Coconut water contains natural sugars and some important vitamins and minerals, but is it the wonder tonic the hype suggests? Katy Salter reports
The Brazilians have been drinking it for years. So have people in India, south east Asia, the Caribbean and anywhere else that the coconut palm grows. Now coconut water has been liberated from its natural container and packaged for sale in the rest of the world. America's been quaffing it since 2004. Britain has come late to the party but here, marketed with crushing inevitability as a celebrity-endorsed natural sports drink, sales are growing fast: Vita Coco, which accounts for more than 9 of every 10 servings sold in the UK, is reporting sales up 122% year on year.
Then you've got Coke's ZICO and smaller brands like Cracker Coco, Grace, Tiana, and Biona. Vita Coco, ZICO, Tiana and Biona use 100% coconut water, Grace uses 85% coconut water plus ordinary water, and some brands, such as Cracker Coco, use coconut water in a mixed fruit juice. You can even sup directly from the coconut, thanks to start-ups like Cocoface, which sells fresh young coconuts from Thailand at markets and online.
Coconut water is the liquid found inside young, green coconuts. It's used in cooking too - Alice Hart cites it as a traditional ingredient in Thit Heo Kho Tau, a Vietnamese braised pork dish. "The coconut water is slightly sweet and balances out the salt in the braising liquid. You could also cook rice in coconut water, but dilute it with water or stock." Whatever you do, don't try substituting coconut water for coconut milk in recipes: unlike coconut milk, which comes from squeezing or grating the flesh of mature coconuts, the water contains no fat. "They're entirely different ingredients," says Hart. "It would be akin to saying sweetened skimmed milk can be subbed in for double cream."
But it's probably most popular as a drink. Fans prefer it to day-glo sports drinks, pointing to its lack of refined sugars and other additives, and it's also gaining popularity as an alternative to juices and smoothies. "Coconut water is rich in potassium, which enhances the body's ability to hydrate, making it perfect to drink after exercise," says Dana James, a nutritionist. "People drink it as a hangover remedy for the same reason. The magnesium also helps to enhance hydration."
The natural sugars provide energy, and nutritionists advise drinking it in moderation. "Coconut water does contain calories, so shouldn't be substituted for water or other lower-calorie drinks when trying to lose weight," says Helena Gibson-Moore of the British Nutrition Foundation.
Indeed, the marketing of coconut water as wonder tonic and natural sports drink has been somewhat overplayed. "Coconut water isn't the cure-all it's cracked up to be," concluded a 2011 report by the LA Times. Some nutritionists contest its value as a post-exercise drink, because it contains more potassium than sodium, but "we lose more sodium than potassium [when we exercise] and coconut water cannot really replace it," says Sue Baic, a registered dietician and nutritionist. "There doesn't seem to be a lot of evidence to support claims for sports recovery."
So coconut water contains some important vitamins and minerals, and natural sugars as opposed to refined ones. It won't give you the body of Rihanna or compensate for an otherwise unhealthy diet, but if you like its distinctive, slightly sour taste then follow the advice of nutritionists and enjoy it in small quantities. It's certainly better for you than a fizzy drink.
Taken from The Guardian [U.K.] HERE.
Coconut water is very healthy, there are many positive effect if you consume coconut water everyday. Coconut water can boost your immune system, coconut water has the ability to eliminate bacteria in our body. It can also increase our energy, because coconut water increase the thyroid hormon performance. Coconut water also can help you lose weight, by consuming coconut water for a week you will get slimmer because coconut water is low fat so it has low calorie. Coconut water can make your skin look healthier and glowing because its ability to hydrate our body. Based on healthyline.com Coconut water may also reduce blood pressure, because its contain impressive 600 mg of potassium in 8 ounces (240 ml). Potassium has been shown to lower blood pressure in people with high or normal blood pressure. But before consuming coconut water you have to make sure that the one you consumed is fresh coconut water, not coconut water that serve in convenience store because it may contains high sugar, and of course its bad for our health.
ReplyDeleteSince I was just a five years old boy, my father had always bought me coconut water after school. It has been one of my favourite days since that time; aside from mineral water and tea. But what bothered me when buying coconut water is that, I couldn’t pick which coconut contains the most coconut water; even though what was usually sold in the market are young, green coconuts, not all of them are the same. Some of them contains just a small amount of water and some was plenty. That’s why, as a young little boy, I always feel cheated when picking the coconut. That’s a little bit about me; and so, let’s get back to the topic. So, is coconut water a “wonder tonic”? I should say that it’s a drink that’s not necessary in everyone’s diet; however, there’s a lot of benefits that you can get from consuming coconut water. It contains a lot of vitamins and minerals as said in the article, and also, if you notice, each time you drank a glass of coconut water you will feel much more hydrated. Consumption still has to be moderate though, despite all the benefits that it gives to our body. It contains natural sugar that might add up to your calorie intake.
ReplyDeleteCoconut water has been acclaimed by many to have toxic-waste removing properties, especially by Indonesians. Though it’s unquestioned that coconut water is very healthy, there are certain limits one must abide by in order to avoid unhealthy over-consumption. The coconut tee itself has been regarded by many survivalists as “the tree of life”, as the water in its fruits can potentially save a person’s life while they are stranded on a deserted island; it’s also worth noting that coconuts grow in virtually every beach in the tropics and sub-tropics. From what I have learned, it’s that coconut water supposedly contains more electrolytes than an energy drink and more potassium than a banana. Electrolytes are important to the body because it helps in the absorption of water to the cells; drinking water without electrolytes will just cause the water to be flushed from your systems. But there is a downside; coconuts are the ideal source of water for anyone stranded on an island, but there is limit for how much coconut water one can drink. Drinking only coconut water will lead to diarrhea in about three days, and you would lose more water than you’re consuming; which, in a survival situation, would cause dehydration.
ReplyDeleteFrom its head to toe, coconut provides you with a lot of benefits: starting from environmental until health benefits. Such a versatile fruit that the tree itself can prevent abrasion on the coastline, which advantage our environment. People utilizes the leaf, root, and rod to create furniture and decorations. Whereas on the health sector, coconut fruit has been proven to raise the level of good cholesterol in human body. Even the smallest part, which are the oil and water can give essential nutrients for your body, hair, and skin. My most favourite part of the coconut tree is its water as the freshness makes me feel very well-hydrated. An uncle of mine even gargles using a coconut oil because it can strengthen teeth and jaws, freshen breath, as well as detoxifies our body. Several skin cares are also made from coconut oil as it can exfoliate and moisturize your skin.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy drinking coconut water, I think it is very delicious and I really like the fact that it has so many benefits for our body. My family used to have a driver who also sells Es Kelapa Muda (iced coconut water and young coconut flesh). So we used to drink it a lot, and when my family hosts events or family gatherings at our house, we serve Es Kelapa Muda that we bought from our driver. Since the Es Kelapa Muda is served with no added syrup, the taste is still very authentic and original, and it is still filled with the great benefits. I also love the packaged coconut water that you can buy in stores which is Hydro Coco. It is the first packaged coconut water produced and it is made from real coconut water. Some of my friends think it tastes bad but I disagree.
ReplyDeleteCoconut water is filled with minerals and nutritions that our body needs. It is also very refreshing, though only containing a little amount of calories and sugar. Coconut water is also an antioxidant. There is also a research that says coconut water can help reduce the risk of heart disease. There are so many different benefits we can get from drinking coconut water. But, after doing some research on Google, I found out that coconut water also has some disadvantages that most people don’t know; including me. It is said that drinking coconut water is not that good for people who suffer from diabetes and kidney disorder. Drinking coconut water before traveling is also not recommended, because the calcium in coconut water can cause fatigue which may result in muscle spasms. Coconut water is categorized as tree nut, and drinking too many coconut water can also rigger people with nut allergy.
DeleteReading the article, I remember whenever I have stomachache or diarrhea, my mom or my dad always buy me coconut water. They told me it would act as a detox to clean every toxic that made me sick. When I go to the beach, I always buy young coconut or what we usually called Kelapa Muda, the one that have green shell and white husk, although I like the meat more than the water. I have enjoyed drinking coconut water, I don’t really know what it contains, but I drink it anyway because it taste so good. After reading the article and browsing through the internet. I know that coconut is one of the highest source of electrolytes. Electrolytes are good for keeping the body hydrated so that the muscle can work properly. Maybe after this I would substitute my protein drink that doesn’t taste so good with coconut water when I work out. I would not drink coconut water that is sold in minimarket because it would probably contains a lot of sugar.
ReplyDeleteCoconut water is not the only thing that is beneficial from coconut. Although people are still confused whether to consider coconut oil as bad for health or not since it contains a high saturated fats, pure coconut oil is one of the most stable oils for cooking with high heat. It can also be used as a spread, baking or even making vegan dessert. It can also be used as an acne medication. The antimicrobial effects of coconut oil will gently kills the cause of acne and pimples. It also helps skin blemish. It also has moisturizing effects to moisturize our lips so we can have soft lips by using it as a lip balm. It can be used as a dandruff solution by rubbing the oil into our scalp and then rinse it with water. It can get rid of the itching while repairing and soften the skin and hair. I would probably try to use coconut oil since I have a lot of problem with my scalp and acne.
DeleteMy family love coconut water, it is one of the things that will always be available in our refrigerator. It’s easy to locate people selling coconut water around my house, so it’s not hard to buy it. The main reason why I like drinking coconut water is because it has a unique taste; for me it is bitter at the same time it is sweet. I found drinking water is boring, because it has no taste and it taste just like that, hence why I love drinking coconut water. Although there are numerous coconut water sellers around my house, there are also times where I prefer to buy packaged coconut water. My favorite brand of packaged coconut water is Hydro Coco. Among all other packaged coconut water I have tried, I believe this brand has the most natural taste. Other than the taste, the packaging of this brand is also unlike any other. It doesn’t use plastic bottle as its container and rather it uses paper packaging, which is environmental friendly. In addition to that, usually straw would be provided however you can also drink it straight from the container.
ReplyDeleteI used to drink coconut water as my daily habit. My mom said that it’s good for your skin and also for your health. I even exchange plain water for coconut water because I think it’s better. From what I know, it hydrates you better than plain water. 5 months ago, my skin is very troubled so I decided to drink coconut water everyday because last year I was having the same problem and my skin gets better. Since I move here to Jogja, I haven’t had a chance to drink or even find a coconut water. So, started to drink the packaged ones which is called Hydro Coco. Lots of people said that it’s pure coconut water, but I think it has more sugar in it. Furthermore, I don’t think that it’s 100% the same as an original coconut water. But it still think it has the same benefits just more sugar in it so I often drink it.
ReplyDeleteMy mom believes that coconut water is the cure whenever you feel like your body is not working well. She does not necessarily believe that coconut water is the drink you need after you're doing sports, but she does believe that coconut water can bring back your body metabolism. Truthfully, i don't really understand the specific use of natural resources like coconut or other fruits for our body. However, my mother, who refuses to use chemical medicines and prefers to make use of natural resources, always shared important informations about the usefulness of natural resources including coconut water itself. She told me that coconut water makes you pee out the poisons stuck in our body. This happens naturally as you tend to feel like you want to pee after you drink coconut water. Actually, it is possible to experience the example i described previously whenever you drink too much water. However, i personally would experience it just by drinking a glass of coconut water and it feels refreshing.
ReplyDeleteCoconut palm trees spread all over tropical countries, making Indonesia one of them. Here, many people see coconut water as one of the healthiest drink alternatives that can be easily bought. Drinking coconut water is one of the essentials for going to the beach, since the trees are easily accessed in those areas. Many people also consumed coconut water to hydrate themselves after working out since it tastes fresh and it is also believed to have many benefits for your body to bring back your ions. I personally really like the taste of ‘es kelapa muda’ that is served with brown sugar to make it sweeter. When I was in high school, I used to buy repackaged coconut water (branded Hydro Coco) a lot since it was really refreshing drinking it cold after a whole tiring day of school. Even though the article said that the effects and benefits are not as ‘magical’ as how it is in the advertisements, it still has many good nutritional value and a refreshing taste.
ReplyDeleteFrom when I was little, I always loved coconut water, coconut beverages, and coconut-based food. My mother usually bought me and my brother fresh coconut water from the market. But, sometimes my mother did not buy me the coconut water if the coconuts that are available in the market is too old. In order to be delicious and refreshing, usually people eat and drink the young coconut or kelapa muda. My favourite drinks besides iced tea and iced orange are es kelapa muda or young coconut water with ice, and even sometimes es kopyor, or young coconut water with ice and syrup. In Indonesia, mass-produced coconut water did not taste that good, for example, Hydro Coco, an Indonesian brand of coconut water drink, in my opinion did not taste like coconut water at all. It tastes like water mixed with sugar. I think Indonesia is still far from creating the perfect mass-produced coconut water-based drink.
ReplyDeleteI always drink coconut water as a refreshment to my body. Whenever I feel exhausted I often drink coconut water to refresh my body so that I could keep exercising or doing something that requires energy. I personally don’t like packaged coconut water. For me the taste of a packaged coconut water is different compared to the original ones that are still in the coconut itself. I also love drinking coconut water when it is used as part of a dessert menu. I think the best way to drink coconut water is by drinking it straight from the coconut itself and as a dessert menu that mixes with milk, avocado, etc. Coconut water really gives you vitamins and also minerals. It also contains natural sugars, so it would be fair that by drinking coconut water you will definitely feel refreshed and ready to do activities again because of what it contains.
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