Coconut water

I see more and more about coconut water lately and I felt compelled to write about it. A coconut (not a nut) is the world's largest seed. Hundreds of people die each year from falling coconuts. But on the flip side, a coconut is one of the most amazing foods. Coconut water has similar properties to human blood and has been used for plasma transfusions on the battle field as it is nearly identical in property. It has been gaining popularity because it is a natural electrolyte-dense liquid. After a workout it is about the best thing you can drink. Its levels of sugars, salts and vitamins, potassium make it just about the perfect liquid.

Brands like Vita Coco, Zico, O.N.E. Coconut Water, etc. Vita Coco alone sold $20 million in coconut water last year. But let's be clear -- you need to drink coconut water from a coconut. The moment that coconut water is exposed to air, it quickly begins to lose its nutritional benefits. Even worse, most companies pasteurize their products to improve shelf-life -- which amounts to heating the products to high degrees and can also significantly reduce health benefits. Some companies now use a cold sterilization process, but this only helps with the problems of pasteurization, and not with oxygenation.

People are very intimated to try and access coconut water through a coconut. It is not all that tough and the benefits are worth the trouble. Look for the white coconuts in grocery stores. These are called Thai coconuts or young coconuts, and will have a cone shape, somewhat soft to the touch. Avoid the hard, brown, totally round coconuts. Young cocunuts should cost in the neighborhood of $1.50/$2.00 each. They will keep for a bit in the fridge but I find that they don't last all that long. It takes a decent amount of force to penetrate the inner shell of the coconut. Once you do this once or twice it will be easy but it is intimidating and potentially dangerous.

I open coconuts pretty much the old fashioned way -- I place it on the counter, flat side down, put my left arm far away from the coconut (or a good way to do this is to put your left arm behind your back), take the largest, thickest knife I own and use it like a hatchet using the force of the knife swinging down to break through. You won't see anything happen exactly, but turn the coconut so that when you do this a few times you connect the lines from your knife around the top of the coconut. You can do this fairly high up on the cone. Then, carefully, stick the corner of your knife into one of the cuts you made and try to pierce through (if this doesn't work on that cut try another as some will be deeper than others). Then continue to wedge the knife in as you lever it up to pop open the coconut. You can then insert a straw or pour it into a glass.

There are other ways people open coconuts that are safer, and more creative (such as using a screwdriver and a hammer), but I find this old fashioned way pretty easy once you get it once. Just be sure to keep your other hand way out of the way. If you hold the coconut when you do this, for instance, you are asking to lose a finger.

There is a small amount of meat inside the coconut. This effortlessly scrapes off with a spoon -- you don't need to open it any more to access the meat. Enjoy, and be careful!