Asda’s got a lovely bunch of coconuts
The CURRENT craze for exotic waters, whether they come from birch trees, maple trees or artichokes, began with coconut water.
rich in calcium, magnesium and potassium, which not only rehydrates but also helps the heart, kidneys and other organs to function properly, coconut water provides — naturally — many of the same benefits as formulated sports drinks.
It explains all those photos we’ve seen of sporty people using a straw to drink out of a brown coconut.
But such pictures are rather misleading, since ‘old’ brown coconuts tend to have very l ittle coconut water left in them. It’s the young, fresh ‘green’ ones (they actually look white) that you really want.
until now, if you wanted to buy coconut water in a British supermarket, you’ve probably had to buy one of the many pre-packaged ‘natural coconut water’ drinks available.
Brown coconuts, which are usually the only ones that supermarkets stock, are bought just for their creamy, white flesh.
now, however, one supermarket chain has started stocking young green coconuts, filled with nutritious fresh coconut water.
Asda says it’s the first supermarket to stock these young coconuts, which have been imported from growers in Thailand.
They’re different on the outside (the outer green layer of the young coconut shell has been shaved down to make them easier to handle) and the inside is full of coconut water and a jelly-like flesh which you can add to curries.
It is this jelly that would, if left, turn to the hard white flesh you find inside brown coconuts.
charlie Mills, Asda’s fresh produce manager, says: ‘ As people are becoming more and more interested in natural, clean hydration with no added extras, we wanted to go right to the source and give shoppers the purest form of coconut water that we can.’
To get into the Asda young coconuts, which went into stores last week and cost £3.50 for two, you’ll need a strong knife.
There’s also a bit of a knack to it. Asda, helpfully, provide instructions showing you how to get into one.