The Mythology of coconut water didn't start with celebrities and pro-athletes drinking it, although the media might lead you to think just that. The fabled stories behind coconut water - from how it was first discovered to its legacy as an 'elixir of life' - are told and retold in South America, Asia, India and Hawaiian folklore.

- South Americans drink it the way Americans drinking orange juice: every day, multiple times a day.

- Brazilian women use it as facial toner and in place of water when shampooing their hair.

- Asians cook with it as often as they drink it.

- Indians use it in Ayurveda and other alternative types of medicine.

- During the Pacific War 1941-45, both sides used coconut water - siphoned directly from the nut - to give emergency plasma transfusions to wounded soldiers.

- And in Hawaii, old tales of Hainuwele, the 'coconut girl' who symbolized fertility, are still passed on from generation to generation.

The legends of coconut water are diverse and plentiful, but share a common thread: coconut water brings life and wellness. It's what we've heard again and again from Vita Coco's loyal consumers, whether they were early adopters when we first started in 2004, or new converts in 2010, what we at Vita Coco jokingly call 'the year of the coconut'.