Dear Health-Conscious Reader,
“Did I tell you he gave me a knife?”
“What is it? Like, a machete?”
My marketing manager C.S. knew I’d been hacking my way through the jungles of Bali.
“It’s called a Bali knife. It’s cooler than a machete. It’s like half knife, half hatchet. It’s got a big thick blade and a heavy handle to balance it out.”
“How’d you get that home?” she joked.
Of course, I just put it in my suitcase and checked it on the plane. I’m sure glad I didn’t put it in my carry-on and forget I had it in there. They’d probably still have me in Bali …
My new colleague and friend Westi made a little presentation of giving me the knife as a present on my last day there.
I had remarked about how much I liked his Bali knife, and complimented him on his skill in using it. The Balinese use them as all-purpose tools, and Westi used it for everything.
He even showed me this technique of making a drinking cup out of a whole coconut. Everywhere I’ve traveled they have a different way of opening a coconut, and his was the best I’ve ever seen.
He shaved off a little piece of the coconut and set it aside. Then he chopped a little V-shaped hole in that spot with his short, heavy Bali knife. At one end of the hole, he chopped a slit, picked up the shaved piece and bent it a little, then stuck it in there to make a spout. Voila! Drinking cup.
After we drank the water out of it, Westi cut the coconut in half in two quick chops, then did something else I’d never seen before. He made a spoon out of the shaving we had used as a spout. Then he used the sharp edge to scoop out the delicious coconut jelly about as fast as I’ve ever seen it done.
Here I was, struggling for years to cut open coconuts at my house in Florida… and now I’ve got a Bali knife. I’ve managed not to cut myself too badly using it in my yard, too.
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My Friend Westi made me a It’s great because I used to kind of spill the water all over the place when I chopped open coconuts, but I’m getting the hang of my Bali knife. Now I can drink coconut water right from the source.
Coconut water comes from young, green coconuts, and it’s not just for drinking. It’s also naturally sterile. In tropical countries where coconut trees grow wild, they use a combination of coconut water and coconut oil to heal skin injuries faster.
Take a drink and you’ll be re-vitalized almost immediately. Within five minutes you’ll feel a burst of energy, have clarity of mind and a sense of well-being.
One of the reasons is that coconut water can boost thyroid function. Having your thyroid work efficiently is essential for boosting your metabolism and energy production.
Coconut water is also loaded with the electrolyte potassium. That makes it a pretty good substitute after your P.A.C.E. workout for those sugary “sports drinks.”
If you don’t have coconut trees in your yard like I do, you can still get coconut water. Many health food stores sell fresh coconuts now, and it’s fun to learn how to cut them open yourself. All you have to do is make a hole and use a straw. The raw, fresh water will always be the best tasting coconut water you can get.
The next best thing is pre-packaged, “virgin” or no sugar added coconut water. There are quite a few companies selling it now, so it’s easy to get at your local grocery store or health foods store.
The three most popular brands are Vita Coco, Zico and O.N.E. They all use Brazilian coconuts which have a different but equally refreshing taste compared to Southeast Asian coconuts like the ones I tried on Bali.
All three brands have flavored versions of their coconut water, so be sure to find the ones labeled 100% pure coconut water with nothing added. You can find them in most grocery stores.
Some others brands that are worth looking a little harder for are:
- Harmless Harvest – It’s made with 100% raw, organic coconut water
- Taste Nirvana – All their coconuts come from one place: Samui Island in Thailand
- Nature Factor – The first to be certified organic.
- Blue Monkey – They make sure their coconuts come from local Southeast Asian groves that use sustainable farming practices.
- Naked Pure Coconut Water – Also made from Brazilian green coconuts.
- C2O Pure Coconut Water – Made from inland coconuts grown in fresh water conditions, which taste a bit different from either Brazilian or Thai coconuts.
Avoid the ones that are “coconut juice” or “coconut drink” because they are the ones that usually have added sugar and flavors.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD