots for dye, twine etc.

The oil derived from it is alone beneficial in so many health issues like:

• Heart problems even though it has saturated fats, they are not harmful plus it contains 50% lauric acid which helps in bringing down cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
• It helps in weight loss as it is easy to digest and increase metabolic activity. This is proven by the fact that people living in tropical coastal areas who use this oil in their daily cooking are normally not obese.
• Strengthens the immune system.
• Since the oil improves the body's ability to absorb minerals it helps in strengthening the bones and teeth.
• Improves insulin secretion and helps diabetes.
• Prevents liver and kidney diseases.
• It is most widely used in beauty products and hair care products because of its moisturizing quality.
• It has antiviral and antifungal properties thus widely used to treat a lot of hair problems also. The oil is widely used for head massage for its soothing and releasing stress qualities.

The coconut milk is derived from the flesh of the coconut and has been used since ancient times for providing nourishment to hair and also in promoting its growth.