The human brain is designed in a spectacular manner. Every single person on this planet earth has the capacity to observe unlimited things. This ability has also generated a huge amount of curiosity in us. And because of that, we ask questions. Not only that, but we also strive to debunk the hidden science behind everything.
Ever wondered how a thick coconut gets filled with water? I mean, it is so hard from the outer surface. And, it doesn’t sprout any holes either. So how does this water end up inside it? And more importantly, how is it so clean and sweet? As expected, there is science behind this, too.
Let’s discuss what this water is and how it gets inside a hard fruit. But before we jump on learning the mystery behind this coconut water, let’s understand a few points about the plant reproductive system.
Plant Reproductive System
All the trees reproduce with the help of seeds. These are enclosed in a covering of fruit. Like the mango you eat in your lunch basically holds a seed for an entire mango tree. This fruit keeps the small seed safe and provides it with the nourishment that is required for its vitality. And once it is sowed in the soil, it starts to grow and soon becomes a tree. Fascinating, right?
The coconut seeds are exactly like this. It is enclosed within a hard fruit shell that contains all the nutrients required for the development of the young seed. All this food source is known as endosperm, which is a liquid containing necessary nutrition. But how is it related to coconut water? Here is the answer:
If we talk about palm trees, their natural habitat is quite humid. Clusters of these trees thrive on the seashore outside the tidal zone, provided there is plenty of subterranean freshwaters. Therefore, they have plenty of water available naturally.
The trees readily absorb the water. It is assimilated by the roots and conveyed right up to the crowns of the coconut palms. The water before absorption is subjected to the process of osmosis, and any dissolved salts which exist in the subterranean water are automatically eliminated through it. You can say that it acts as a natural filter to eliminate any kind of unwanted particles. As a result, only pure sweet water is absorbed and transported to the crown of the tree.
The water that gets accumulated inside then forms the endosperm or the food or nourishment for the coconut’s growth. The nourishing endosperm is in the liquid form in the initial stage of the green coconut. When the seed starts to grow after some weeks, the liquid water starts transforming into the creamy tissue that is then deposited on the coconut’s inner surface.
As time passes, the seed matures. And by the time a soft creamy layer of tissue becomes the hard ‘copra,’ the erstwhile endosperm would have become clean coconut water. This is how it ends up inside a hard fruit with no holes whatsoever.
As discussed earlier, coconut is not the only plant that is blessed with this process. Mother Nature has provided all kinds of plants a unique endosperm. The seeds of every fruit have this organ to provide nourishment to the developing embryo. It stores food in the form of glucose and starch for the plant existing inside the seed. Moreover, it protects it from the harsh environment before it is ready to be on its own.
Who could’ve thought that there is so much depth in even plants? Isn’t this just amazing? Let’s take a moment to appreciate such creativity and the science behind it.