20 



BULLETIN 77, HAWAII EXPERIMENT STATION 



The figures in Table 3 confirm this data and show that only four fruits 

 analyzed in this series have a higher calcium content than coconut water 

 from the very immature nuts. The phosphorus content is variable and 

 lower than previously reported, and the iron content is negligible. Im- 

 mature coconuts contain from 300 to 700 cc. of water. 



Coconut water has an acid reaction. Samples of water from very 

 young coconuts having little or no meat were tested in the station lab- 

 oratory and found to have an average pH of 4.7. 



The results of experiments on guinea pigs summarized in Table 10 

 show that the water from immature nuts has some antiscorbutic value, 

 but at least 20 cc. daily is necessary to protect the animals from gross 

 scurvy. Axtmayer (2) has tested the water from ripe nuts and con- 

 cludes that it is a poor source of vitamin B and a relatively good source 

 of vitamin G. 



The southern Polynesians (34, p. 13) and other peoples inhabiting 

 tropical islands where coconuts grow make great use of coconut water, 

 and early voyagers in the Pacific area relate that they drank the coconut 

 water offered them by the natives (34, p. 13). 



According to Isles (23), the meat begins to form when the nut is 

 about six months old, counting from the time when the spathe first 

 opens. As the meat develops, its water content gradually decreases, the 

 fat and total ash increase, and the protein and sugar content show less 

 marked changes. The meat of mature coconuts contains a relatively 

 large amount (5.4 percent, fresh basis) of crude fiber (64) (26). 



The analyses of the expressed coconut milk show (34, p. 14 ) it to be 

 high in fat (27.0 percent) and low in protein (4.0 percent), and it has 

 been pointed out that "neither coconut water nor coconut milk are com- 

 parable to cow's milk in organic nutrients or calcium and phosphorus 

 content" ( 34, p. 14). 



Coconut in any form contains little or no vitamin A. The meat from 

 ripe coconuts is a good source of vitamin B, but the expressed milk is a 

 poor source. Mature coconuts are reported to be a good source of vita- 

 min G but tn contain no demonstrable quantity of vitamin C (60, 

 p. 628). 



Supply: Though the retail demand is small, coconuts are available 

 all year round and may be purchased in all the larger markets and at 

 many roadside stands. 



Use: Coconuts are plentiful in the Hawaiian Islands, but they are 

 not very generally used. The labor and time required to prepare them 

 for use is no doubt responsible for this. Considerable time and effort 

 may be saved by using a grater such as the Hawaiians and Samoans use. 

 The accompanying drawing shows a grater made from a piece of iron 

 S J / 2 inches long, \V 2 inches wide, and *4 inch thick, having one end 

 flattened and slightly curved upward with teeth l /% inch wide and y% inch 

 long. This metal piece may be nickel plated in order to prevent rusting, 

 the total cost being approximately two dollars. The metal grater may 

 be screwed onto a straight piece of wood or better to a wooden seat as 

 shown in Figure 3. The coconuts should be separated into halves but 

 the meat should not be removed from the shell as is necessary for other 



