The human body is like a machine in its way of functions. It is a common known fact that a machine heats up when it does work. So, to cool it, a suitable coolant is used and the most common that is naturally available, is water. Similarly, the human body also needs water to cool itself down and to maintain its normal temperature. Earth is the only known planet in our solar system lucky enough to contain the elixir of life in its liquid form. Apart from the common sources from where water is obtained, it is also got from certain fruits like tender coconuts.
A short description
Even though it is named, coconut, it is actually a type of fruit and not a nut. It belongs to the palm family and is mostly found in the tropical and the sub-tropical regions. It can be especially found in abundance, in the Indian sub-continent. The southern parts of India are literally the home for these fruits to grow. They are usually tall trees, which have thick trunks, but almost no branches. Instead, these trees have very long leaves, with some of them even growing up to 25 feet. These leaves make up for the default branches that an average tree usually has. The tree itself may grow up to a 100 feet tall or approximately around 30 meters in height. This type of tree has a fibrous root system and requires sufficient water to grow. The fruit formed is a multi-layered seed that is extremely hard. The hardness is to protect the soft, fleshy part of the coconut pulp inside.
This fruit is unique in the sense that it has the ability to store water taken in from the roots inside its shell to help it to germinate and grow. However, it can be harvested much before and the water inside it can be consumed. The stored water, even though has its source from the water taken in from the ground, it is very different from the actual groundwater. This is because of the various changes taking place inside the shell that affects the water stored inside it. By a certain set of chemical and biological changes happening inside, the coconut pulp is formed which takes up some water and by the process of diffusion, gives some amount of sugar and taste to the otherwise bland water.
This water formed is very rich in potassium and electrolytes, compounds which helps in replenishing the human body from lost nutrients. This is the reason why coconuts are the best source of natural electrolytes and natural coolants especially during the summer months. The human body tends to lose a lot of vital nutrients during the hot months and the water of a tender coconut consumed at a time like this replenishes and energizes the entire system. However, coconuts kept for a long time tend to lose its water content, as the pulp inside begins to dry up, thus consuming the available water to maintain the required moisture. A coconut at this stage is no longer called tender. Instead, it is just the matured form of the fruit and it has a soft flesh which is very sweet in taste.
It also has a lot of oil content and so, these pulps are usually squeezed and cultivated to produce coconut oil. The dry coconut easily comes off its outer shell as there is nothing holding it to the walls of the shell. This is also because of the fact that the coconut as a whole shrinks in size, thus loosening itself from the shell. For the diet conscious, this fruit suits best as it does not known stored natural fats and its cholesterol content is very low. Thus, tender coconut water is a very healthy way to start one’s day.
The vegan way
Vegan is a type of diet which contains non-dairy and non-animal products. People who follow this diet are called vegans. It is very popular all over the world. For the diet conscious vegans, tender coconut water taken every morning keeps their heart and their body sound. Coconut water has the property of cooling one’s body by maintaining the blood flow and its pressure. It regulates the body’s natural temperature and also helps in lowering the cholesterol levels. Vegans usually consume tender coconut water or the fleshy pulp inside as a substitute for artificial electrolytes and vitamin enhancer.
The diet of vegans consists only of plant products. As many of these dishes and recipes tend to have a lot of fiber content, sometimes, it becomes tough for the stomach to digest all the fiber consumed. Fibers from plants sometimes contain quite a high amount of cellulose content. Cellulose is one of the main constituents of green, leafy plants. Through the process of evolution, humans have lost their ability to digest cellulose like herbivores. So, it takes quite a lot of time for the stomach acids to break down cellulose consumed in the form of salads rich in leafy vegetables. However, when taken in large amounts, it may cause indigestion. Now this is where coconuts and tender coconut water play an important role. They are known to be natural appetizers and antacids, improving digestion and preventing from indigestion. Consumption of tender coconut water after a meal of salads rich in greens, improves the stomach’s ability to secrete the digestive juices, while protecting the walls of the stomach from the rancid effects of the juices at the same time. It is for this reason why vegans prefer coconuts water more than any other fruit juices.
