Coconut water on a hot summer day is bliss. It’s refreshing and really tasty too. But even more importantly, coconut water is full of nutrients that have many health benefits for your body beyond summer season. Some call it “nature’s sports drink” but whatever you choose to call it, this beverage has a lot to offer and should be a more regular part of your diet.
Wanna know why? Well, here are ten benefits of coconut water.
#1 Helps You Recover Faster After a Workout Session
Coconut water contains an abundance of different kinds of electrolytes, from potassium, to magnesium, to sodium.
After an intense workout session and sweating profusely, you need to replace those lost fluids, especially during the summer months when you sweat a lot more. The electrolytes present in coconut water will keep your body from dehydrating, help you balance your fluids, and ensure that your muscles function properly.
In fact, it’s been shown from studies that coconut water performs pretty much the same way sports drinks do. And the best part is that it is completely natural and devoid of added sugars and sweeteners. This is why coconut water might be a better option than your sports drinks and other conventional beverages like Sprite or a Cola.
Research even shows that coconut water might be easier on the stomach than these other options.
Still, you want to confirm with your fitness coach before taking coconut water and this is because coconut water isn’t exactly rich in carbs and sodium, and these are key nutrients that help you keep going during extended workout sessions.
During long workout sessions, naturally, you sweat more and lose more sodium than potassium. And to replace the lost sodium, you might have to supplement coconut water with a sports drink because coconut water isn’t exactly rich in sodium.
Don’t forget to take some carbs as well. You’d need carbs during a workout session and coconut water isn’t exactly rich in carbs.
But all in all, if your workout session isn’t going to be long or intense, then you’re better off with coconut water than any sports drink or beverage.
#2 Coconut Water Keeps Your Heart Healthy
When we think of a rich, natural source of potassium, we immediately think of bananas, and bananas are truly rich in potassium. But did you know that there’s more potassium in one cup of coconut water than there is in one medium-sized banana? So, how is this good for your heart?
Well, research has shown that foods rich in potassium can help to keep your heart healthy by helping to lower blood pressure. It can even help to prevent a stroke.
Coconut water also helps to keep your cholesterol levels balanced by kicking the bad cholesterol out and increasing the levels of good cholesterol. A study recently conducted showed that coconut water performs almost the same way in lowering cholesterol as the OTC drug, lovastatin.
While the amount of coconut water used in the study might be too much for regular consumption, the findings show some promise.
Another way coconut water helps your heart is by supplying your body with antioxidants and correcting insulin sensitivity. By doing this, coconut water ultimately helps to reduce your chances of coming down with hypertension.
#3 Taking Coconut Water is Good for Your Gut
Coconut water is rich in fiber which has a laxative effect. This is great if you’re feeling a little constipated. Plus, coconut water also functions as a natural diuretic.
If you’re having diarrhea, you might want to take some coconut water. Diarrhea makes you lose fluids which means you also lose electrolytes. As coconut water is rich in electrolytes, it makes a great home remedy when you get sick with diarrhea as it will help to restore the lost electrolytes.
For the best results, take coconut water within one hour of your first symptoms of diarrhea. You can also take it if you’re having acid reflux. The presence of electrolytes like potassium will help balance out the pH in your gut.
#4 Coconut Water Might Help Cure Your Hangover
There hasn’t been sufficient research carried out on this but coconut water might be of help after a long night of partying and booze. When you drink a lot of alcohol, you usually lose potassium. Since coconut water is rich in potassium, taking some when you’re having a hangover might take care of your hangover.
#5 Coconut Water Can Help to Bring Down Your Blood Sugar Level
There is a particular protein present in coconut water known as L-arginine which is known to have antidiabetic properties. So, it is possible that by taking coconut water you will be able to regulate your blood sugar level.
Apart from that, coconut water is also great at fighting oxidative stress which is a condition usually associated with diabetes. Plus, it reduces hemoglobin A1c levels in the blood which is a precursor for diabetes.
So, if you’re currently managing diabetes or you just want to bring down your blood sugar levels, then consider including coconut water in your diet. It is rich in fiber and has very few calories.
But you might want to stay away from packaged coconut water because it might contain some artificial sweeteners which you’re trying to avoid. Instead, go for natural, unsweetened coconut water.
#6 Coconut Water Keeps You Hydrated
This is a big plus that comes with drinking coconut water. Staying hydrated is very important because it helps your body function properly. Plus, it also helps you sleep better and improves your mood and cognition.
Oftentimes, people find it difficult to stay hydrated because they find plain water too “boring.” If this is the case with you, then coconut water might be just the thing to do the trick. Coconut water is fun and delicious and might entice you to drink more water daily.
Usually, you are supposed to drink your body’s weight in ounces of water daily. And for some, that might be a lot, especially when it’s plain water. So, feel free to switch things up a bit with coconut water rather than soda or other sugary drinks.
Keep in mind, though, that although coconut water is low in calories, it is not completely devoid of calories. There are about 44 calories in one glass of coconut water. So, be careful not to overdo it. Also, if you want to reduce the calorie count further, consider diluting coconut water with regular water before drinking it.
#7 Coconut Water is Rich in Antioxidants
Antioxidants are very helpful to your body as they ensure that you stay healthy and youthful both inside your body and outside your body. They do this by protecting your cells from the damage caused by free radicals. Usually, these free radicals enter into our bodies from toxins in the environment. They could also come from processed foods, stress, or even your body’s natural metabolic activities.
Oxidative stress is one of the main reasons people age fast and experience all the diseases that come with ageing. But if your meals are rich in antioxidants like fruits or veggies, you can keep your body from the effects of oxidative stress. Drinking coconut water might also be another way to keep your body from the harm oxidation brings to your body.
#8 You Can Use Coconut Water to Treat Acne
One of the compounds present in coconut water is lauric acid which is known to have antibacterial properties. Due to that, coconut water might be used to treat acne.
Particularly, lauric acid is very effective against Propionibacterium which is known to cause acne. So, if you’ve been looking for a solution for an acne problem, applying coconut water might just do the trick.
Coconut Water Might Also Help With Psoriasis
Although studies have not proven the direct relationship between coconut water and psoriasis, there is a possibility that coconut water might help with this skin problem. This is because coconut water prevents dehydration which usually leaves the skin vulnerable to conditions like psoriasis because dehydration leaves your body unable to remove toxins which usually leads to conditions like psoriasis.
#9 Coconut Water Can Help You Build Stronger, Healthier Bones
One of the most important elements for strong bones is calcium, and coconut water is rich in calcium. So, coconut water might be able to help you strengthen your bones and keep them healthy.
#10 Coconut Water is Rich in Vitamins and Minerals
One thing that makes coconut water really stand out is its high vitamin and mineral content. Because of many people’s dietary choices, most are deficient in the necessary minerals and vitamins. So, hydrating with coconut water would make a great way to supplement the missing minerals and vitamins you might be lacking.
In coconut water, you have potassium, calcium, iron, copper, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, thiamin, and vitamin C. It’s obvious that coconut water is nutrient dense. So, better start drinking up to stay healthy.
All these benefits aside, though, it is important to be careful with coconut water. As they say, too much of a good thing can be bad. One risk that comes with drinking coconut water excessively is its high potassium content.
Coconut water is quite rich in potassium and while that might be good news for people who lack potassium as well as people with high blood pressure, it might not be good news for those with kidney problems.
Taking too much coconut water might supply your body with more potassium than it can process which can cause hyperkalemia, a change in heart rhythm that could lead to a heart attack.
The good thing is you would need to drink quite a bit of coconut water to be at risk for some of the conditions associated with drinking too much coconut water. And, if you’re looking for a benchmark, generally, two to three cups of coconut water daily should do. You’ll get all the benefits and won’t have to deal with the risks.
