Nuts for Coconuts

A few days ago on a trip to one of our local Asian Markets, I scored the most beautiful Young Thai coconuts that I’ve seen in many months. It must be coconut season or something because they were really exceptional and the price was super low. Young Thai coconuts can range from $9.99 for a case of nine to as much as $4.99 per coconut (crazy huh) and these were about a buck and a half apiece so I grabbed a bunch.

When I find something that I really like my tendency is to buy several, whether it be to enjoy them over time or to share with friends. As you can see from this photograph I took of my shopping cart, today was no exception.

And boy was I glad I grabbed as many as I did because they did not disappoint. There was so much meat in one of them that my husband, a curious kinda guy, decided to weigh it. As suspected, we hit the mother load, with half a pound of beautiful meat, which I’m sure is some sort of record. At least it was for us. But I digress.

Delighted with my discovery, I posted the photo seen here on my Facebook wall and some friends commented asking what I was going to do with all of those coconuts.

But first things first. You’ve got to be able to open them up. How do I do that?

The need for a quick and easy demonstration of how to open a coconut was highlighted recently when my husband and I attended a fermentation class and watched the teacher hack the living daylights out of a coconut. It seemed dangerous, inefficient and there was sticky liquid flying everywhere. Not a technique I would recommend. So, I decided to make you a video which you can view here. The method I’m using evolved over time after plenty of opportunities to practice different approaches. Right now it’s my favorite but, as with anything, that could change.

Why do I love coconuts so much? First, they’re delicious and satisfying. The water is also very nutritious and was reportedly given intravenously to people during WWII when regular IV saline solution was in short supply. It’s also sterile, so that may have had a lot to do with it. It’s very high in potassium and is a natural source of magnesium and sodium. So, it’s a much healthier way to replenish the body than with those typical sports energy drinks that are loaded with refined and artificial ingredients.

The meat contains lauric acid, a medium chain fatty acid, which is helpful for the brain. The brain needs good fat to function well according to Dr. Daniel Amen. And Dr. Mary Newport, a Florida neonatologist, was very successful in helping her husband improve greatly from Alzheimer’s disease by giving him coconut oil.

These are just a few reasons for you to enjoy your coconuts. I sure do. You can find a video of me making one of my favorite recipes, the Choco-nutty, here.