The Health Benefits of Coconut Water
WHAT IS COCONUT WATER?
Coconut water is found inside immature green coconuts, it naturally occurs on the inside of the fruit and as it matures, so does the contents of the coconut- causing the water to harden and fill the inside of the fruit with “coconut meat” which is the edible part, also the beginning stage of coconut milk, which contrary to widespread belief does not occur naturally.
COCONUT MILK VS COCONUT WATER
Where coconut water occurs naturally, coconut milk does not and is not necessarily as healthy nor is it a good supplement for coconut water. Coconut milk is made from the flesh of the coconut mixed with water and has almost triple the number of calories and nowhere near as nutritious- luckily lots of recipes in which incorporate coconut milk can be easily compromised with coconut water.
Learn more about the differences between coconut water and coconut milk with Healthline
NUTRITIONAL AND HEALTH BENEFITS
Coconut water is incredibly beneficial for your health and a great alternative to many sugary juice drinks that market themselves as rehydrating and healthy, as it holds a considerable amount less artificial sugar and less calories at only 45kcal per cup (240g). However, some brands of coconut water incorporate added sugars and potentially even artificial sweeteners, so it is always a clever idea to check the labels before buying.
One cup of pure coconut water contains a multitude of nutritional benefits, including 24.3mg of vitamin C, 404mg of potassium and 10.4g of natural carbohydrates- to put that into perspective, one cup of coconut water has 1/3 of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C- boosting your immune system and supplying many more bodily benefits.
For expectant mothers coconut water is incredibly nourishing to fetal cells and provides a safe source of fiber and calories to help support body weight during pregnancy however please note that the medical recommendation for pregnant women is to only drink 1-2 glasses of coconut water per day.
Cytokines found in coconut water work as a natural replenisher and moisturizer for your skin, when consumed regularly- coconut water can actually Reduce pigmentation, acne and skin irritation- Coconut water can also prevent premature wrinkles in the skin.
It is a fact that your diet and quality of life directly affects the quality of your hair, Coconut water is known to contain nutrients which nourish the cells on your scalp which results in healthy and strong hair follicles
More health benefits of coconut water can be found here!
ACTION IN THE BODY
Coconut water is the perfect beverage for replenishing electrolytes, which are ions in which conduct electricity when dissolved in water (coconut water contains sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium), restoring hydration and the abundance of natural carbohydrates helps to improve muscle function- making it the perfect exercise drink for replenishing and building muscle health.
How to incorporate coconut water into your diet;
- Swapping coconut milk for coconut water in cooking
- Mixing coconut water with a supplement (Hydro OG is the perfect choice for this)
- Replacing the water cordial juice drinks with coconut water
If for whatever reason you're not convinced of the life changing benefits of coconut water after reading this blog post, have a look at Home Stratospheres 6 Reasons to Incorporate Coconut Water in Your Diet (Plus Nutritional Facts!)