King coconut water, the life-giving fluid

by Shari Jayawardhana

Bunches of king coconuts displayed for sale on wayside boutiques is a common sight in Sri Lanka. Most Sri Lankan homes have at least one king coconut palm that gracefully sways in the tropical breeze.

There are several varieties of king coconuts of which two types are commonly found in Sri Lanka. These are 'Red dwarf' (Kaha thambili or Gon thambili and Ran thambili, a smaller variety containing about 40 nuts in a bunch. The sweet and refreshing water of the king coconut is a hot favourite among residents and tourists alike.

The water of the young coconut is probably the most nutritious and wholesome drink that nature has provided for people living in tropical countries such as Sri Lanka. Compared with varieties of aerated water that are usually artificially coloured and flavoured, the natural king coconut drink refreshes and purifies the body.

Cure for ailments

The water of the king coconut is a commonly used Sri Lankan traditional remedy for many ailments relating to impurities in the system. It is naturally sterile and is therefore, a good substitute for saline. Coconut water is said to be an ideal drink to cure kidney disorders and dissolve kidney stones. Those suffering from difficulty in urination (stranguria), frequent urination (polyuria) and other urinary ailments could get relief by drinking coconut water.

King coconut water has the same electrolyte balance as blood plasma, which makes it an excellent natural isotonic drink. It replaces the fluids and minerals such as potassium that the body loses during exercise; hence, it is considered to be a sports drink. As the sugar content of coconut water is low, it is safe for diabetic patients as well.

The consumption of king coconut water is also believed to help control weight gain. It also reduces swelling of hands and legs and promotes the absorption of drugs.

In Sri Lanka, the tender king coconut water is commonly used to feed infants suffering from intestinal disturbances. It is also applied on the body of babies to prevent prickly heat and summer boils.

This versatile fruit is also used to treat rashes caused by smallpox, chickenpox and measles. In Sri Lanka, king coconut water is generally offered to patients as a replacement for fluid loss from the gastrointestinal tract and as an alternative to intravenous therapy.

Vitamins and nutrients

The king coconut is a well-known source of carbohydrates, Vitamin E, iron, calcium and phosphorus. It also has high dietary soluble fibre and significant amounts of protein and fat. The king coconut consists of bioactive enzymes such as acid phosphatase, catalase, dehydrogenase, diastase, peroxidase and RNA-polymerases which help in digestion and metabolism.

Despite the light consistency, its water has a much better composition of minerals such as calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium and zinc than some fruits such as oranges. King coconut water is also a very good source of B-complex vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pyridoxine and folates. These vitamins are essential to the human body which needs to replenish them from external sources. The water contains a high concentration of electrolyte* *potassium.

Hundred millilitres of this water has 250 mg of potassium and 105 mg of sodium. Together, these electrolytes help replenish electrolyte deficiency caused in the body due to diarrhoea (loose stools).

Lack of production

Countries such as India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Fiji and the Philippines have started to popularise the use of this all-purpose 'wonder drug' and have now started to process and preserve it for export. Sri Lanka has recently started to package this 'living pharmacy' into tetra packs that are being exported. Coconut water has an energy value of 17.4 calories per 100gm and 0.1g protein, 0.1g fat, 4g carbohydrates, 0.02mg calcium, 0.01mg phosphorus and 0.5mg iron.

The Coconut Research Institute (CRI) recently took steps to export one million king coconuts annually to earn Rs. 100 million as foreign exchange a year.

There is a growing demand for king coconuts from Middle Eastern countries. This versatile fruit is being exported to many countries including Korea, Japan and the UK. However, Sri Lanka is unable to reap the full benefits of exporting king coconuts due to the shortage in production (80- 85 percent of its production is consumed by the local market). It is recommended that Sri Lanka takes steps to increase its king coconut production so that the country could benefit from the emerging global trend of consuming natural beverages such as king coconuts.