Coconut Water Information

[Guest guest]

Coconut Water Information

complied by John Kohler

 

The English name coconut, first mentioned in English print in 1555,

comes from Spanish and Portugese word coco, which means " monkey face. "

Spanish and Portugese explorers found a resemblance to a monkey's face

in the three round indented markings or " eyes " found at the base of

the coconut. On the Nicobar Islands of the Indian Ocean, whole

coconuts were used as currency for the purchace of goods until the

early part of the twentieth century.

 

Coconuts are the fruit of the coconut palm, botanically known as cocos

nucifera, with nucifera meaning " nut-bearing. " 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. The light, fibrous husk allowed it to easily drift on the

oceans to other areas to propagate. In Sanskrit, the coconut palm is

known as kalpa vriksha, meaning " tree which gives all that is

necessary for living, " since nearly all parts of the tree can be used

in some manner or another. The coconut itself has many food uses,

including milk, meat, sugar and oil as well as functioning as its own

dish and cup. The husk was also burned for fuel by natives, but today

a seed fibre called coir is taken from the husk and used to make

brushes, mats, fishnets, and rope. A very potent fermented toddy or

drink is also made from the coconut palm's sap. Coconut oil, a

saturated fat made from dried coconut meat, is used for commercial

frying and in candies and margarines, as well as in non-edible

products such as soaps and cosmetics.

 

Although it takes up to a year for coconuts to mature, the trees bloom

up to thirteen times a year, so fruit is constantly forming yielding a

continuous harvest year-round. An average harvest from one tree runs

about 60 coconuts, with some trees yielding three times that amount.

The coconut's name is a bit of a misnomer, since it is botanically

classified as a drupe and not a nut. It is the largest seed known.

 

If you've ever opened a fresh coconut, you will have seen the thin,

opaque almost clear coconut juice or water which has a slight almond

flavor. Contrary to popular belief, this is not the coconut milk.

However, the water is consumed as a drink fresh from the coconut by

many, and it can also be used in recipes.

 

Here is some information about Coconut Water:

 

" It's a natural isotonic beverage, with the same level of electrolytic

balance as we have in our blood. It's the fluid of life, so to speak. "

In fact, during the Pacific War of 1941-45, both sides in the conflict

regularly used coconut water - siphoned directly from the nut - to

give emergency plasma trasfusions to wounded soldiers.

 

Most coconut water is still consumed fresh in tropical coastal areas -

once exposed to air, the liquid rapidly loses most of its organoleptic

and nutritional characteristics, and begins to ferment.

 

* Coconut Water is More Nutritious than whole milk - Less fat and

NO cholesterol!

* Coconut Water is More Healthy than Orange Juice - Much lower

calories

* Coconut Water is Better than processed baby milk- It contains

lauric acid, which is present in human mother's milk

* Coconut water is naturally sterile -- Water permeates though the

filtering husk!

* Coconut water is a universal donor-- Its identical to human

blook plasma

* Coconut Water is a Natural Isotonic Beverage - The same level we

have in our blood.

* Coconut water has saved lives in 3rd world countries thru

Coconut IV.

 

" 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! " , according to Mortin Satin,

Chielf of the United Nation's Food & Agriculture Organization.

 

Coconut water contains more potassium (at about 294 mg) than most

sports drinks (117 mg) and most energy drinks.

 

Coconut water has less sodium (25mg) where sports drinks have around

41mg and energy drinks have about 200 mg!

 

Coconut water has 5mg of Natural Sugars where sports and energy drinks

range from 10-25mg of Altered Sugars.

 

Coconut water is very high in Chloride at 118mg, compared to sports

drinks at about 39mg.

 

Data is based on a 100ml drink.