Coconuts are one of my favorite foods in the world. You can buy boxed coconut water nowadays, but if you get the chance, treat yourself to the fresh water and soft spoon meat of a young coconut found in your health or local Asian market, as I do on a weekly basis.
Your skin must be hydrated to look younger, and coconut water is one of the best natural hydrators there is. The key nutrients contained in coconut water include lauric acid, iron, electrolytes including potassium, magnesium, and calcium. The soft, young coconut meat is full of Beauty Fat to moisturize your skin and help keep it youthful from within.
I hope this demo helps you overcome any intimidation in opening your own coconuts. There are many different ways to open them, but this happens to be my favorite. 🙂
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFwyk4D-rBk
Thanks for the demo on how to coconut in NYC!
Of course! If you can coconut in NYC you can coconut anywhere! 🙂
Hi Kim –
I have been enjoying coconuts for a while now – water, making milk, oil – but, when I make coconut water or milk, I have only used mature coconuts ( I guess b/c they do not look like that, they are brown and hairy ). I have not seen the young coconuts! But , I will look for them. Is there any health benefit to drinking or eating a mature coconut? Are there more benefits to young ones!!!!
PS> I have found that coconut water is tremendous for keeping me hydrating and having lots of energy! 2 months ago I could not run a mile at all – then someone told me to try coconut water to help hydrate, give energy and mostly avoid the cramps! It works! I can almost run 7 miles straight now! – no joke
THANKS! <3
Hi Megan,
There are benefits to the medium chain fatty acids of coconut oil are beneficial as they contain lauric acid, which posses anti-viral and anti-bacterial qualities, and supports the thyroid.
The soft spoon meat of young coconuts though is said to be more beneficial that the tougher, older meat, as by that stage in the maturation process of the coconut the nutrient levels may not be as high. But I eat the older coconuts sometimes as well. I love it all! xx
Hi Kim –
Thanks for the response!!! This is very helpful!!!
I have hypothyroidism – so this is very interesting to hear!!!!
THANKS!
MEGAN
Kimberly- Thanks for the video! I’ve been trying to add coconut water and meat to my smoothies for a while, but more often than not I seem to be buying “bad” coconuts. When I cut into them the water is brown and the meat doesn’t look fresh. Do you have any recommendations on how to purchase ripe young coconuts (besides the current hit or miss way)?
Make sure the outside white cone that you buy is clean and very white, with no black spots or molds. It should look pretty fresh, not as if the wood is withered at all.
Coconuts are Awesome! Love, Love, Love coconut water!
I would like to know the best beginners Yoga DVDs. I have been looking into doing yoga for an exercise and muscle building. There are no yoga classes offered around me. I’m not really sure on how to start yoga.Would you please give me your thoughts on starting yoga and which yoga videos would be the best to look into? Thank you!
Hopefully my DVD will be ready for purchase soon. It is being worked on in LA this week!
In the meantime, check out videos by Rodney Yee or Seane Corn, which are said to be good for beginners. xx
Hi Kim,
I NEVER thought I would every try to open a coconut, not so talented in that arena and had no desire. But, it actually looks kinda fun to open in your video and for all the benefits of it I think it’s well worth it to give it a try.
You mentioned the cleavers have a range in weight. Since I’m experimenting I don’t want to spend too much. To get a fairly light cleaver, is it expensive?
Many thanks 🙂
Not at all! I got my cleaver in Chinatown for around $7 🙂
Hi Kim –
I am also guilty of only drinking the coconut water and not eating the meat! Two questions for you…
*Can the meat be frozen?
*Also – I heard recently from someone in the coconut water industry that young coconuts are often doused in formaldehyde on their way from Asia to the U.S. He advised me against drinking too much coconut water directly from coconuts for this reason. Do you know anything about this?
Thanks!
Hi Leigh,
The meat can be frozen. I also freeze durian.
The rumors about formaldehyde have been circulating about young coconuts for years.
I have never seen any solid reports of it. In fact, I did find a recent report that of Thai coconuts being tested at Michelson Laboratories. Michelson is a fully accredited microbiology and chemical testing lab with over 70 highly trained specialists and technicians located in Commerce, California.
They reported that there was no absolutely no trace of formaldehyde on any of the Thai coconuts that were tested.
I have been eating coconuts weekly/daily for years, and will continue to! xx
Hi Kimberly,
I love coconuts too! I really enjoy coconut milk as an alternative to almond milk sometimes. Just checking, is it considered a “fat”? Would it combine well with buckwheat/oat grouts? And can i use it in the chia seed pudding instead of almond milk?
Thanks!
Yes to all those questions! xx
Hi Kim,
Can a Blossoming Beauty also enjoy the water of young coconuts? You are very inspirational to me and I’m sure many others. Keep up the beautiful work.
Om Shanti
Thx for the video. It’s better than the way I’ve been doing it. I used a drill to make a hole and insert a straw, once I drank the water I threw it hard against the groin to break it LOL! Ur way is much graceful :o)
Hi Kimberly,
So excited for your new book to come out! I have a question though. I wanted to get started on a probiotic supplement and know that you recommend Dr. Ohhira. There are people online talking about how it contains carrageenan and that that substance is bad for you. Is this true? If so, do you have any vegan probiotic alternatives?
Thank you!
Thanks Irma!
There are some natural sugars, so I would hold off until you become a Radiant Beauty.
The coconut oil is very beneficial for Blossoming Beauties, however.
Om Shanti and Love
Love your blog, would love to see some new photographs and images on it though. Thx for all your advice, it really helps and is practical
Yum! I love seeing this post! I started drinking coconuts a few months ago and you know what….it’s more economical. I can get a coconut for much cheaper than a bottle of Vita Coco. Thanks for this informative post. 🙂
I eat mostly a vegan diet…I have a few more pounds I would like to shed and I am wondering how many times a week I can drink/eat young coconuts? I love them but don’t want to gain weight! Thanks for all your help!!.
Thanks so much for the demo – I live in tropical Australia and have lots of coconuts growing ( falling!) I would love to know how to get the outer brown cover off – or get into the coconuts when they haven’t been prepared as seen in your video – I greatly welcome your response and thank you for your interesting info.
I had the same question as lynda… Im loving the vitamix to make a young coco smoothie, using the meat and water and a splash of vanilla (yummmmmmy!!!) but it’s so tasty I feel like I’m eating a milk shake. At only 200 calories, they seem pretty safe. Can eat one every day? Or how many max per week?
Good Day Kimberly!!
You are a veritable treasure trove of magnificent nutrition ideas and health promoting advice.
I cannot thank you enough for the influence you are providing and the path you are illuminating for so many to be guided down.
I AM SO EXCITED TO CONVERT FROM GREEN JUICE TO THE GLOWING GREEN SMOOTHIE!
You are simply a genius.
MUCH LOVE!
Anastasia
Hi Kim,
My brother and I have invented Cococut the worlds first coconut opener, that lets you safely open coconuts to get the meat and and the water. I’d love to send you one to try out. It’s a lot less scary the using a big knife. I think you’ll love it. Let me know where I should send it too.
Catie CocoCut
Kimberly!! I just opened my very first young coconut!! They had them on sale at Sprouts – 4 for $5!! I opened it using my chef sankotu knife… It’s got good heft, so I didn’t have too much trouble! I did have a question though… Once you get the top off, is there an easy way to scoop out the flesh? Do you cut it in half? That’s what I tried to do, and it worked after some effort, but felt dangerous…. Just wondering if you have any tips for that.. Thanks!
Hi Kimberly! I just bought your book and am super excited to get started on my Beauty Detox! I just recently became obsessed (yes obsessed) with young coconuts. The first time I tasted that amazing water inside I thought I was in heaven! One question I have is, how long would a young coconut last in the fridge? I’ve had two in there for a couple weeks, the outside is just starting to get a little tan in color and there may be a mold spot or two on the outside … what do you think? Thanks again for the great blog and website … your program is going to be a life saver for me!
to save that precious water i just shave off a bit of the white husk and put two holes in it and pour out to drink. Agree re: meat. I use a melon baller to harvest meat, which cleans up nice w/ a paring knife.
good execution. Much safer than the many videos people online using chefs knives in a dubious manner
Thank you! We just got into our first young coconut after my trip to Brazil a couple years ago. Tastes so nourishing! Thank you for your fun and informative video! We are coming off coffee today an the coconut ware really feels replenishing!
Nice video! Seeing this vedio makes me “homesick”I missed my homeland… we have lots of coconut tree in our backyard…the coconut water is really refreshing especially during summer you can get fresh from the tree…Here in Japan i have seen coconut once in the super market and they are so so expensive! i was shocked! They say that if you drink coconut water reguraly it is good for your gall blader i don’t know how true is that.
Hey there Kymberly!
Have you seen the To Life! Coconut Opener?
We made it with love and Whole Foods just started selling them in select areas. It’s a faster, safer and cleaner way to drink fresh coconut water.
Cheers!
Jonathan
To Life! Coconuts
Thanks Kimberly for sharing these tips on how to open and eat a young coconut. You’ve also got a small collection of other coconut related articles on this site, that are also helpful to.