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The golden fruit; King Coconut!   

This fruit grows in abundance on the tropical island called Sri Lanka. After all, it is a coconut island. The natives called it Thambili , which means "orange."   

Its bright orange color can be seen from a long distance. The brighter the shade of orange, the younger the coconut. The skin of older coconuts will be thick and dull.   

It is available all year and is widely available. It can be found on beaches and roadside kiosks across the country, as well as on the backs of bicycles, mopeds, and trucks. You may try its delectable water and its flesh, which is a soft and sweet gelatinous layer as well.   

What is King Coconut?   

The king coconut ( Cocos nucifera var. aurantiaca) is a tropical nut that is classified as "Typica" ( Ran Thembili , Gon Thembili ) and "Aurantiaca" ( Rath Thembili, Nawasi Thembili ).   

It is endemic to the island of Sri Lanka and has distinct flavor characteristics when compared to green coconuts found in other coconut-growing countries. Although this is where the majority of King Coconuts are grown, they can also be found on Indonesian islands.   

The king coconut tree is shorter than other coconut trees and can be found growing wild in many parts of the country. They form clusters of up to 20 nuts, which sprout from smaller branches on a large stalk.    

King coconuts are elongated ovals with a pointed end opposite the stem, similar to a football. The skin is bright orange in color, with the occasional dark mark or abrasion. King coconuts range in length from 20 to 30 centimeters. They are harvested at 7 to 8 months of maturity.   

The drupe of the king coconut is surrounded by an edible liquid endosperm (; which is its delicious water) and a solid endosperm (kernel).    

An Amazing Natural Beverage with Multiple Health Rewards !   

King coconut water is a popular functional beverage that is high in sugars, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids and has tremendous therapeutic properties.    

The king coconut kernel is a delicate spongy material that has a soothing mouth feel and is high in antioxidants, flavonoids, and phytochemicals.   

Because of king coconut water's isotonic composition in balancing the body's electrolytes, King coconut water, which is known as a perfect thirst-quenching sports drink that helps keep the human body rehydrated and delay exhaustion, can be used as a refreshing drink.    

The higher osmolality of king coconut water has a direct impact on rapid intestinal absorption, which is primarily controlled by carbohydrates and minerals.   

As a result, king coconut water is an excellent source of blood sugar restoration and hunger relief without the use of artificial beverages containing added sugars and harmful additives.    

Because king coconut water is high in vitamin C, it can be used as an important dietary antioxidant.    

The presence of ascorbic acid in king coconut water has been discovered to have anti-aging effects on skin care.   

Because of its increased insulin sensitivity, the magnesium found in king coconut water aids in the maintenance of lower blood sugar levels against Type II diabetes. During World War II, king coconut water was used to treat dysentery and for infant feeding as an intravenous hydration and resuscitation fluid. It was used to improve blood circulation in the kidneys and to cause excessive diuresis.   

The presence of L-arginine in king coconut water has been found to have a cardio-protective effect, favoring relaxation.    

Other therapeutic properties of king coconut water include hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic, antihypertensive, hypoglycemic, and renal regenerative effects.   

Recipes!   

To open a King coconut, use a sharp knife to cut the stem end and then cut around the stem end at an angle to create a beveled edge. Cut (or hack) the white layer of pith until it is thin enough to poke a hole through to extract the liquid.    

After the liquid is removed, the inside of the rind has a soft, gelatinous layer that can be eaten. It can be mixed into smoothies or juices. Uncut King coconuts should be kept on the counter until ready to use. You may try juices, jellies, wines and many more recipes with king coconut.   

According to the studies, fresh king coconuts in can only be stored for 6 days and fresh king coconut water for less than 10 hours under ambient temperature conditions.   

Currently, king coconuts are exported worldwide, as wrapped whole nuts and processed bottled/packed king coconut water. So, you can easily try this rewarded fruit !   

Source   

"King coconut - The golden nut of Sri Lanka" - 2021, Maheshika D. Jayasinghe and Ilmi G. N. Hewajulige