I have been receiving many questions about coconut water so I thought it would be good to post this article again about the health benefits.  There are so many amazing super foods on the market right now.  The water from Young Thai Coconuts  is one of these amazing power houses of nutrition and unfortunately gets overlooked too often.  I knew from experience that coconut water was great for digestion, constipation and high in electrolytes, but once I dug deep into scientific studies and research, I found how healing this food truly was. 

Coconut water got me through my 1^st trimester of pregnancy because it helped assuage my nauseousness.   When my son started eating solid foods and consequently would get constipated, I decided to give him the coconut water in his cereal and even mixed in the young coconut meat (I first pureed it).  It really worked for him and he absolutely loved it.  Now that he is weaning himself from nursing, I created a formula for him with goat milk, coconut water, hemp milk and Kidz Superfood (I add the powder twice daily).  He thrives on this combo and gets so excited every time I make him his bottle.  Watching my son drink an entire young coconut over a 48 hour time period made me wonder how many other health benefits young coconuts possess.  There are days where 70% of his daily intake is my homemade “formula”, by his choice, and he has great energy and focus.  Plus, he has not had even a cold since he was a little baby.

Let me share with you some of coconut water’s (and the meats) amazing properties:

·         Coconut water is the only universal donor!  The water has the same electrolyte balance as our blood.  Back in WWII coconut water saved thousands of lives. Any wounded soldier needing a blood transfusion received a coconut water IV.  Yep that’s right, the coconut water is naturally distilled and was placed straight into their body through an IV.  Even today in 3^rd world countries, coconut water is used as a universal blood and has saved thousands more lives.

·         Coconut water is the new sport drink!  Since coconut water mirrors blood so well, it should be drank in place of the sugar and chemical-laden sport drinks.  Coconut water is very high in the 5 essential electrolytes potassium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus and calcium.  No sport drink on the market comes close to the electrolyte balance in coconut water.  It has over 10 times more of each electrolyte than commercial sport drinks.  Young coconuts even have 3 times more potassium than bananas.

·         Coconut water is great for the digestive tract.  Whether you have constipation, bloating, upset tummy, acid reflux or a hard time digesting a meal, coconut water is one of the best aids to that entire area, loaded with raw enzymes.

·         Coconut water is an amazing cleanser.  Whether you need to cleanse your colon, bowels, blood, kidneys and other organs, coconut water is great for everything.

·         Creates healthy, moisturized skin.  The oil is the best moisturizer for the skin and hair – does not clog the pores (I use it on my face and body daily and it is great for baby eczema)

·         Great for regulating blood pressure.

·         Extremely alkaline and can help alkalize the body.

·         For those watching their weight, coconut water is the beverage of choice because it is very low in calories, essentially fat free, has only 5mg of sugar, and helps digest heavy foods.  In 1 cup of coconut water, there are about 45 calories, 2 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber and .5 grams of fat.

·         High in trace minerals and B vitamins

·         More nutritious than whole cow’s milk and the minerals are much more easily absorbed.

·         Beneficial to pregnant women : Helps alleviate nauseousness, vomiting, mild laxative for common pregnancy constipation, and very nutritious.

·         Beneficial to nursing moms: Creates healthy lactation.  Coconut water is the only other food besides breast milk that contains Lauric Acid – the main fatty acid in breast milk.  Therefore coconut water is much healthier than processed formula from a can.

·         In most Asian cultures, coconut water is the first liquid, besides breast milk, that is given to babies for the nutrients and the meat is pureed and offered as the baby’s first food – easiest to digest, loaded with enzymes and packed with protein, lauric acid and minerals.

·         Cools the body and keeps it very hydrated.  That’s why coconut water is such a great drink for athletes!

I think that we could all benefit from this amazing food.  You can either buy the coconuts fresh (usually called Young Thai Coconuts) and cut them yourself (ideally drink the water within 24-48 hours), or there are a few companies that sell fresh/frozen coconut water to health food stores. 

Also, I know there are claims out there that young coconuts are sprayed with formaldehyde and dipped into strong pesticides/herbicides.  This is partially correct.  I have spent hours and hours researching this topic and found that yes, young coconuts have to be dipped in these pesticide/herbicide chemicals when being shipped from Thailand and have to travel far distances – otherwise the coconut would go bad almost immediately.  The good news is that I have found reports where labs, including Michelson Labs, have tested the coconuts and found that none of the chemicals can penetrate into the coconut water or meat – fortunately the outer husk and hard shell is enough to prevent the chemicals from entering.  The labs also showed that randomly tested coconuts from Whole Foods, health stores and Asian markets showed no signs of formatdehyde anywhere on the coconut.  My recommendation is to keep the plastic wrap on the outside and never remove it so you don’t have to touch the chemicals on the husk.

MATT AMSDEN CEO and author of RAWvolution: Gourmet Living Cuisine posted their experience with working with Michelson Labs and coconut testing: http://www.giveittomeraw.com/profiles/blogs/1407416:BlogPost:431900

References:

1.     The Coconut Industry Board reports

2.     Rawna LLC

3.     Book by  Dr. Vermen M Verallo-Rowell MD

Related posts:

1. How to make Raw Young Coconut Milk
2. Top 7 Coconut Products in the Market
3. Raw Coconut pudding, Almond Cream & Cashew Pudding!
4. Baby Got Backed Up
5. Get Healthier & Leaner with Alkaline Foods & Water