There are maybe millions of people around the world who know about some of the incredible properties of coconut water. It is an important resource in the developing world and on small island communities. The ancient Indians called the coconut ‘the tree that gives what is essential to life’. It was a very perspicacious piece of naming.
The coconut is a hardy plant that can survive salty water and that goes from seed to full grown coconut palm in just 6 or 7 years. It then produces hundreds of coconuts a year. The plant continues to produce coconuts for another 70 odd years. The timber from the coconut is useful for many things including building and flooring.
When a coconut is young it is full of a clear liquid. This is coconut water. It is naturally sterile and so can be drunk straight from the husk. It is a valuable source of re-hydration, and amazingly enough it is a match with blood plasma and so can be used for emergency IV procedures.
Coconut water has seen something of a renaissance recently. This is because people are more health conscious nowadays and many people who work out regularly are aware of the failings of normal isotonic drinks. Coconut water is the isotonic drink par excellence: it is 99% fat free and low in carbs. At the same time it is rich in electrolytes such as potassium and magnesium. It is also very low in sugar compared to all other isotonic drinks. For this reason coconut water is the preferred re-hydration drink of many well known athletes.
It is not just limited to re-hydration. Coconut water contains lauric acid which is antimicrobial. It works to cleanse the digestive tract, fight off viral infection, stimulate the metabolism and improve the immune system One good way to avoid a cold, for example, is to drink coconut water every day.
Research is still on-going as to all the benefits of coconut water. The ancient Aryans of India got the ball rolling and no doubt scientists in our generation will keep the ball rolling. Coconut water is great for life.