Click on image to go to Author Website

Friday 6 May 2016

How Pure Coconut Water Forms

By Michael Olson


The clear liquid derived from young coconuts is called coconut water. Formation of the fluid occurs when the fruit is still developing. Endosperms get suspended by the fluid during the phase where the nuclear develops. When the endosperm finally gets absorbed into the meat of the fruit, the fluid is retained in the central cavity. This fluid becomes pure coconut water.

Harvesting of the fluid is done when the coconuts are still green on the tree. Once harvested from the tree, a hole is made into the crust of the fruit to access the fluid and meat. The liquid and air in young fruits is usually under some pressure and may ooze out when the inner crust is penetrated for the first time. Fallen fruits are often destroyed by animals or insects. Some just rot away.

The use of coconut water by people in tropical countries has been going for a long period. The liquid is sold as bottled, fresh, or canned. Coconuts that people drink from are normally served packaged, fresh, or chilled. Mostly vendors sell them on the streets. Tools like a machete are used by the vendor to cut them open when one bus.

Retail stores also distribute processed coconut water in ordinary cans, plastic bottles, or tetra paks. They may also sell coconut pulp or jelly. Fermentation of this fluid results in coconut vinegar. Nata de coco is also produced from the substance. Nata de coco is a jelly-like food substance. Brands like sports drinks and energy drinks have been used by corporations to market the substance in recent years. Claims are that the drinks are low in calories, fats, and carbohydrates, but contain electrolyte content in large amounts.

Misleading language is often used to market drinks made from coconut water. There is no scientific proof for any claims sellers make to attract buyers to the products. This has led to warnings being issued by the FDA in the United States regarding producers using claims such as this fluid being able to lower cholesterol, antiviral, and regulate blood glucose among other vague claims. Lawsuits have also been brought down on some companies against using advertising information like the water being super-hydrating, nutrient-packed, and mega-electrolyte.

This liquid has various medical applications. For instance, it has been used in rare occasions as an intravenous rehydration fluid when medical saline could not be accessed. The use of the liquid in the place of medical saline began in the Second World War, with Japanese and British patients being given intravenously. This technique of rehydration has since been used for short-term emergencies, especially in remote areas.

The fluid causes some medical risks when it is consumed in large amounts. Consumption in large quantities results in excessive amounts of potassium in blood, a condition called hyperkalemia. Hypekalemia induces various medical conditions including heart arrhythmia, acute kidney failure, unconsciousness, and eventual death.

Several other claims related to excessive consumption have been made but no scientific evidence has been presented. However, this liquid has the ability to cause some bad effects when consumed in excessive quantities. Therefore, it is best to keep the levels consumed daily low.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment