Coconut Water

Coconut water is the clear liquid inside young <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut" title="Coconut" >coconuts</a> (fruits of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut" title="Coconut" >coconut palm</a>). In early development, it serves as a suspension for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endosperm" title="Endosperm" >endosperm</a> of the coconut during their nuclear phase of development. As growth continues, the endosperm mature into their cellular phase and deposit into the rind of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut#Nata_de_coco" title="Coconut" >coconut meat</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_water#cite_note-endosperm-0" >[1]</a>Coconut water has long been a popular drink in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropics" title="Tropics" >tropics</a>, especially in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Asia" title="Southeast Asia" >Southeast Asia</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Islands" title="Pacific Islands" >Pacific Islands</a>, Africa, and the<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribbean" title="Caribbean" >Caribbean</a>, where it is available fresh, canned, or bottled.

Coconuts for drinking are carefully packaged and sold in many places. These are typically Asian coconuts whose outer green husk has been removed, and the remainder wrapped in plastic. Throughout the tropics they can be found sold by street vendors, often cut in front of customers to ensure the coconut water's freshness. Coconut water can also be found in ordinary cans, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetra_Pak" title="Tetra Pak" >tetra paks</a>, or plastic bottles (sometimes with coconut pulp or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nata_de_coco" title="Nata de coco" >coconut jelly</a> included). Bottled coconut water has a shelf life of 24 months.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" >citation needed</a>]

In recent years, coconut water has been marketed as a natural<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_drink" title="Energy drink" >energy</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_drink" title="Sports drink" >sports drink</a> due to its high <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium" title="Potassium" >potassium</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral" title="Mineral" >mineral</a> content. Marketers have also promoted coconut water for having no <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat" title="Fat" >fat</a> and very low

amounts of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbohydrates" title="Carbohydrates" class="mw-redirect" >carbohydrates</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calorie" title="Calorie" >calories</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium" title="Sodium" >sodium</a>. However, marketing claims attributing tremendous health benefits to coconut water are largely unfounded.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_water#cite_note-1" >[2]</a>

Unless the coconut has been damaged, it is likely <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterility" title="Sterility" >sterile</a>. There have been cases where coconut water has been used as an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intravenous" title="Intravenous" class="mw-redirect" >intravenous</a> hydration fluid in some developing countries where medical saline was unavailable.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_water#cite_note-2" >[3]</a>

Coconut water has a high <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium" title="Potassium" >potassium</a> content and contains<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antioxidants" title="Antioxidants" class="mw-redirect" >antioxidants</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_water#cite_note-Conis-3" >[4]</a> It also contains <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytokinin" title="Cytokinin" >cytokinins</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_water#cite_note-4" >[5]</a> which promote plant cell division and growth.