What is “the Tree of Life”? –1

Image from SlideShare

[This was originally posted in 2012.  With the recent interest in coconut oil and products from the coconut tree, we are reposting this 5 year-old article.  

Please read the three comments in the “readers’ response” at the bottom of the page; interestingly, this post caught the attention of  enthusiasts/promoters of coconut oil and coconut products.  Please check out their websites, the links are included in their comments.

And don’t miss reading the sequel to this post about the biblical ‘tree of life” in  The Tree of Life is the Torah -2

—Admin1.] 

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• Coconut water is a refreshing health drink, so full of nutrients that it is known to be a natural and fast replenishment of electrolytes for those suffering from diarrhea, and can even be processed to create alcohol.
• From the hard meat [niyog], you can derive food snacks, oil for hair conditioning and lotions, milk, soaps and cosmetics.
• As a cooking oil, it is said to be the most stable and its saturated fat is actually healthy fat.
• The soft meat [buko] is turned into various delicacies [buco salad, nata de coco, etc.]
• Side products include coco sugar, coco-syrup, coco-jam, coco-candy, coco-bread, shredded coconut for cake topping,
• The polished shell has multi-purpose usage for the home–cooking utensil [sandok], ladle, scooper, savings container [alkansya], food container [bao], drinking cup, chandelier of coconut shells.
• The tree trunk may be used for housing materials.
• Its leaves come in handy for roof thatches, basket weaving, natural food-wrap.
• The husk [bunot] is used polishing floors or firewood for cooking.
• Dried coconut flesh or copra has been a major Philippine thriving industry for export.
• Scenic landscape —Philippine shorelines are lined with coconut trees, quite a scenic view for tropical beaches.The province of Quezon alone is “cocolandia” where you see nothing but mountains of coconuts, a lush visual sight creating a healthy environment.
• According to organic facts, [http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-oils/organic-coconut-oil/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil.html], “the health benefits of coconut oil include hair care, skin care, stress relief, maintaining cholesterol levels, weight loss, increased immunity, proper digestion and metabolism, relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV and cancer, dental care, and bone strength. These benefits of coconut oil can be attributed to the presence of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid, and its properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, soothing, etc”

What more could a Filipino ask!  All these from one perfectly-designed tree, a gift of the Creator to these 7100 tropical islands where no Filipino need starve! But let us not forget this article is not about the coconut tree but about the Biblical Tree of Life!  

For more information regarding how coconut milk is equivalent to breast milk [really!],  please check out this link: http://www.thealternativedaily.com/pages/coconutoil.php?AFFID=151114&subid=SLbreastmilk

Since there is no literal tree existing, what does it symbolize in the few verses where it appears?

Proverbs 11:30  The fruit of a righteous one is a tree of life, and a wise man acquires souls.[AST]

Please read the sequel:

• Revisit: The Tree of Life is the Torah -2