Coconut water. I mean, have you actually tried to drink coconut water? My brother Jared and his wife Priscila live in Brazil, and on their last trip home Jared got me and our sister Janna drinking coconut water "for hydration, and to restore our electrolytes." He said, "It's a little rough at first. Out of the carton anyway. In Brazil they sell it straight off the tree and just stick a straw in it and hand it to you. It's amazing. But even here it's worth it, and you'll get used to it." Well, reserving my judgment about having it straight from a fresh coconut, I will agree that out of the carton, it's a little rough. And I'm definitely not used to it.
I try to drink it anyway. And when I
actually force myself to do so I feel SO much better. I have more energy.
I'm less thirsty. And nothing has
ever helped me get rid of a headache faster. You'd think knowing that
would cause me to drink it every day. No
way.
I recently went and visited my friend Lauren in
Orlando. Before I came out she told me she was preparing our menu and asked me to name any foods that I tried to
avoid. If I'd been entirely honest in my response to her, I would have said
coconut water. We considered driving south to the part of Florida where
coconuts actually grow on trees so I could stick a straw in one and see for
myself, but we unfortunately didn't have time for a road trip. Maybe next
time.
In the meantime I'll keep on keeping on with the
grocery-store variety. At least it's not kombucha, because I
can't even make myself drink that. Maybe I've only had the wrong kinds,
but I just can't. Janna tried it the
other day and texted me that she'd finally found something worse than
coconut water. Yes ma'am. I tried it a few years ago after reading
about it everywhere, and I really wanted to like it. I willed myself to like it. It reminded me of when I was in college, and
every time I went into Jamba Juice (which was often) there was a line of people
doing shots of wheat grass. So I tried
that too. I felt like if I was the kind
of person who loved doing shots of wheat grass I’d also suddenly become the
kind of person that loved riding my bike everywhere and going to the gym
between classes. Instead of the kind of
person who had an entire can of whipped cream on top of one cup of hot
chocolate at 2:00 in the morning in my dorm room. The wheat grass thing was a no go. Also going to bed early, avoiding TV, and
eating (well, mostly preparing) enough vegetables. All things that would be really good for me. All things I'm content to leave alone.
Anybody else? What things do you know are good for you that you
just can't quite get behind? What things do you try to do anyway?
I know! Coconut water is so gross! And it's like a cruel joke ... you hear coconut and it should taste like a mounds bar, or pina colada, or at least a coconut flavered version of almond milk or something. But no. It's not even remotely like that. It's like drinking bitter water. They try to sell it to you like it's the nectar of the gods and has all the healing properties of magical roots from Olimpus, but I'm pretty sure that ambrosia is supposed to taste awesome. This does not. Wheat grass is actually not so bad, but that's, I believe, a practice in expectations. I mean, grass is in the name, you can't have very high expectations. Based on your description I now know better than to be tricked into trying Kombucha ... I have never heard of it, but I'm picturing something knobby and green, or maybe coming from a Yak ... or both. Thank you for making it ok to admit. I think I'll be old fashioned and stick to broccoli and salad ... and maybe now a coconut milkshake because, yes that's how my brain works.
ReplyDeleteLOL. Your description of kombucha is amazing, and fairly accurate in my opinion. Glad I could save you some pain. :) A coconut milkshake sounds pretty good to me...
DeleteWe all have a "coconut water" of our own, don't we? I have a weird aversion to certain food textures. Bananas, believe it or not, gross me out with their stringy-ness and mushy-ness. Mushrooms I have a hard time getting behind unless the are well disguised. Oh, and KALE. I feel like I could write a monologue about kale. I know so many people are singing its praises, but I have yet to see the light there. I keep giving it a shot - - even trying it baked and covered in salt - - but it still is Unappetizing-with-a-capital-U to me. And knowing your coconut water saga makes me feel like it might just be okay that bananas, mushrooms, and kale are not regular parts of my diet. So, thank you for sharing! (Also, sidenote, I was excited to see my name pop up in this post! #itsthelittlethings)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lauren. And don't be surprised if your name pops up again soon. ;)
DeleteHaha, yes it's so gross. Like phelgm-y in your mouth. Kombucha too. Yuck.
ReplyDeleteI also can't get behind Kale - right there with you Lauren.
My least favorite healthy food is quinoa, just don't understand the appeal. I've had it hot and cold and in salads and as a grain by itself and it's never once been yummy.
I'm glad I'm not alone. :)
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