Some residents in Tema have adjudged that coconut has many health benefits beyond its refreshment value as its nutritional content builds the body metabolism.

Coconut provides a nutritious source of food, juice milk and oil has become our main refreshment especially in the afternoon, scores of residents told the Ghana News Agency in an interview at Tema.

Explaining the main values of the coconut, some of the residents said the coconut oil contains healing properties for the human body and was a perfect oil for consumption.

“Coconut has a lot of benefits but I like to take the juice when I’m having diarrhoea, it cures diarrhoea within a short period of time,” Madam Grace Lawer stated.

“Coconut oil is good for hair treatment it softens the hair, I also mix it with other ingredients for rapid hair growth,” Mr Samuel Nyarko, a beautician explained.

Madam Cecilia Nartey, a tomato seller said, “I love to take coconut when fasting, I break my fast with coconut because I get juice and food at the same time; at times I don’t even eat again after breaking my fast it”.

“Whenever I lose appetite, I start my day with coconut, it boosts my appetite for food and I use the oil for my natural soap and it’s the best so far,” Madam Joyce Ansah, a trader said.

Mr Stephen Assam, a coconut seller who had been in the business for more than 15 years narrated that his coconut business started in Swedru in the Central Region, where I used to sell every vacation to support my finances.

He used to bring coconuts from Swedru to Tema every vacation to sell until he decided to permanently stay in Tema to sell.

He added that sales in Swedru was slow because the coconut was in abundance there, but was highly patronized in the Greater Accra Region.

On a good day, Mr Assam said he sells about 75 pieces of coconut explaining that people patronize coconut in the dry season more than that of the wet season.