Coconut water....'Natures Gatorade'

I love fresh coconut water and thought I'd share how very awesome it is.

Nutritionally the coconut is low in carbs, 99% fat free and lower in sugar than most fruit juices, including orange. It supplies 100% of our RDA of vitamin C and contains multiple B vitamins including niacin. It's high in chloride which helps promote hair, nail and skin health and has more potassium than a banana.
It's good for the skin, reduces blemishes and prevents chapped/dry skin. It helps heal burns, relieves rashes such as heat, chicken pox and measles. Relieves insect bites, stings, hives, exczema and dandruff.
It's EXCELLENT for your digestive system. It's an 'isotonic' beverage, which means it has the same electrolite balance as or blood, making it perfect for oral/system rehydration. The electrolite balance helps with headaches and hangovers and works better than 'sports drinks'. It's great for nausea and vomiting and given to babies with intestinal problems ie; colic. It also helps with malnurishment in 3rd world countries. It aids with digestion and breaks down kidney and gall stones. It's a urinary antiseptic and relieves UTI's. It's a diuretic so helps with pre-menstrual bloating and kills intestinal worms.
It detoxifies your liver and eases stress on you pancreas. With the help of the potassium it improves calcium absorption which helps with strong teeth and bones.
To me, the most amazing fact is that coconut water is considered a 'Universal Donor'. Since it's identical to our blood plasma it can be used for transfusions. During WWII soldiers were given emergency transfusions of coconut water as plasma. It's sterile, doesnt heat up in it's nice little shell and doesnt destroy red blood cells. How cool is that??
The 'water' is in the young green coconuts only and can be bought at your grocery or health food store. The box version is so-so and the canned version sucks ass, both defeat the purpose of 'fresh' anyway.
The coconut isnt a fruit and it's not even a nut, it's a seed! Even tho coconut allergies are few and far between in the US the FDA started labeling it as a tree nut, just in case??? Like dairy and nuts it's gotta be disclosed as such.
So, grab a knife and crack one open. Enjoy over a glass of ice or straight from the source, reducing your carbon footprint as well!!

ya but you still need to eat a lot of meat to get your protien!
second line.

Great stuff.

My brother swears by it. We found out about it a long time ago while fighting hangovers in Tuxpan, on a trip to Mexico. Wondrous hangover cure. Did a little research later and found out how good it is for you.

Can't sing its praises highly enough.

reply to post by Ong Bak


Now c'mon, You know better than that. Meat is only 1 source of protein. Soybeans are almost equal to meat in protein content. Legumes, nuts/seeds and grains. Fruits and veggies also contain protein. Of course some contain more than others. Recommended amount of protein a day is 50 grams,one cup of soybeans gives u almost 60% of Your RDA. Add other forms and ur set.
Dont get me wrong, I eat meat 3-5xs a week. I'm lucky enough to have fresh beef without the extra crap they put in em'. They're grass fed on a farm and live a pretty good life, as opposed to factory farming. They also butcher them on the spot. Is it completely ethical? IDK but it's better than most and it's what I choose for me and mine.
My point is that you know a person doesnt NEED to eat meat to get the protein they require. It's ur choice where u get it, meat or not.

Kim

Its true

Just the other day I mixed up coconut juice and flesh with fresh pineapple juice. It made me feel great!!!

One question. What's the application for these ailments?

It's good for the skin, reduces blemishes and prevents chapped/dry skin. It helps heal burns, relieves rashes such as heat, chicken pox and measles. Relieves insect bites, stings, hives, exczema and dandruff.

Is it still by ingestion or used as an ointment?

reply to post by Demetre


Butchering on the spot is about as good as eating fruit right off the tree in my opinion. I did have the chance when i was 16 to spend a summer in Barbados with my grandparents and consumed quite a bit of coconut since they had a tree in their backyard. They really did quench/replenish/refuel my body and they were very tasty of course.

Coconut butter cream saved my skin quite a bit out there too!

reply to post by OzWeatherman


Doesnt it taste great?! Not quite coco-nutty but def a nutty taste.

reply to post by intrepid

For rashes and stuff it's topical, straight from the source, no ointment..Now, u drink it for hair, nail benefits but can do either for skin benefits.

So the coconut "water" differs from the coconut "milk" which comes from a mature coconut?

Also, I've always thought coconut "milk" is full of fat and cholesterol?
So does this differ from the coconut "water", provided the "water" and "milk" are two different things.

Are they two different things?

Edit: I just realized I asked the same question three times.

[edit on 6/13/2010 by ladyinwaiting]

reply to post by ladyinwaiting


I think cocount milk is the flesh and juice of a coconut pureed. If you ever crack open a ripe cocuint, you will notice the juice is clear

We have two trees inside our house compound. Its very good during summer. This is not enough sometimes. So we buy outside as well. Its very refreshing. By the way i'm from a 3rd world country as the OP mentioned.
As well the fruit obtained from asian palmyra palm is also good. It has medicinal uses as well and used to prepare alcoholic yet healthy beverages. Non alcoholic version is also there. We have about 250 trees in our farm back in my native place. We take some fruits to our living place during summer. Its very nice to eat and contains fiber as well.

en.wikipedia.org...

Both these are famous in my country for more demand during summer.

reply to post by OzWeatherman


Okay. I'm thinking I'll pick up one at the grocery, but I've never seen any green ones. Just the brown "hairy" ones. Wanted to make sure it's the same stuff the OP is talking about.

My grandmother used to buy the fresh ones to grate and put on cakes.
I remember drinking the juice, and loving it.

Originally posted by ladyinwaiting
So the coconut "water" differs from the coconut "milk" which comes from a mature coconut?

Also, I've always thought coconut "milk" is full of fat and cholesterol?
So does this differ from the coconut "water", provided the "water" and "milk" are two different things.

Are they two different things?

Edit: I just realized I asked the same question three times.

[edit on 6/13/2010 by ladyinwaiting]

Yes they are different. Coconut water is found just by opening the nut whereas cream got to be prepared from the flesh mincing and stuff.

www.ehow.com...

Click to see the benefits of coconut cream.

reply to post by Demetre


good thread! I had no idea coconut water has so many health benefits, and I drink a fair amount of it. Didn't know about using it as a topical treatment for skin ailments either. Thanks for the info

reply to post by ladyinwaiting


The green coconuts are those with the husk still on that haven't fully matured yet. If you get the "little hairy" coconut at the store and you can hear water inside by shaking it, that's coconut water.

Coconut milk is made by shredding coconut meat, with water and pressing the "milk" (fats and such) through cheesecloth or very fine seive out of the mash; usually more mature coconuts are used -- those that the husks are yellow/brown.

Coconut oil can be made from the milk by boiling it until water is boiled out and only the oil remains -- takes many coconuts.

reply to post by ladyinwaiting


Yeah, ozweatherman is right, the milk and flesh make up the coconut milk. Its actualy pretty healthy. It contains 'lauric acid' which is found in breast milk that boosts babies immune system. It produces antimicrobials and antiviral properties. I read somewhere that it was a claim that its unhealthy by food processing plants to push hydrogenated oils.

The un peeled coconut is green. In the stores it's usually peeled for u. It's a 'beige-ish' color and 'pointy' on the ends. It's wrapped in shrink wrap. As the coconut gets older it loses its water. The waters replaced by thicker meat and air. Gotta get the baby ones for the full benefits, besides, there's more water in they younger ones.

I think that's why on one of suvivorman's shows, all he did was eat coconuts when he couldn't get any fish. He used the young coconuts for the water, and the older coconuts for the meat, which he removed the shell and ate like an apple. After wards, he used the shells to steam clams and snails in! What a great food, and if nature didn't know it was such a treasure, she wouldn't make coconuts grow in only certain parts of the world and so hard to reach! Those trees are so scary looking to climb!

Yummmm! Ive gotta try that! I saved up $$$ and went yo Costa Rica and ate fresh pineapple, it was white?? Fresh pineapple is white....damn u Dole, lol. Who knew?
Yeah, fresh anything is good, taste and nutrient wise.
reply to post by RaymaNcouldbe

This has inspired me. Me and my mother are both on diuretics for cardiac issues and as a result it is a continual struggle to maintain healthy levels of electrolytes and hydration. We also need more fruit in our diets. I'm going to go buy some young coconuts today and see if we enjoy the water within. Thanks for the information and inspiration. Good, healthful ideas are always appreciated!