¡Una Pipa al Día!

“Una pipa, por favor,” I say each day at the local fruit stand, as drinking this healthy coconut water has become a part of my daily Costa Rican routine. While delicious, it took me a couple of tries to adjust to the taste of the slightly salty sweet coconut water. I was repeatedly told that I was really missing out by not drinking them, and kept hearing that a pipa a day would keep me healthy. I began researching the opaque juice one finds inside young, green coconuts and was really impressed. It’s one of the most nutritious and wholesome beverages one can find.

Not to be confused with coconut milk, this liquid is found in a young coconut, the juice gradually gives way to the coconut meat as the coconut matures. Coconut water is fat-free, low calorie, full of electrolytes, contains lauric acid, and contains more potassium and less sodium than sports drinks. It also contains natural, unaltered sugar, which the body can readily use. The coconut meat in these young coconuts has a jelly-like consistency, which I like to put in my smoothies. Waste not, right? As it matures, the coconut water becomes the hardened coconut meat with which you are probably familiar, which when pressed is a fat-filled and far less nutritious coconut milk.

The nutritional value of coconut water decreases once exposed to air, so I always request that it be freshly cut. This wholesome beverage is known to build up the immune system, aid in urinary tract health, decrease kidney stones, help with artery pressure thus lowering blood pressure, and wards off fatigue. I’ve also read that it can kill intestinal worms, assists HIV patients, and has many more health benefits. The fact which really amazed me is that coconut water is naturally sterile and is closest to human blood plasma, which is why it is sometimes used in IV’s as a blood transfusion in place of blood plasma. While boxed varieties can be purchased, one can also buy Thai Coconuts (young, coconut water filled) at health food stores and local co-ops to maximize health benefits. I know that coconut water is a tremendous gift, which is why I happily subscribe to, “¡Una pipa al día!”

Love and Blessings,
Antonia