Treasure Waiting to be Found!

By Uncle Paul

During this time of year we celebrate the great patriotism of our past generations that helped build this wonderful free country. I would like to salute all the heroes that gave up their time and lives to protect our freedom and, giving us the opportunities that we have today in the United States of America. There is one young hero of World War II that few know about yet ended up saving thousands of lives. It is this hero that I wish to tell about today in our journey to the warm and tropical parts of the Pacific Islands. This young hero came from prehistoric times and has a heart of pure gold. It is this heart that saved so many lives.

The young hero I wish to talk about today is the Young Tender Coconut, one of the greatest gifts given to our planet. The Young Tender Coconut is a natural isotonic beverage, a supernatural sports drink, and it has the same level of electrolytic balance that we have in our blood. Because the Young Tender Coconut water is identical to human blood plasma this makes it a perfect donor. During World War II in the Pacific they used the water from the Young Tender Coconut for emergency plasma transfusions to wounded soldiers to save their lives. By drinking Young Tender Coconut water today it is like giving ourselves an instant blood transfusion. What an unsung hero the young coconut was.

Why is it so pure? In the coconut plant the water travels through all the many fibers of the plant purifying it as it travels to be stored in the sterile nut itself. This coconut water is pure and clear and is one of the highest sources of electrolytes known to man. A coconut can float in the oceans for months and still be good.

The coconut was first mentioned in English print in 1555 and comes from the Spanish and Portuguese word coco, which means “monkey face.” Spanish and Portuguese explorers found a resemblance to a monkey's face in the three, round indented markings or “eyes” found at the base of the coconut. On the Nicobar Islands of the Indian Ocean, whole coconuts were used as currency for the purchase of goods until the early part of the 20th century.

You will be delighted with the sweet, rich flavor of the coconut's refreshing milk, which is often used for curries, tropical drinks, or simply sipped by itself for an incredible treat. The tender flesh of this Young Tender Coconut can be scooped out with a spoon and chopped for salads or soups or simply eaten as is for a healthy snack.

Coconut milk is made from mature coconuts that are high in fat. Young coconuts are comparatively low in fat and higher in carbohydrates. Young coconut water is more nutritious than whole milk. It has less fat and no cholesterol. It is healthier than orange juice. It has fewer calories and it is better than processed baby milk. It contains lauric acid, which is present in human mother's milk. Coconut water is the stuff of nature, biologically pure, full of natural sugars, salts, and vitamins to ward off fatigue... and is the next wave of energy drinks. Young coconut water contains more potassium (at about 294 mg) than most sports drinks (117 mg) and most energy drinks. It has less sodium (25 mg) where sports drinks have around 41 mg and energy drinks have about 200 mg. Young coconut water has 5 mg of natural sugars where sports and energy drinks range from 10 mg to 25 mg of altered sugars. Young coconut water it is thought to help with urinary infections and malnourishment. It is also a diuretic and it is said to be effective in the treatment of kidney and urethral stones. It is a natural urinary antiseptic and helps eliminate poisons in cases of mineral poisoning. Tender young coconuts are a rich source of sugars in the form of glucose and fructose, minerals such as potassium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper, sulphur, and chlorides. They are also a good source of proteins. The percentage of proteins in coconuts is higher than that in cow's milk and its water contains both ascorbic acid and vitamin B.

So next time you feel the need for the perfect sports drink remember you can never improve on mother nature’s incredible and delicious treat of the Young Tender Coconut, the hero of World War II, and the Super Hero of Today.

Uncle Paul, along with his wife Calla, owns Uncle Paul’s European Style Open Air Produce Market, 2310 SE Hawthorne, 503-484-8612 or visit www.unclepaulsproduce.com.