With the sudden rise of coconut water as a “go to” natural energy drink, a lot of people have been wondering about coconut water benefits and what it can do to improve one’s health and nutrition. Big-named celebrities the likes of Madonna and Demi Moore were said to be crazy about the product that they decided to become investors to Vita Coco, a leading manufacturer of coconut water. But is it really worth the hype or is it just another food trend craze created by these influential celebrities? We dig deep and did our research to find out more about coconut water benefits and what it can do to improve one’s health.

Coconut Water Benefits As a Natural Energy Drink

Coconut water’s rise to fame can be first attributed to its benefits to the body as a natural energy drink that is amazingly rejuvenating and incredibly delicious. Coconut water is a clear, sweet liquid that is found in the interior of a young coconut. It is a refreshing drink that can be taken straight from the naturally harvested fruit or from the bottles and tetra packs that can be found in most groceries and supermarkets. Being low in fat and calories, coconut water benefits the body as it can replace the electrolytes lost during workout and exercise such as calcium, potassium and electrolytes . It is an isotonic beverage (meaning it can help replenish lost electrolytes during sweating), this is the reason why it has carved itself a place in the fitness department as a sports and energy drink as it help hydrate and boost energy during a heavy workout. Coconut water benefits the body keeping it cool and hydrated and at the same time, replenishing the body’s fluids lost during exercise.

Coconut Water Health Benefits

Before we discuss the health benefits of coconut water, let us dissect first what this natural drink contains and why it has been dubbed as the Fluid of Life.

Coconut Water Nutrition

There are tons of nutritional benefits you can gain from coconut water that it is no doubt a healthier and better drink alternative. To start with, it is low in carbohydrates, low in sugar and known to be 99% fat free. Coconut water benefits the body as it is rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron, sodium, calcium, vitamin B complex, proteins and phosphorous. It contains nutrients that are antioxidants, growth enhancers, amino acids and enzymes. All of the coconut water benefits that one can get from drinking it can all be attributed to these coconut water nutrition.

Having said, these are the health benefits of coconut water:

Coconut Water Benefits the Body’s Over-All Health

Coconut water can help dissolve kidney stones so those suffering from kidney problem can reap great benefits. In a medical research done in the Philippines where there is an abundance of coconut, they stated that drinking coconut water 2 to 3 times per week can help reduce the size of kidney stone thereby helping prevent further bladder infection or complications. It is considered a natural diuretic so coconut water benefits one’s health by helping increases the flow of urine thereby preventing urinary tract infections (UTI).

Coconut water benefits the heart as it help prevent heart attack and improve circulation. Research shows that is can help increase the level of HDL which is a good cholesterol. And with its high concentration of potassium and lauric acid, it can definitely contribute to maintaining good over-all cardiovascular health.

Coconut water benefits the body’s immune system. It has detoxifying agent that helps fight diseases and viruses that attacks the body. It has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral components that can prevent the occurrence of common ailments.

More coconut water benefits include improving the digestive system to prevent problems such as acid reflux, heartburn and constipation. Other health benefits of coconut water are reducing the risk of cancer and diabetes and lowering blood pressure. However, it should be noted that coconut water serves as an additional supplement to help lower the risk of all these diseases. It is still dependent to a lot of factors like lifestyle and food choices when it comes to completely battling all these problems.

Coconut Water Benefits for Weight Loss

Coconut water benefits has also been associated with weight loss. This is primarily because of the wonderful balance of all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals that it naturally contains. A cup of coconut water or 240 ml size has 46 calories. Its carbohydrate content provides 79% of the calories and the other 12% comes from protein and 9% comes from fat. Coconut water has less fat and less cholesterol than whole milk and has fewer calories than orange juice. It has less sodium and less sugar than most energy drinks and has more potassium and chloride. So if energy drink is a part of your daily workout aide, your body will benefit more if you will switch to the healthier option, which as we have established here as the coconut water.

Coconut water also benefits pregnant women helping them be relieved of constipation, heartburn and indigestion which are common problems during pregnancy. It helps replenish lost fluids and keeps them from being dehydrated and exhausted.

Where to Buy Coconut Water

Coconut water is best consumed from a freshly picked young coconut water. However, you do not need to travel to the Caribbean or Hawaii to get the health benefits of coconut water. These days these nutritional drink has been packaged in bottles and tetra packs and can be easily purchased from most groceries and supermarkets as well as online store like Amazon. The leading coconut water brands in the Market are Zico, ONE and Vita Coco.

How to Maximize Coconut Water Benefits

Coconut water benefits the over-all health and immune system of the body and it is safe to consume them daily. It is natural, refreshing and taste really good, not to mention inexpensive. An anti-oxidant, a thirst quencher, an energy booster, a body cleanser, there is no reason why you should not be acting now. Drink up and maximize all these coconut water benefits.