Coconut water...how long does it last?

[sherahtaylor]

I'm soooo excited that my DD who is 13 months is starting to like coconut water (milk) straight from the coconut. Yay! I'm hoping to completely get her off ALL milk products and just give her that for her liquids, in addition to the other raw foods she eats.

So we're about to go to summer camp for 2 weeks, staying there the entire time. We'll have access to a kitchen but we'll be all over the 37-acre property and I know there will be times she'll want a bottle and we'll need to have one ready.

So how long can coconut water stay good at room temp? Or warm temps outside, like 80-90? It's not so convenient to have a crying baby and need to run to the kitchen, get out the knife, and open the coconut (esp. when DH is babysitting; he won't know how/won't be so enthused to have to open it). Can I open several coconuts and have a "jug" of coconut water in the fridge to refill as needed?

I'm excited about this - I know it's sooo good for her, especially in the hot summer months. Thanks for your help!

[Elizabeth]

Hi Sherah,

I am not sure how long it lasts.. I always open one right before I use it, but Re: your post "I'm soooo excited that my DD who is 13 months is starting to like coconut water (milk) straight from the coconut. Yay! I'm hoping to completely get her off ALL milk products and just give her that for her liquids, in addition to the other raw foods she eats.." (and I know I may be "stepping on your toes", here, but, since you are talking about your baby, I really felt like I should respond) I was wondering whether you are nursing, and whether it is good to feed a 13 month old baby coconut water instead of milk. Babies are not supposed to be vegan, they are supposed to nurse, and if they are not "able" to, the most appropriate substitute should be found...and I may be mistaken, but frankly, I doubt that coconut water is it.

I hope that some more people post to this topic, even if they have responded privately, so other people who might read this and are wondering how to feed babies on Raw can benefit from other's experience and knowledge.


:)

[sherahtaylor]

Thanks SO much for your reply! I am definitely not worried about anyone stepping on my toes - when it comes to my baby, my most precious posession really, I am always wanting to learn and find out what is the best way. I haven't nursed her since she was 3 months old, and she's been on milk-based formula ever since. That's what I'm trying to get her off of, the milk-based formula. I usually quit giving my babies formula right at one year (oh YES now they can finally drink real cow's milk and I don't have to buy the expensive formula!!) but with this my first "rawish" baby - I just can't bring myself to give her straight cow's milk.

Goat's milk IS another alternative, but honestly not very easily obtained for me, so I thought coconut milk would be a super alternative - and the rest of her nutrients would be gotten from eating the normal raw food I give her. Right now she eats alot of bananas, avocados, strawberries, peaches, coconut meat, and whatever other fruit we happen to have at the time.

And.......I wish so much I never quit nursing her. That was before I'd ever heard of raw. With this baby - I plan to nurse at LEAST a year if I am able to; all of my babies, with me eating SAD, have only been able to be sustained and nourished on breast milk for 6 months max. They're usually skinny and hungry ALOT of the time so I end up substituting.

I was especially encouraged to give her coconut water by this article:

http://www.living-foods.com/articles/coconutwater.html

Part of which it says:

Coconut Water is More Nutritious than whole milk - Less fat and NO cholesterol!
Coconut Water is More Healthy than Orange Juice - Much lower calories
Coconut Water is Better than processed baby milk- It contains lauric acid, which is present in human mother's milk
Coconut water is naturally sterile -- Water permeates though the filtering husk!
Coconut water is a universal donor-- Its identical to human blook plasma
Coconut Water is a Natural Isotonic Beverage - The same level we have in our blood.
Coconut water has saved lives in 3rd world countries thru Coconut IV.

I welcome any feedback!!

[Elizabeth]

Hi Sherah,

I am glad you understand why I would write, and did not feel attacked. I SO did not mean it like that.. That is interesting the link to the article you posted. I had not read that, esp. about the coconut water compared to formula. Interesting.. and hopeful, for sure.. :) Hopefully some others, who are much more experienced than I am in this area will post what they think or "know," and you can make the best decision possible, given your circumstance for your little one. I think you are right of course about the cow's milk,,I would def. not give that..

Does your baby like nut milk? Maybe that, along with the coconut water, (not nec. at the same time) would add some good proteins and efa's..

Have fun at your camp!!!

[sherahtaylor]

Nut milk...I forgot about that! I tried giving it to her straight, Alissa's mixture, but she turned up her nose. It's so funny. She'll be all excited to have her bottle, laying contentedly down and take a suck, then pull it out of her mouth and look at it, look at me, then put it on the floor and crawl away. LOL! And I know she's hungry/thirsty and would gulp down an entire bottle of formula if I let her!

I bought some strainers (that was a very annoying problem before, not having a strainer; I was using a nylon pantyhose sock - VERY annoying!) and also some vanilla flavoring so maybe she'll like it like that, and also we have a TON of strawberries so I'll try flavoring it with that too. Thanks for the reminder! I'll try it when she wakes up this morning. =)

[RowanC]

You know, that's a good question. I imagine, if it's not in direct, hot sun, it would be good a few hours.

I know in the Caribbean, they used to have coconut stands with young coconuts open with straws in them. They'd sit there in the shade for a little while.

But I would watch it carefully (use your nose) and take it away if it sat too long.

[LoveLife]

Here is a book I found about Raw babies and kids..called Baby Greens by Michaela Lynn and Michael Chrisemer...but I know I just saw one at the healthfood store..but i can't find it online right now...I'll post back once I find it...I would definately look at some books so u could find out all of the best things to feed your baby nutrition-wise...good luck:) ..also I'm have a facebook friend that's a part of this forum and her kids are being raised Raw...so I'm gonna messege her to come to this thread and answer some of your question..

[LightLover]

with me: not longer than 5 minutes. :)



LL

[lavendarJ]

I don't have a answer but have a related question... I was so frustrated because I couldn't get a coconut open... I was at Dierberg's (grocery) and I noticed packaged coconut water in these little carton type boxes. First of all, the label (can't think of the brand right now) claimed to be nothing but coconut water; that is all that was posted on the ingredients - no additives or anything...and the brand had a pretty long expiration date...I was tempted to buy a couple of them but then I decided not to because I wanted my first experience with coconut water to be from the actual coconut... has anyone ever tried coconut water this way?

[fjernsyn]

lavendarJ - was that coconut water raw? The non-raw stuff is DISGUSTING (in my humble opinion haha)

[lavendarJ]

fjernsyn-
i'll have to go to the grocery just so i can look at the brand name and label... i hope to one day be able to crack this darn coconut.... i have watched 'how-to's" on the you tube and also read articles...

when i do get it open, i'll probably use it and the "meat" right away.... i've had some bad experiences lately with letting raw foods linger too long.............

[Elizabeth]

HI Lavender,


I have tried the packaged in the little cardboard type box and thought it was gross!!! Nothing like the fresh... which is so yummy!!!

[salsababy]

I second the book Baby Greens. It's the best raw book I have boughten. It will explain the coconut water/nut milk idea for babies the best way. It's awesome for pregnant and moms with young children. I got mine from Amazon.

It has an awesome recipe section in the back for making baby foods and introducing live foods. I've made a few of the recipes with the girls I nanny for and they liked them!

[salsababy]

If you banana search "baby greens" on this site, I know I posted a link that had pretty much all of the book on the link quite a while ago. I'm not kidding when I say that it's that good of a book. Hope this helps!

[salsababy]

okay, here you go. This is the link.


http://books.google.com/books?id=u-N...ct=result&cd=1