I became a huge fan of coconut water when I lived in the Philippines, where this juice of the young coconut is called “buko.”
Street vendors expertly hacked away the thick green coconut husk with machetes, exposing the tender inner flesh that surrounds the delectable and healthy water. They’d plunk the balloon-like flesh into a plastic baggie, puncture it with a straw and – voila! —I’d walk away with some of the healthiest and tastiest street food in the world.
It’s not thick like the coconut milk sold in cans in grocery stores, coconut water is light, only faintly sweet and very refreshing in hot climates and it’s now widely available pasteurized and sold in containers in the U.S. and Europe.
But coconut water is far more than a refreshing drink. In addition to its low calories (46 calories per cup), it’s naturally fat and cholesterol-free and contains a wealth of potassium, the health benefits of coconut water are substantial.
For starters, the coconut water taken straight from the young nut is sterile and a perfect balance of electrolytes that equals the content of human plasma. I actually witnessed jungle doctors tapping a coconut and infusing coconut water intravenously directly into patients who had been wounded or were dehydrated.
Coconut water is a widespread treatment for chronic diarrhea in many tropical countries for its ability to replace the fluid loss from the gastrointestinal tract and reduce the need for intravenous therapy.
Recent research shows coconut water is more effective than prescription drugs for treating urinary tract infections without side effects of pharmaceuticals, including nerve damage.
It is an excellent source of digestive enzymes, including acid phosphatase, catalase, dehydrogenase, diastase, peroxidase, RNA-polymerase that assist in digestion.
In addition to its wealth of potassium, coconut water is an excellent source of iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc and manganese.
It is also a very good source of B-complex vitamins: riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pyridoxine, and folates necessary for energy production, mood elevation, memory, stress relief and many other body functions.
The health benefits of coconut water may go even deeper: Some studies suggest that plant hormones called cytokinins in coconut water have significant anti-aging, anti-cancer and anti-clotting effects.
Beware—you know there is always something to look out for: Some packaged coconut water has added sugar and some flavored versions have unreasonable amounts of sugar. If you are a regular reader, you know that sugar is poison to your body. If you’re not, got to my blog and read some of my many posts about sugar.
Unsweetened coconut water will have a reasonable 7 grams of natural fruit sugar per cup.
“buko.”
