Coconuts are a strong contributor to optimal health and well-being. Don’t take my word for it; ask August Engelhardt, a German author devoted to Cocovorism (I have no idea, but it has to do with coconuts) and Sun Worship:

Naked cocovorism is God’s will. The pure coconut diet makes man immortal and united with God. The sun cocovore man is the man, as he should be. The coconut is the Philosopher’s Stone.

Sure, the dude was way off his rocker. Absolutely batshit crazy. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t have a good idea or two about the value of crushing whole coconuts. Most folks prefer the parts rather than the whole.

Here’s a common conversation I’d have with a teammate during my playing days:

Them: Kap, what are your thoughts on coconut water?

Me: It’s fine, but why not use the whole coconut?

These exchanges were generally followed by an eye roll, loosely translated as, “Why on earth would you make my shortcut long?”

My pitch is simple. It’s worth the minimal extra effort. A coconut has several components, each with its own unique properties. From marksdailyapple.com:

The milk makes a great base for smoothies, soups, and curries; the oil is a great source of saturated fat that stands up well to heat; the water beats commercial sports drinks with its impressive electrolyte content; the nut itself can be used as a projectile weapon. It’s just a well-rounded, versatile food with some interesting characteristics and a ton of offshoot products.

I appreciate each component individually. You remember how I feel about coconut oil. The stuff is remarkably versatile. The water of the tropical nut can be heavenly. If you refrigerate a young coconut, for example, the drinkable portion is tremendously refreshing and will beat any boxed experience you’ll have. Think squeezing the juice of a stunning orange directly into your mouth vs. a carton of Tropicana. The flesh (that shredded stuff for you supermarket goers) is mildly sweet and, despite popular belief (fat is evil!), has splendid nutritional benefits. From superhumancoach.com:

Coconut and the products derived from it like coconut meat have been for years wrongly deemed as an unhealthy type of food because of its long known high saturated fat content. However, a growing body of recent studies have shown that the type of fats present in coconut meat are in fact medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). When you eat coconut meat, the MCTs it contains are transported from the intestinal tract to the liver and immediately transformed into fuel. This then means there is very little MCTs left to circulate and deposit in fat tissues in the body.

C’mon now, challenge your assumptions. If your main aim is convenience (nothing wrong with that), you’re a marketers dream. If your goal is powerful life experience and supreme health and well-being, follow these simple steps:

1. Climb a coconut tree barefooted and use your machete (you can borrow mine) to chop down your choice.
2. Hack that bad boy open.
3. Eat and drink to the point of contentment.
4. Smear the remains on your skin and jump in the ocean.

Got a little carried away today.

Forgive me,

Kap