Coconuts have always been a big part of my diet and life growing up. My mother would make curry and desserts using coconut milk. And when we were kids, my father would bring us young coconuts as a treat. We would all gather around and watch him try to find the “eye” and then stick a straw into it. Then when were done, he would crack it open so we could enjoy the meat inside. The white meats were soft and nutty and we would scoop it out with a spoon. The coconut water is really the best drink I’ve ever had.
Now that I’m older, I get to have coconut water anytime. Usually when I am at the Asian market. They are not expensive at all, prices ranging from 99 cents to $1.50. So every time I drink the juice, it brings me back to my happy childhood. The drinks are really nature’s soft drink.
At caloriecount.com, they gave coconut water a nutrional analysis and it got an A! The water has no cholestrol and contains natural sugars and salt. Coconut water is high in many vitamins and minerals, especially potassium. The most important nutrient found in coconut water or milk is lauric acid. Lauric acid is believed to have antimicrobial properties and is found naturally in mother’s milk, cow milk, and goat milk.
Pictured here is of “Melissa’s Fresh Young Coconuts” sold thru Amazon.com, they are very pricey!
A friend of mine said his father (the physicist) used to work with Dr. Mary Enig. She even sent him a signed copy of her new book- Know Your Fats. I have yet to read the book, but I know just where to find it. Dr. Enig has classified coconuts as a “functional food,” which provides health benefits over and beyond the basic nutrients. She has specifically identified lauric acid as a key ingredient in coconut products. Read the rest of this entry »
