AMAZING Health Benefits of Coconut Water.... Great Smoothie Recipe

Coconut Water – “the fluid of life”…… literally!

Coconut water is an isotonic drink. I know…. I didn’t know what that meant either until I did a little research. According to Encarta, Isotonic means, “specially formulated to supply the body's chemical needs in situations in which minerals and fluids are used up by the body, e.g. during vigorous exercise.” It’s a natural isotonic beverage, with the same level of electrolytic balance as we have in our blood. In fact, during WWII, when IV solutions were scarce, coconut water (which was siphoned directly from the nut) was used as an IV drip for patients in hospitals.

Coconut water is very high in potassium – actually more per serving than bananas, low in calories (60 calories per serving) and very refreshing. It’s also high in Manganese which is essential for bone growth ~ 2-5 mg/day is recommended for good health….(great in the prevention of osteoporosis.

If you’ve never tried coconut water, do yourself a favor and buy a young Thai coconut – not the brown hairy types but the white hairless ones! Since these coconuts travel a long distance, you want to make sure they’re fresh. Here’s how to tell….
If you cut it open and there’s a purplish tint to the water, that means that it’s bad. It means that it’s started to decompose; also, if you see little black spots around the white shell of the coconut, that means it’s started to decompose and mold as well.
If you want a website where you can order fresh, organic, young Thai coconuts, just comment on my blog page and I’ll post it. It takes 2-3 days to get to you from CA!
Ok, so now for the best part…. A smoothie I make using coconut water….
Blender or Vita-Mix
1/2-1 cup coconut water;
Meat from one young coconut;
1 medium to large peach or mango or pineapple (anything that’s in season); most times I prefer frozen organic strawberries and blueberries (maybe 1/3 bag of each) – great antioxidants;
2 cups organic spinach (or other leafy green)
If you need it on the sweeter side, throw in 1-2 organic dates.