By David G. Arenson, Naturopath
Gwyneth Paltrow claims that this ‘on-the-go snack’ keeps her slim – a 100ml contains only 39 calories! Sienna Miller, Ellen Pompeo, Kellan Lutz, Penn Badgley, Heidi Klum, Jessica Simpson, Chris Pine, Padma Lakshmi, Kristin Cavallari, Ed Westwick, Karolina Kurkova, AnnaLynne McCord, Kara DioGuardi, and Anna Paquin are all drinking it!
What is Coconut water?
It’s the refreshing juice (200-1000ml) from the inside of young green coconuts from tropical Arecaceae palm trees – aged 5-7 months. The clear liquid is sweet-tasting, sterile, and rich in sugars, electrolytes, enzymes, amino acids, minerals (Calcium, potassium, manganese, magnesium), vitamins (Riboflavin and Vitamin C)and fibre. It is low in calories (about 50 per cup from mainly natural sugars) and contains zero fat (unlike coconut milk!).
Sanskrit texts describe the coconut palm as “kalpa vriksha” – the tree of life – indicating that Indians have been using coconuts as a staple food for thousands of years. Traditional Aryuveda regards the health benefits of coconut water as providing abundant semen, improving the digestive and urinary tract channels.
Coconut water is better than sports drinks like Gatorade. A study by the School of Medical Science at Universiti Sains Malaysia concluded that coconut water was the best option for athletes. It found that coconut water performed best – causing less nausea, fullness and no stomach upsets as compared to sports drinks. Sports drinks contain unhealthy refined sugars, artificial colouring and flavouring, coconut water contains nearly 20 times the potassium in Gatorade. One cup contains more potassium than a banana. One caveat – most fruit and vegetables are also good sources of potassium.
Admired as a super drink for generations, coconut water is the only natural substance that can be injected into the human blood stream as a blood plasma substitute. It has been used as an intravenous fluid during wars and famine, saving countless lives. In WWII, it was used as a supply of glucose!
Health benefits of Coconut Water include:
Prevents dehydration: Refuels and rehydrates – maintains the body’s fluid levels and its potassium content helps maintain water pressure within cells and blood. In developing countries where clean water is scarce, coconut water can be life-saving and save people suffering from diarrhea/dysentery/cholera.
Fuel for brain and muscles: Due to its electrolyte content, improves nervous system function, nerve transmission and prevents cramps and spasms in the muscles.
Heart and kidney healthy:Reduces the risk of hypertension and strokes and helps prevent or resolve kidney stones.
nti-aging:Contains compounds (cytokinins)that protect cells from aging and cancer.
Digestive Aid: Improves digestion and metabolism via bioactive enzymes. Aids absorption of food and efficacy of drugs due to its electrolytic effect. Soothes intestinal pain/spasm.
Supports immune function: Its lauric acid content is anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral. It boosts the immune system in fighting infection whilst helping to eradicate intestinal worms and candida.
Coconut water is a great health drink – nature’s sports drink! If you exercise sufficiently, it’s a healthier alternative to commercial sports drinks. A caution – most people don’t even need hyped up sports drinks – water works best, with a fruit like a banana, and a handful of raw nuts. Be wary of drinking excessive coconut water, as it can act as a laxative and diuretic. Also don’t rely on coconut water alone! After exercising, to support stamina, endurance and post-exercise recovery, also consider protein-rich whole foods, magnesium supplementation, ginseng, CoQ10, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Vitamin C and Acetyl L-Carnitin.
