A young Thai coconut is one of my ultimate favorites! I just absolutely love the water and fruit of a coconut palm. What makes a coconut so great is that it can be used as the liquid base for your green smoothie, while adding a delicious creaminess too. You can make your smoothie even more “wow” by using the coconut with another tropical fruit like banana or mango. When you do this, your smoothie will be deliciously thick and rich.
Coconuts' Nutritional Value and Other Health Perks
Coconut water is actually dubbed as nature's very own sports drink as it is so hydrating thanks to the many electrolytes. On top of that, it is a source of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, folate, vitamin C and various B vitamins.
In the tropics, some people even depend on coconuts to help with conditions like chronic fatigue, diabetes, Crohn's disease, IBS and other digestive conditions.
A Detox Green Smoothie With Coconut And Grapefruit
To be honest, I discovered this delicious smoothie quite by accident. I wanted to use kale in my green smoothie, but I was not sure whether grapefruit and kale would be a good match. I am glad that I am able to share with you that it is in fact a match made in heaven.
What makes a grapefruit so wonderful is that it is rich in water which means that it is great for when you want to detox and cleanse. Plus, when you stick to a diet that has many citrus fruits, like grapefruit, you can lower your risk of certain cancers such as stomach and esophageal cancer.
Kale also boasts potential powerful anti-cancer properties thanks to one of its phytonutrients, sulforaphane. This phytonutrient is also believed to be anti-diabetic as well as anti-microbial. It gets released when you chop the kale leaves and that is one reason why it is so great to add it when you blend your smoothie.
As this is a detox smoothie it does taste a bit bitter, but thanks to the coconut milk and bananas there will be no need to add extra sweeteners.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 red grapefruit (peeled and deseeded)
- 1 kiwi fruit (peeled)
- 2 cups (134 grams) of kale (chopped)
- 1 banana, peeled
- 2 cups (60 grams) fresh baby spinach
- 8 ounces (240 ml) of unsweetened coconut milk
How To Pick The Perfect Young Coconut
An Asian or Latino market is the ideal place to buy your young coconuts. Though, if you do not have access to these markets you will be able to find it at your local health food store. If you do not stay in a tropical region, you will have a difficult time finding it at your ordinary grocery store.
The coconut should feel heavy compared to its size. My tip is to look for purple/blue mold on its outside. Also, it should have a white husk without any dry spots or cracks.
A great thing about a fresh coconut is that it‘s water is sterile and completely safe to drink since the coconut palm actually filters it. If the water tastes sour or unpleasant, throw the coconut away. Store your young coconut in a place that's cool (in the fridge if you can).
You are probably wondering if you can use those brown, hairy coconuts that you can easily find at your local grocery store. Well, unfortunately these mature coconuts can't be used for your smoothie as the meat is not soft enough (compared to a young coconut's meat which has the firmness of a boiled egg) and the juice is not enough or as full of flavor. On top of that, a younger coconut is also more nutrious.
Though, coconuts will differ in firmness and flavor depending on the area where they were grown and the type of coconut palm they came from. A coconut's meat can have a crunch or be more like a thin gel. Some will have more water than others and some will be more bitter. Even though all coconuts have similar exteriors, it is no easy task to try and tell its quality. If you want to be able to predict the quality, you will need to know precisely how old it is and the area it comes from.
Typically the water is clear or a bit cloudy. Though, if you come across a coconut with slighly pink water, do not be alarmed. As long as it still smells like those sweet coconuts that we've grown to love, you can safely drink the water.
I recommend that you eat your young coconut immediately, otherwise it will be less nutritional and when it comes into contact with the air after you have opened it, it can start to ferment.
How Do I Open My Young Coconut?
Preparing your smoothie with young coconut is easy-peasy, though to open it can be hard (no wonder, I mean it does have a hard exterior).
Just follow these three steps:
Step 1
Position the coconut on its side. Take a sturdy knife and starting at the pointed end, cut the white husk away till the shell's end is exposed.
Step 2
While the coconut is still on its side, use a cleaver and give the shell that is now exposed a good thwack. I suggest that you don't use your precious chef's knife because you'll most probably damage it. I can tell you from first-hand experience that you should not even consider using a cheap knife because the chances are good that the blade can go flying in all directions Also, just watch out that you don't lose one of your fingers!
Step 3
Carefully pry the top away by inserting the sharp end at the base of your knife into the shell's crack.
All that is left to do is pour the sweet water into a glass and use a spoon to scrape out the tasty meat. Voila, you can now enjoy one of the best foods that nature has to offer.
Here's a quick video that shows how to open a young coconut with a butter knife:
By the way…
There's a lot more buzz going on not only about coconut water or meat but IT'S OIL!
Recent studies had PROVEN that coconut oil fuels metabolism, KILLS belly fat, beautifies skin and even protects from Alzheimer's!
I want my followers to be in their TOP health, that's why I recommend everyone to read this article to see how beneficial coconut oil for health can be: 9 Reasons to ALWAYS Eat Coconut Oil (#3 is golden)
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