Coconut Water/Coconut Juice

[Lola007]

More news about the benefits of coconut water!

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1990805,00.html

[EDIT: if clicking on the link above doesn't work, you may have to copy and paste the link into your browser. The article appears in the latest issue of Time, the one featuring the Facebook story.]

Besides helping relieve hangovers, the article also says that in emergency situations, coconut water is used in IVs to replenish fluids. This is starting to sound like that old Saturday Night Live skit, "It's a floor wax, it's a beverage, it's a...." (I forget the name of the product). Anyway, I'm thinking up ways to use coconut water in cocktails (pre-hangover use).

[Choirgirl21]

Sweet, let us know what you come up wtih cocktail wise. I love the stuff for hangovers or just when I'm feeling dehydrated. I particularly like the mango flavored one.

[SeanMike]

I have a drink using coconut water I came up with last summer:

http://scofflawsden.com/blog/2009/06/25/morgenthaler/

[Lola007]

I have a drink using coconut water I came up with last summer:

http://scofflawsden.com/blog/2009/06/25/morgenthaler/

Cachaca, blue curacao... that drink looks amazing! Calgon, take me away!

I haven't made anything with coconut water as sophisticated or attractive as that yet. So far, I've made a kind of pina colada on the rocks with it. It was OK, but not as good as the frozen version.

[SeanMike]

Gina Chersevani has a coconut water drink on her menu at PS7. It's called the Curried Away and features coconut water, Bluecoat gin, red Thai curry, lime, and mint. It's one of her "under 100 calorie" drinks and is really quite delicious and refreshing.

[Joe Riley]

I've just purchased some coconut water, a brand called Vita Coco. It's imported from Brazil, and the package claims to only contain 100% coconut water.

It sound frightfully healthy:

Coconut water contains high levels of lauric acid, what the body uses to make monolaurin, a disease-fighting fatty acid derivative. Lauric acid has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties that protect the body against various infections and boost the immune system.

My friend Ed Hamilton has recently mentioned that he likes a brand called Amy & Brian's Natural Coconut Juice, which also sounds like a no-brainer from a health perspective:

Amy & Brian Coconut Juice is a natural isotonic beverage that is high in potassium and other electrolytes. Great for any active lifestyle, it is an effective rehydration beverage for before, during or after exercise. Made from the water of young coconuts, Amy & Brian Coconut Juice doesn’t contain the added sugar or artificial additives found in other sports drinks.

Coconut juice is nature’s sports drink. In addition to tasting great, coconut juice is the healthy choice. It has more potassium per equivalent serving than a banana, is lower in natural sugar & calories than most fruit juices including grapefruit and has 10% of the sodium found in tomato juice. It absorbs into the body quickly because it resembles plasma in its salt concentration.

So, why aren't we all drinking these things?

[Tweaked]

In India, road side stands will be piled with coconuts and a dude with a machete...a couple whacks takes off the top of the coconut and fresh coconut water is yours, very refreshing!

[Josh Radigan]

I've just purchased some coconut water, a brand called Vita Coco. It's imported from Brazil, and the package claims to only contain 100% coconut water.

It sound frightfully healthy:

My friend Ed Hamilton has recently mentioned that he likes a brand called Amy & Brian's Natural Coconut Juice, which also sounds like a no-brainer from a health perspective:

So, why aren't we all drinking these things?

supposedly Coconut water is natures' sports drink. I went to Whole Foods in search of sodium tablets to combate leg cramps for an upcoming triathlon, and wa stold to drink coconut water. I treid and granted the flavor was soemwhat blech, i didn't really notice much of a change. Some friends of mine are runners that swear by the product. I can only assume that with fall/winetr approaching it will go in hiding and reappear in the Spring.

[DonRocks]

My friend Ed Hamilton has recently mentioned that he likes a brand called Amy & Brian's Natural Coconut Juice, which also sounds like a no-brainer from a health perspective

I had Amy & Brian's earlier this week, and don't like it. I think the coconut is from Thailand, and although the ingredients themselves said something like "young coconut juice" and nothing else, it has, for whatever reason, almost double the calories of O.N.E. (which is my current favorite (*)), and also a grape juice-like flavor that doesn't appeal to me (perhaps because it's "young" coconut?). These cans are $1.99 at the Falls Church Whole Foods, and I'm willing to bet they could be found in an Asian grocery for much less money.

(*) Note: I've also tried two of the flavored versions of O.N.E., and detest them - you can't even taste the coconut water.

supposedly Coconut water is natures' sports drink. I went to Whole Foods in search of sodium tablets to combate leg cramps for an upcoming triathlon, and wa stold to drink coconut water. I treid and granted the flavor was soemwhat blech, i didn't really notice much of a change. Some friends of mine are runners that swear by the product. I can only assume that with fall/winetr approaching it will go in hiding and reappear in the Spring.

Although it's a paid endorsement, John Isner claims Vita-Coco (which is not my favorite) helped him through his Wimbledon marathon.

Cheers,

Rocks

[goodeats]

I think the coconut is from Thailand, and although the ingredients themselves said something like "young coconut juice" and nothing else, it has, for whatever reason, almost double the calories of O.N.E. (which is my current favorite (*)), and also a grape juice-like flavor that doesn't appeal to me (perhaps because it's "young" coconut?).

That's a bit odd, in the sense that based on what I've read, the young ones average about 140-180 calories per coconut, while the more mature ones average 200 calories per coconut (something about saturation/fats increases the calorie count).

[DonRocks]

That's a bit odd, in the sense that based on what I've read, the young ones average about 140-180 calories per coconut, while the more mature ones average 200 calories per coconut (something about saturation/fats increases the calorie count).

Maybe the mature ones are bigger?

Speaking of which: Mr. and Mrs. Bigger had a baby. Between the three of them, who was bigger?

The baby was a little Bigger.

Sorry, my mom was a first-grade teacher and that was in one of her joke books.

[SeanMike]

Actually, there's an article on Consumerist ( http://consumerist.com/2010/08/is-coconut-water-really-better-than-gatorade.html ) about using it as a sports drink. Interesting notes on potassium versus sodium.

[Rhone1998]

I had Amy & Brian's earlier this week, and don't like it. I think the coconut is from Thailand, and although the ingredients themselves said something like "young coconut juice" and nothing else, it has, for whatever reason, almost double the calories of O.N.E.

Could the difference in calories be because of the difference in the amount of solid coconut bits in there? Or was it just juice?

[DonRocks]

Could the difference in calories be because of the difference in the amount of solid coconut bits in there? Or was it just juice?

According to their nutritionals, both the "with pulp" and the "pulp free" versions have the same number of calories.

[agm]

There are several brands out there marketing to the health food crowd and the fitness crowd. The ones I've tried are expensive, and often "flavored" with some pretty nasty tasting stuff. Or you can spend 99 cents a can for Goya's version - sold mostly to people who have been drinking the stuff for generations. They have two versions, one with pure coconut water, the second with a little sugar and some pulp added, in very similar packaging so check carefully. Any store with a decent selection of Goya products should have it.

[jigones]

According to their nutritionals, both the "with pulp" and the "pulp free" versions have the same number of calories.

Strange...To my understanding coconuts pieces would also have oils in them (unless extracted) which would lend itself higher calories (though good ones), so it would make sense. Great discussion. I love coconut water. Question is whether the pulp is really pulp? After auditing a certain food company I learned that there are a lot of artificial ingredients that can look, feel and taste natural.

[goodeats]

Question is whether the pulp is really pulp?

Well, if it's a young coconut, I imagine the "pulp" is the coconut gel that has not turned into the white coconut meat we're accustomed to. But this is just a guess, not having purchased one of these drinks before. (did have a fresh one from the tree before though.)