What is Coconut Water? Direct studies on the correlation between coconut water and cholesterol levels, because they are highly specific, are rare (but they do exist); general studies on the health benefits of drinking coconut water are increasing by the day as the popularity of the drink with health-conscious consumers grows. It’s tricky to separate the hype from the facts, but here are facts about the nutrients and properties of coconut water: • It is fairly high in potassium; an 8-ounce glass of coconut water is roughly equivalent to eating one medium-sized banana. It may surprise you to learn that bananas are not as high in potassium as their reputation would suggest. Chocolate, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, fish, beans, dates and dried herbs have more! But potassium counters sodium and therefore helps in reducing high blood pressure. As a result, coconut water can fairly be said to help lower blood pressure. A study entitled “Control of Hypertension”, otherwise known as control of high blood pressure, was performed at the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, in Trinidad and Tobago in 2005, that showed a marked decreased in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings. The study can be read at ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15892382. • It is low in carbohydrates, calories and sodium, all positive attributes, but since it is being marketed as a natural alternative to high-sugar sports drinks, the lower sodium is not a plus. There is not sufficient potassium in coconut water to replace electrolytes lost from sweating through exercise or playing sports. • It has virtually no fat. • It has small amounts of calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. • It keeps well and has a shelf life, once bottled, of about 2 years. • It contains “cytokinins”, elements that promote cell division in plants. It is unclear how this benefits humans or if it does. There is no evidence at this time to suggest that coconut water will hydrate any better than regular tap water, but the major national soft drink makers have put serious money behind it and their advertising agencies are out to make you believe differently.
Posted on: Sat, 12 Apr 2014 06:23:03 +0000
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