Yesterday I met Loc, the young owner of a company called Cocolona, from Southern Vietnam. Starting from a small farm of approximately 45 acres, Loc has developed an exciting product that brings the freshest coconut water and meat to the consumer. Loc has developed a way to husk a coconut, cut a thin small groove at the top of the nut where he has placed a pull tab. Pull the tab and a hole appears large enough to place a straw directly into the coconut allowing the consumer to enjoy the fresh healthy coconut water directly from the nut! A larger circle groove allows the consumer after drinking the water to pry off a portion of the shell large enough to use a spoon to remove the fresh coconut meat. The remaining nut can be composted or disposed of easily. No plastics, no artificial additives, no single use containers. The entire product is high quality, sustainable and delicious!
Continuing the trend towards sustainability, Loc shreds the discarded husks and makes a high quality coconut coir that is sold to farmers and gardeners for fertilizers and as a soil amendment. This coir can be purchased online for small gardeners or purchased in bulk for larger orders. The result? The entire coconut is utilized into many different high quality products.
The health benefits of coconut water and meat are well known and are outlined here:
Coconut water and meat have many health benefits, including hydration, improved heart health, and reduced inflammation.
Coconut water
- Hydration: Contains electrolytes like potassium, sodium, and magnesium, which help prevent dehydration
- Heart health: Contains antioxidants that may help with chronic diseases like heart disease
- Immunity: Contains vitamin C, which helps maintain a healthy immune system
- Blood pressure: Contains potassium, which may help regulate blood pressure
- Exercise: Contains electrolytes that may help with post-exercise muscle cramps
Coconut meat
- Heart health: Contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which may help improve metabolism and generate energy
- Gut health: Contains fiber, which may help improve gut health and regulate blood sugar levels
- Weight loss: Contains minerals that may help suppress appetite and lose weight
- Brain function: Contains minerals that may help improve brain function
- Antioxidants: Contains antioxidants that may help combat free radicals and may have anti-inflammatory properties
Both coconut water and meat are rich in phenolic compounds, which are antioxidants. They also contain vitamins and micronutrients, such as zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium
Vietnam is a big producer of high quality, nutritious coconuts. The farming of coconuts is conducive to organic agriculture with some farms USDA NOP certified as organic. But for smaller farms that can not afford the cost or complexity of a large global organic program, there are many alternative agricultural certifications. Farms not selling into the global organic market can still benefit from a Regenerative Agriculture Certification, a NON GMO certification, A Vegan Certification or a Sustainably Farmed Certification. Any or all of these certifications help smaller, more regional producers access more markets to consumers looking for a certification that confirms the producer’s commitment to a more sustainable future.
