Cuckoo for Coconuts

Since my pruning episode last week (the one in which I LOOKED like a prune…not a reference to any gardening prowess, unfortunately!), I realized that I need to really focus on hydration, hydration, hydration (ideally not by being hooked up to an IV 24/7!).

In my pre-FBC life, whenever I would go for a long run, hike or tennis marathon (ahhhh, those were the days!), I always put coconut water in my water bottle.  It helped me stay hydrated and buzz’d me up.

Well, I thought to myself, FBC is a different kind of marathon and required just as much hydration and buzzing. So, back to the Coconut Water!

In addition to being one of the best (and most delish!) drinks to hydrate the body, coconut water has gobs and gobs of health benefits (Silver Lining):

• Helps carry nutrients and oxygen to cells and boost poor circulation.
• Regulates the function of the intestine, including relief of constipation (HUGE SL to my current plumbing issues!)
• Helps keep the body cool and at the proper temperature.
• Promotes smooth skin because it contains cytokinins; a plant hormone that keeps skin cells from aging.
• Helps replenish the body’s fluids after exercising.
• Helps detoxify the body and boost the immune system with amazing anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties.
• Boosts electrolyte count because it is rich in potassium, magnesium and vitamin C.
• Pumps without plumping because it is virtually fat free and low in sugar and carbohydrates. It is also known to help speed up the metabolism and assist in weight loss.
• Coconut water has no known side effects. It is safe for children, pregnant women and women who are breast-feeding to consume.

A fun little fact:  although it takes up to a year for coconuts to mature, the trees bloom up to thirteen times a year, so fruit is constantly forming yielding a continuous harvest year-round. An average harvest from one tree runs about 60 coconuts, with some trees yielding three times that amount. Amazing, huh?

Also, the coconut’s name is a bit of a misnomer, since it is botanically classified as a drupe (a fruit in which an outer fleshy part surrounds a shell or hardened endocarp with a seed inside) and not a nut. It is the largest seed known.

So, this week, I went back to drinking coconut water everyday. Hope you enjoy both the taste and the health benefits of drinking coconut water (Silver Lining!). Cheers!

There is sweet water inside a tender coconut.  Who poured the water inside the coconut?  Was it the work of any man? No. Only the Divine can do such a thing.

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Sri Sathya Sai Baba