Coconut water

"Coconut juice" redirects here. For the song, see Coconut Juice (song).

Young coconut, ready to drink as done in Singapore

Young coconut, prepared for commercial distribution

Coconut water is the clear liquid inside young coconuts (fruits of the coconut palm), not to be confused with coconut milk. As the fruit matures, the coconut water gradually is replaced by the coconut meat and air. A very young coconut has very little meat, and the meat is very tender, almost a gel. Coconut water has long been a popular drink in the tropics, especially in Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands like Hawaii and the Caribbean, where it is available fresh, canned or bottled. It is naturally fat-free and low in food energy (16.7 calories or 70 kilojoules per 100 grams).

Coconuts for drinking are carefully packaged and sold in many places. These are typically Asian coconuts whose outer green husk has been removed, and the remainder wrapped in plastic. In Central America, particularly in Costa Rica and Panama, it is found and sold in strategic highway stops or on the beaches; there, the coconut water is called "agua de pipa", and the coconut is cut in front of the customer to ensure its freshness. In Brazil, coconut water is called "água de coco," and is the second best-selling juice after orange juice. Coconut water can also be found in ordinary cans or tetra paks (and often has coconut pulp or coconut jelly added) and is also marketed as a sports drink because of its high potassium and mineral content. In fact one cup-full of coconut water contains more electrolytes than most sports drinks and more potassium than a banana.

While people prefer different flavors of coconut water, generally a green coconut with some age spots is the most popular. Coconuts from various parts of the world also differ in taste. For example, Indian coconuts tend to be sweet while Brazilian coconuts have a bland taste and Bangladeshi coconuts (due to the soil composition) have extremely sweet water and flesh with a very slight salty aftertaste similar to the Indian.

Coconut water is also used as an intravenous fluid in some developing countries where medical saline is unavailable.

Once exposed to air, coconut water rapidly loses most of its organoleptic and nutritional characteristic, so to ensure freshness it is best to drink coconut water right from the young coconut, or in a bottled form.

- 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 blood 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 through Coconut IV.

- 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.

According to 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!"

Recent studies have shown the considerable health benefits of Coconuts, almost becoming a "super food" Coconut based diets result in lower risk of heart disease.

Composition of coconut water	%
Water	95.5
Nitrogen	0.05
Phosphoric acid	0.56
Potassium	0.25
Calcium oxide	0.69
Magnesium oxide	0.59
	mg/100g
Iron	0.5
Total solids	4.71
Reducing sugars	0.80
Total sugars	2.08
Ash	0.62
Source: Pandalai, K. M. (1958). Coconut water and its uses. Coconut Bull. 12, No. 5, 167-173.

Harvesting

Green Coconut Vendor in Delhi, India in summer

Fresh coconuts for drinking are typically harvested off the tree while they are green. A hole may be bored into the coconut to provide access to the liquid and meat. In young coconuts the liquid and air may be under some pressure and may spray slightly when the inner husk is first penetrated. Coconuts that have fallen to the ground are susceptible to rot and damage from insects or animals.

See also

• Coconut cream
• Coconut milk

References

• Campbell-Falck D, Thomas T, Falck TM, Tutuo N, Clem K (2000). The intravenous use of coconut water. Am. J. Emerg. Med. 18 (1): 108-11. PMID 10674546.
• Ranti IS, Kwee TIEN BOH, Thio IN LIANG, Tan ENG HOEY (1965). Coconut water for intravenous fluid therapy. Paediatr Indones. 5 (3): Suppl: 782-92. PMID 5873766.
• Georg A. Petroianu, Melita Kosanovic, Ibrahim Saad Shehatta, Bahaa Mahgoub, Ayman Saleh, Wolfgang H. Maleck (2004). Green coconut water for intravenous use: Trace and minor element content. Journal of Trace Elements in Experimental Medicine 17 (4): 273-82. PMID 14824551.C