I am in love with the coco

It is no secret that people are going coo-coo for coconuts. The delicious and oh-so trendy coconut is truly a wonder fruit and its byproducts are amazing and have become the latest hype when it comes to everything from beauty to health. Coconut milk, sugar, flour, water and oil are all used in numerous ways. Coconut oil and water are the ideal aid for hydration for both body and skin. All coconut products are all appealing to consumers with needs and wants to substitute the more traditional versions of the viands and are also very appreciated alternatives for people looking for a more natural lifestyle.

What cost does our addiction of everyone´s favorite hairy-on-the-outside, juicy-on-the-inside fruit come to the environment? Should we use coconuts as a magic aid for health or should we avoid the wonder fruit to save the earth? Let´s crack the nut open…

Diets that are consisting of foods that are imported from different part of the world are contributing massively to the greenhouse gas emissions as food transportation is one of the world´s fastest growing sources to the greenhouse effect. And let’s face the fact, unless you are relaxing on an exotic beach or live in a tropical habitation, where coconuts locally grow, those coconuts sold in your local store has been shipped long distances.

Many farmers around the world are growing and harvesting coconuts as their primary livelihood and has for generations, however the price for coconuts are rather low and the coconut farmers are often poor. The increasing demand is an opportunity for the farmers to earn a better living.The coconut hype has skyrocketed the production of coconuts increased by 1000 % between 2008 and 2014 and the farmers have problems with meeting the world´s demand. The demand is way bigger than the supply, which is contributing to the negative environmental impact of the coconut farms.

Monoculture is one of the main issues facing the coconut farming. The problem with the coconut trees is low productivity and as they are aging they become more and more inefficient for every year passing. This is motivating the farmers to replace native plants with more and more coconut trees to ensure a constant harvest of the fruit, which equals deforestation and harm to the wildlife. The replacement of the natural biodiversity in order to meet the needs and wants of the rest of the world has damaging effects on the health of the soil, leading farmers to turn to chemicals as an aid to boost the production.

Due to the problems above there is two main factors that are important to take into consideration when buying the fruit and its byproducts. Buy organic to ensure that the local ecosystem and people weren´t harmed by any chemical fertilizers and Fair Trade. Farmers that get better paid tend to be more likely to take sustainable farming methods into consideration.

Sources:

https://www.worldwildlife.org/initiatives/food

http://grist.org/food/are-coconut-products-bad-for-the-environment/

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/coconut-oil-revolution-how-green-really-andrea-himoff

https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/oils/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil.html

Image:

https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/oils/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil.html