Friday, February 25, 2011
Nuts About Coconut Water
Would like to share this article from Mind Your Body, written by Monica Reinagel.
It is said to be able to help you lose weight, cleanse your kidneys and even cure that hangover. MONICA REINAGEL reports
There has been a lot of buzz about coconut water lately. It is said to help with muscle performance, energy, weight loss, heart health, stress reduction, skin, hair and nail health, mental acuity and kidney cleansing. It is also thought to be a natural hangover cure.
But let us take a closer look at this seemingly miraculous drink and see what is behind all these amazing benefits.
Different from coconut milk
First, let me quickly clarify the difference between coconut water and coconut milk. Coconut milk is made by scraping coconut flesh and pressing out the liquid. Like the coconut flesh itself, coconut milk is very high in fat and, therefore, calories. One cup of coconut milk contains about 550 calories, most of them from fat.
Coconut water is the fluid that is found in the cavity of the coconut when you crack it open. It contains no fat and is very low in calories, about 50 calories for one cup, most of them from natural sugars.
In addition to water and sugar, coconut water also contains some minerals such as potassium and magnesium. In fact, according to many websites, the water of one coconut has more potassium than a banana.
As far as I can tell, many of the health claims made for coconut water are based on its potassium content. And potassium is certainly a good thing. It is involved in all kinds of essential bodily functions - and I suppose you could parlay that into a list of benefits like the one above. But virtually all fruits and vegetables are good sources of potassium. When you think about it, that list of benefits would apply to any diet that is high in fruits and vegetables.
People who eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables get about twice the recommended intake of potassium on average. One of the advantages of getting your potassium from fruits and vegetables, instead of coconut water, is that you also get fibre and a whole range of other important nutrients.
Why drink it?
Basically, coconut water is like a sports drink. It contains water, simple carbohydrates (or sugar), and electrolytes (or minerals). Compared to a sports drink made with refined sugars, artificial flavouring and food colouring, I would say coconut water represents a solid upgrade. However, the benefits of sports drinks - whether natural or artificial - tend to be somewhat oversold.
Most sports drinks are consumed by people who are not exercising hard enough to need electrolyte replacement or benefit from additional carbohydrates. They end up consuming more calories than they are burning.
Here are my general guidelines for sports drinks: If you are exercising very hard for more than 60 minutes, or under extremely hot conditions, a drink containing sugar and minerals can enhance your performance. Otherwise, plain water works just as well - and saves you some calories.
Some of the other claims
It prevents dehydration. In Third World countries where clean water is scarce and children regularly die from infections and dehydration, coconut water can indeed save lives. But the coconut water sold in developed countries is probably too pricey to be of much help in that scenario. Among those who can afford to pay $2 for a bottle of coconut water, deaths from cholera and typhoid are fairly rare.
It promotes heart health. Consuming foods or beverages rich in potassium, including coconut water, may help reduce the risk of hypertension and stroke.
It promotes kidney health. Diets high in potassium, magnesium and fluids are thought to reduce the risk of kidney stones so it is not surprising that coconut water is reported to help prevent or resolve kidney stones.
At the end of the day, coconut water is a reasonably nutritious and natural beverage that appears to have health benefits similar to those available from fruits and vegetables.
It does not replace fruits and vegetables but if you just like the way it tastes, there is nothing wrong with including it in your diet. Just remember to account for the sugar and calories it contains.
Finally, if you exercise hard or long enough to benefit from an electrolyte replacement drink, coconut water is an excellent alternative to sports drinks.
Monica Reinagel, a licensed nutritionist, writes the Nutrition Diva column for QuickandDirtyTips.com
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Labels: coconut water, healthy drink, potassium
