This summer, have more than nariyal paani with a coconut
There are a few other refreshing and delicious ways to incorporate coconut water in your diet.
The weather is scorching and it makes perfect sense to go in for lighter, refreshing meals. If you usually reach for a nariyal pani every day, this time do more with the fruit. Coconuts, the jewel of the summer season, pack a bunch of health benefits and also present several other culinary possibilities. Along with a soothing diet and some open-air exercise, it can make for a healing and stress busting combination. Here's more on the power of this fruit…


HEALTH TIPS
Recounting its benefits, nutritionist Sheela Tanna says, “Coconut water is an extremely cooling and wonderful, mineral-rich drink. It is natural and super isotonic. It gives a quick pick-me-up effect and it is also a diuretic, so one may pass urine frequently after having it.”
She also cautions, “Coconut water is high in carbohydrates, so people who have high diabetes, have to restrict its intake. While it can be part of your diet, having only a coconut-water diet for a long time could be risky. It is known to lower your blood pressure, but it can increase the sugar level and cause diarrhoea if taken empty stomach and and isolated. So, always combine it with protein rich snack to avoid sugar spike.”
INTERESTING WAYS TO ENJOY IT
Coconut water jelly with fruits

Set coconut water with agar-agar and add strawberry puree for extra sweetness along with chopped apple, grapes, melon and enjoy this water jelly with least calories.
Coconut water alkaline drink
Add mint leaves, lemon slices, orange slices to coconut water. Soak and keep drinking to balance the pH level.
Coconut rice

Soak rice in coconut water for an hour to let the flavour seep in. Saute onion, garlic in coconut oil. Add sliced carrots, peas, potatoes and salt, pepper. Cook and serve with curd raita
Coconut water lassi
Mix coconut water and yogurt. Run through the blender, add sugar/salt. Add ice cubes. Enjoy this sweet/salty lassi for a refreshing and soulful treat.
TRY THIS 15-MINUTE SUMMER REFRESHER
Kulukki Sarbath (Spiced shaken lemonade)
Kulukki Sarbath is one of the most popular sarbaths from God’s own country, Kerala. Culinary expert and consultant chef Reetu Uday Kugaji shares, "This refreshing summer drink is prepared with soaked sweet basil seeds, slit green chillies, freshly-squeezed lemon juice, ginger (optional), chilled tender coconut water/ chilled water, powdered sugar / sugar syrup , rock salt and ice cubes. It is also ‘shaken NOT stirred’. The term ‘Kulukki’ means shaken in Malyalam and therefore this name.

She shows how to make it:
Ingredients
Lemon, freshly squeezed - 2 tbsp
Tender coconut water or water, chilled - 1 ½ cup
Powdered sugar - 2 tbsp or more as required
Green chillies, slightly slit - 4
Sweet basil seeds soaked in 1/2 cup water - 4 tsp
Fresh mint leaves, muddled - 10
Rock salt - ½ tsp
Ice cubes - as required
Method
Soak the sabza seeds in ¼ cup of water for 15 minutes until it swells/fluffs up. In a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid add the sugar, lemon juice and chilled tender coconut water / chilled water. Add in the slit chilli , mint leaves , rock salt and soaked sweet basil seeds to the liquid mix. Add ice cubes.
Close the mason jar with its lid, ensure its tightly closed. Now shake the mason jar well for about 2 minutes until the powdered sugar dissolves completely.
Add more ice cubes / crushed ice in a glass. Pour the sharbat. Serve chilled.
You may also prepare variations of this sharbat by adding fresh mango juice, fresh orange, pineapple or ginger juice.
