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Coconut Water Has Many Health Benefits By Dr. Al Sears
“What is it? Like, a machete?” My marketing manager C.S. knew I’d been hacking my way through the
jungles of Bali. “It’s called a Bali knife. It’s cooler than a machete. It’s like
half knife, half hatchet. It’s got a big thick blade and a heavy handle to
balance it out.” “How’d you get that home?” she joked. Of course, I just put it in my suitcase and checked it on the
plane. I’m sure glad I didn’t put it in my carry-on and forget I had it in
there. They’d probably still have me in Bali. My new colleague and friend Westi made a little presentation of
giving me the knife as a present on my last day there. I had remarked about how much I liked his Bali knife, and
complimented him on his skill in using it. The Balinese use them as all-purpose
tools, and Westi used it for everything. He even showed me this technique of making a drinking cup out of a
whole coconut. Everywhere I’ve traveled they have a different way of opening a
coconut, and his was the best I’ve ever seen. He shaved off a little piece of the coconut and set it aside. Then
he chopped a little V-shaped hole in that spot with his short, heavy Bali
knife. At one end of the hole, he chopped a slit, picked up the shaved piece
and bent it a little, then stuck it in there to make a spout. Voila! Drinking
cup. After we drank the water out of it, Westi cut the coconut in half
in two quick chops, then did something else I’d never seen before. He made a
spoon out of the shaving we had used as a spout. Then he used the sharp edge to
scoop out the delicious coconut jelly about as fast as I’ve ever seen it done. Here I was, struggling for years to cut open coconuts at my house
in Florida… and now I’ve got a Bali knife. I’ve managed not to cut myself too
badly using it in my yard, too. It’s great because I used to kind of spill the water all over the
place when I chopped open coconuts, but I’m getting the hang of my Bali knife.
Now I can drink coconut water right from the source. Coconut water comes from young, green coconuts, and it’s not just
for drinking. It’s also naturally sterile. In tropical countries where coconut
trees grow wild, they use a combination of coconut water and coconut oil to
heal skin injuries faster. Take a drink and you’ll be revitalized almost immediately. Within
five minutes you’ll feel a burst of energy, have clarity of mind and a sense of
well-being. One of the reasons is that coconut water can boost thyroid
function. Having your thyroid work efficiently is essential for boosting your
metabolism and energy production. Coconut water is also loaded with the electrolyte potassium. That
makes it a pretty good substitute after your workout for those sugary “sports
drinks.” If you don’t have coconut trees in your yard like I do, you can still get
coconut water. Many health food stores sell fresh coconuts now, and it’s fun to
learn how to cut them open yourself. All you have to do is make a hole and use
a straw. The raw, fresh water will always be the best tasting coconut water you
can get. The next best thing is pre-packaged, “virgin” or no sugar added
coconut water. There are quite a few companies selling it now, so it’s easy to
get at your local grocery store or health foods store. The three most popular brands are Vita Coco, Zico and O.N.E. They
all use Brazilian coconuts, which have a different but equally refreshing taste
compared with Southeast Asian coconuts like the ones I tried on Bali. All three brands have flavored versions of their coconut water, so
be sure to find the ones labeled 100% pure coconut water with nothing added.
You can find them in most grocery stores. Some others brands that are worth looking a little harder for are:
Avoid the ones that are “coconut juice” or “coconut drink” because
they are the ones that usually have added sugar and flavors. To Your Good Health,
Note: The good folks at the FTC
require me to disclose that I am an affiliate of the companies that |
“Did I tell you he gave me a knife?” 