According to Mortin Satin, Chief of the United Nation's Food & Agriculture Organization."Coconut water is the very stuff of Nature, biologically pure, full of natural sugars, salts, and vitamins to ward off fatigue... and is the next wave of energy drinks BUT natural!"
Coconuts are the fruit of the coconut palm. The fruit-bearing palms are native to Malaysia, Polynesia and southern Asia, and are now also prolific in South America, India, the Pacific Islands, Hawaii and Florida. Spanish and Portuguese explorers found a resemblance to a monkey's face in the three round indented markings or "eyes" found at the base of the coconut, and so named the new fruit coco, which means "monkey face." In Sanskrit, the coconut palm is known as kalpa vriksha, meaning "tree which gives all that is necessary for living,"
The coconut itself has many food uses, including milk, meat, sugar and oil as well as functioning as its own dish and cup. Nearly all parts of the tree can be used in some manner or another. On the Nicobar Islands of the Indian Ocean, whole coconuts were used as currency for the purchase of goods until the early part of the twentieth century.
Young coconuts have also been exceedingly revered for their medicinal qualities for heart, liver and kidney disorders. During the Pacific War of 1941-1945, both sides in the conflict regularly used coconut water - siphoned directly from the nut - to give emergency plasma transfusions to wounded soldiers. Coconut water is identical to human blood plasma and a universal donor.
Young coconut water is also consumed as a drink fresh from the coconut. Water permeates though the filtering husk making naturally sterile coconut water. Coconut Water is a natural isotonic beverage. It is more nutritious than whole milk with less fat and NO cholesterol. Coconut Water is more nutritious than processed baby formula. It contains lauric acid, which is present in human mother's milk. Coconut water is more nutritious than orange juice and contains fewer calories.
Coconut water contains more potassium (at about 294 mg) than most sports drinks (117 mg). Coconut water contains 5mg of natural sugars where sports and energy drinks range from 10-25mg of altered sugars.
Coconut water must be consumed very fresh. Once exposed to air, the liquid rapidly loses most of its nutritional characteristics, and begins to ferment.
Young coconuts are available at Asian and Mexican Markets and health food stores. Organic young coconuts can be ordered from websites such as www.RawGuru.com and www.GeneFitNutrition.com
by Luvli Lotus