Drinking King Coconut in Sri Lanka

Om Projramm steht Weltreis,
Wie jeden Daach verzällt e’, wat ihm wo passiert ess:
Kokosnöss un Packeis,
Un wie e’ övver dä Äquator balanciert ess.
BAP [1]

The coconut (Cocos nucifera) belongs to the palm family. The term coconut refers to both the entire tree and the large, hard fruit. The coconut originates from the central Indo-Pacific region but is now found throughout the tropics [2]. This is interesting because I just realized I haven't taken any pictures of coconut palms in a long time. However, I did find a very old picture from Goa and one from Aitutaki (Cook Islands). Perhaps a further note about Goa: you can almost have the beach to yourself if you just walk a short distance along the shore. You might even see water buffalo or cattle bathing and cooling off in the sea. But I digress again…

In Sri Lanka, you often see roadside stalls selling coconuts that are opened for you, and from which you can drink the coconut water [3]. It really is almost entirely water, about 95%. 3-4% of coconut water is sugar, so it tastes sweet but contains significantly less sugar than soft drinks [4]. The protein and fat content of coconut water is negligible. It also contains only small amounts of vitamins and minerals. So if someone tells you that coconut water is healthy -: yes and no! It is only healthy if you drink it instead of soft drinks. For ecological reasons, I don't like it sold bottled or canned in Europe or Northern America. It is a drink to be bought locally.

 

The yellow-skinned "King Coconut" (Cocos nucifera var. aurantiaca) [5] is native to Sri Lanka and contains more coconut water and less pulp, as it has been cultivated as a drinking coconut. It is known as Thæmbili (Sinhala: තැඹිලි); in Tamil it's Ārañcu (ஆரஞ்ச). The coconut water is the liquid endosperm of young coconuts, which develops into the rind of the coconut pulp. This can also be eaten, and a spoon is carved from the outer shell for you. Once the coconut is emptied, it is cut in half so that you can enjoy this part as well. The shells are dried and used as fuel; no bottles or cans are left over.

Goa (India)

Aitutaki (Cook Islands)

Links and Annotations:
[1] From the song „Jupp“ [1a] by BAP [1b]. The text is in Kölsch, the dialect of Cologne and translates into German:
„Auf dem Programm steht Weltreise,
Wie jeden Tag erzählt er, was ihm wo passiert ist:
Kokosnüsse und Packeis,
Und wie er über den Äquator balanciert ist.“
And English:
„On the agenda is a world trip,
Like every day, he tells us what happened to him and where:
Coconuts and pack ice,
And how he balanced across the equator.“
[1a] https://bap.de/songtext/jupp/  
[1b] BAP is a successful German rock band. The lyrics are in Kölsch/Ripuarian.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BAP_(German_band) 
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut  
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_water  
[4] Although soft drinks in Germany contain somewhat less sugar than in the USA, they contain about three times the amount compared to coconut water. 
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_coconut 

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Mandi, Mandi

„Monday, Monday (ba-da ba-da-da-da)“, who wouldn't be reminded of the song by the Mamas & the Papas?! At least the song came to my mind, when I recently tried a spice mix labelled Mandi Spices on a dish of mixed vegetables and the taste was delicious. So I wanted to know more about this Mandi spice mix, which I had bought in Jordan three weeks ago.

Mandi is a traditional dish that originated from Yemen [1]. Meat (originally lamb, camel or goat, now more chicken) together with rice and Mandi spices are cooked in a pit underground. This meal has been cooked for us in Wadi Rum. The meat juice saps into the rice, which is yellow (because of the spices), but being vegetarian I didn't pay too much attention to this treat. They cooked potatoes in another container for me. Mandi is served in other Arabian countries, specially in the Levante, but also in Pakistan and India. It's a treat for special occasions like wedding or Eid al-Fitr (Feast of Breaking the Fast).

For the spice mix I've looked at some pages on the internet [2]. White and black paper is used, which I think we may agree is pepper. Ingrediends may be cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon,  fennel seeds, turmeric, star anise, bay laurel, ginger, nutmeg, chillies, peppercorns. The ingrediends are heated, not burned in a skillet for a about three minutes and grounded. Or you have the chance to buy it, but I hadn't seen it in shops in Germany; and I am spoiled by specialty food stores in Cologne.

This picture isn't from Jordan as I didn't have the chance to make a good picture due to time constraints. This picture is from Iran (Shiraz).

The ready made spice mix won't last long, so I'm prepared to make my own.

Links and Notes:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandi_(food)
[2] https://www.shanazrafiq.com/2020/06/homestyle-chicken-mandi.html
http://aldanat.ae/en/mandi-spices
https://recipesaresimple.com/mandi-spice-mix-spice-powder-for-mandi/
https://cookpad.com/uk/recipes/15549950-homemade-mandi-spice-mix-masala https://nithisclickncook.com/mandi-spice-mix/

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Antirheumatic drugs and foods

Some food and beverages may interact with drugs being prescribend in rheumatology against rheumatic diseases as well as concomitant diseases like osteoporosis. Some foods and beverages block the drug's absorption, so one gets less benefit ore even none at all. On the other hand foods and beverages may increase absorption or free plasma levels and so render them more powerful. Apart from acting on the drug itself, foods and beverages might increase toxicity. Neutriceuticals / dietary supplements might also interact.

Fruit
Fruits with lots of fruit acid like citrus fruits and apples may intereact with your medication. Especially grapefruit acts with cyclosporine A, it increases plasma levels of the drug (cyclosporine A and other drugs carry a warning about grapefruit juice on their labels). These fruits might also interact with methotrexate, but we use more subcutaneous methotreaxate and clinically see no interaction. Alendronate and other oral biphosphonates might also interact, but the stomach should be empty taking the drug and you should only take it with non-sparkling water.

Coffee
Coffee might interact with alendronate and other oral biphosphonates, but the stomach should be empty taking the drug and you should only take it with non-sparkling water.

Milk and milk products
Milk and milk products like yogurt, icecream, cheeses might block quite a lot of drugs, but in rheumatology only penicillamine, and though the drug still is on the list of DMARDs, I haven't seen a patient on this drug during the past 17 years, and before I have only seen patients to come off this drug.

Alcohol
If you are taking drugs that go with the risk of liver toxicity, like methotrexate of leflunomide, it's highly recommended avoiding alcohol.

St. John's Wort
St. John's Wort might increase liver toxicity of other drugs. Some people have to take sildenafil because of vasculitis, St. John's Wort might reduce plasma levels.

Vitamin E and Ginseng
Vitamin E and Ginseng might enhance the bleeding effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like low-dose aspirin, ibuprofen, and others.

This list is far from complete and if you read something on the topic, please notify me, that I add other interactions. I´ll look myself for addional information.