National Coconut Day Date in the current year: June 26, 2024

The coconut is the fruit of the coconut tree (Cocos nucifera), which is widely cultivated in hot and wet tropical regions. About three-quarters of the world coconut supply is produced by three countries: Indonesia, the Philippines, and India.

Despite their name, coconuts botanically are drupes, not nuts. They are structurally close to, for example, peaches and apricots. The difference between coconuts and most other drupes is that their mesocarp (middle layer) is dry and fibrous, as opposed to the fleshy mesocarp of peaches, apricots, cherries, or plums.

A coconut consists of a hard shell covering the edible meat (commonly referred to as copra when dried) and several ounces of liquid called coconut water. Coconut water should not be confused with coconut milk; the former occurs naturally inside coconuts, whereas the latter is extracted from the grated coconut pulp.

The meat of mature coconuts contains fatty acids (primarily saturated), carbohydrates (sugars and dietary fiber), B vitamins, vitamins C, E and K, and dietary minerals (calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc). Coconut water contains the same vitamins and minerals as coconut milk.

Dried and shredded coconut meat is widely used in pastries and confections; fresh coconut meat is less widespread because it is harder to come by, but Filipino cuisine has desserts that call for the jelly-like meat of unripe coconuts. Grated coconut meat is also used to produce coconut milk, which is frequently added to various savory and sweet dishes, including soups, stews, curries, desserts, and pastries, as well as used as a milk substitute by vegans and lactose intolerant people.

Coconut water is a popular refreshment in tropical countries, where it is available both fresh and bottled or canned. It is also used to produce coconut vinegar and nata de coco (coconut gel), a jelly-like food that originated in the Philippines.

Coconut oil, extracted from the meat of mature coconuts, is used for frying and baking, as well as to pop popcorn. It is also a popular personal care product; due to its high saturated fat content, coconut oil is widely used as a hair and skin moisturizer, as well as to produce soap that lathers easily even in cold, hard or salt water.

The celebration of National Coconut Day was initiated by the Coconut Coalition of the Americas, an industry association founded in 2017 to promote coconut products and connect industry stakeholders. Its members include Bioriginal, Carrington Farms, Food4Change, Franklin Baker, Nutiva, Beneficial Blends, iTi Tropicals, Covico, and other companies.

The Coconut Coalition of the Americas launched National Coconut Day in 2019 to raise awareness of the benefits of coconuts and coconut products, as well as to promote various coconut-derived products.