Drink Fresh Coconut Water For Unexpected Benefits (Hint: Save a Monkey From Slavery)

Nature’s Gatorade

Why it’s good to drink fresh coconut water:

1. Save the islands by keeping containers and plastic bottles out of our limited landfills and oceans
2. Support local farmers – Vita Coco and Zico are manufactured by Pepsi and Coke!
3. Improve your skin tone and look younger by drinking coconut water or using as an astringent
4. Quench your thirst naturally and avoid chemicals in Gatorade drinks
5. To not only be hip because you’re drinking coconut water, but because you’re saving the planet
6. To avoid commercial coconut water, which is usually from concentrate and mixed with flavors and sweeteners. The ones that say “pure coconut water” are usually heat pasteurized, which kill basically all the good stuff.
7. Cure your hangover
8. Lower your blood pressure
9. Replenish your electrolytes and up your level of trans-zeatins (whatever that is, I’m sure we need more)
10. Save a monkey from slavery – most coconuts come from Thailand and are picked by monkeys who live in shackles

The Indispensable Coconut Opener

How to Open a Coconut

What you need:

• green coconuts
• a coconut opener
• some straws

 
Opener / coco knife:

Purchase at Mana Foods in Paia or Goin Left in Lahaina, or online at Amazon. About $20. Anyone can open a coconut with this knife – it is much easier than uncorking a bottle of wine.

Directions:

Step 1: Take the top notch off with the coco knife
Step 2: Make a puka (hole) right at the piko (belly button) of the nut
Step 3: Carve out a small wedge, twisting the coco knife as you do
Step 4: Put a straw in da puka
Step 5: Enjoy da kine!

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Where to Find Them

Collecting coconuts: green ones are the best since as they become yellow or brown, the nut gets hard and requires a machete to open. The greener the nut, the fresher and almost tangier the flavor. The yellower ones are more nutty flavored.

If you are staying in a hotel or condo: you can buy green coconuts at the farmers market or supermarkets for $2 – $4 each.

If you are staying here for a while: make friends with your gardeners and ask if they can drop off some cocos for you – they usually ask $2 per coco, which if fair as it is hard work getting them down. They will ususally drop a few off on your doorstep after a while if you give them a tip. Keep your eyes open for coconut palm trimmers as you are driving around the island; often you can stop and pile a few up in the car for free. Store one or two in the fridge and replace them each time you take one out.

If you plan on staying here a long time: plant a sprouted coconut out front! Ours took about 8 years to start providing green nuts, now harvested by a primate living in, well, partial freedom (my husband).