In January 2025, the FDA released the document, “Guidance for Industry: Questions and Answers Regarding Food Allergen Labeling (Edition 5),” which specifically excludes coconut as a tree nut and so no longer qualifies as a Major Food Allergen.
Botanically, a coconut is a simple dry nut. The husk, or mesocarp, is composed of fibers called coir and there is an inner stone, or endocarp. The endocarp is the hardest part. This hard endocarp has three germination pores that are clearly visible on the outside surface once the husk is removed.
Although coconut meat contains less fat than other dry nuts such as almonds, it is noted for its high amount of saturated fat. Approximately 90% of the fat found in coconut meat is saturated, a proportion exceeding that of foods such as lard, butter, and tallow. However, there has been some debate as to whether or not the saturated fat in coconut is healthier than the saturated fat found in other foods.
Coconut meat also contains less sugar and more protein than popular fruits such as bananas, apples and oranges, and it is relatively high in minerals such as iron, phosphorus, and zinc. The endosperm surrounds a hollow interior space, filled with air and often a liquid referred to as coconut water, not to be confused with coconut milk. Coconut milk is made by grating its endosperm and mixing it with water.
Coconut water from the unripe coconut can be drunk fresh. Young coconuts used for coconut water are called tender coconuts. The water of a tender coconut is liquid endosperm. It is sweet (mild) with an aerated feel when cut fresh. Depending on the size, a tender coconut could contain the liquid in the range of 1-1/4 cups to 4-1/4 cups. When the coconut is still green, the endosperm inside is thin and tender, often eaten as a snack. However, the main reason to pick the fruit at this stage is to drink its water; a large unripe coconut contains up to 4-1/4 cups.
The meat in a young coconut is softer and more like gelatin than a mature coconut, so much so, that it is sometimes known as coconut jelly. When the coconut has ripened and the outer husk has turned brown, a few months later, it will fall from the palm of its own accord. At that time the endosperm has thickened and hardened, while the coconut water has become somewhat bitter. When the coconut fruit is still green the husk is very hard, but green coconuts only fall if they have been attacked by molds, etc. By the time the coconut naturally falls, the husk has become brown, the coir has become drier and softer, and the coconut is less likely to cause damage when it drops.