One of the most popular drinks in recent years is coconut water. It’s the clear liquid found sloshing around inside young coconuts. As the coconut ages and matures, the liquid disappears, getting drawn up into the flesh of the coconut. But until then, you have access to the sweet coconut water.
And even though I am generally against drinking juices or sugary drinks, I’m making an exception for coconut water for a few reasons.
Why I Like Coconut Water
It's lower in sugar than you think.
Coconut water isn’t really that sweet. A full 8-ounce serving of high-quality coconut water only has about 6-10 grams of sugar. Compare that to an 8 ounce glass of orange juice with 25 grams. That’s not a huge dose of sugar, all things considered.
It's high in electrolytes.
Coconut water is a great source of electrolytes. It’s an excellent source of potassium, a good source of magnesium, and can even provide some calcium and sodium. A cup of coconut water can provide 54 mg of calcium, 567 mg of potassium, 57 mg of magnesium, and 238 mg of sodium. That’s way better than Gatorade.
It improves kidney function.
Coconut water may reduce kidney stone formation. One study found that drinking coconut water successfully increased both urinary potassium and citrate. Higher levels of urinary citrate have been shown to inhibit kidney stone formation.1
It improves gut health.
Compared to a placebo drink, drinking 400 mL of coconut water every day for several weeks helped resolve mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis in patients.2
It can work as IV fluid in the short term.
There are stories of WW2 medics using coconut water in the Pacific Theater as IV fluid for patients. Modern trials confirm that this can work in the short term.3 Try doing that with Gatorade and I don’t think you’ll have a good result.
It's a good basis for rehydration fluid.
Studies show that the levels of glucose and potassium in coconut water make it a good starting point for a rehydration fluid, especially when water isn’t safe to drink. Adding some sodium makes it a downright superior rehydration drink.4
It's a drink with a long history of usage.
You don’t need a fancy juicer to extract juice from a coconut. You don’t need an entire crate to make a cup. All you need is a single coconut, and you’ll get 10 to 16 ounces of fresh coconut water. Coconuts often grow wild and haven’t changed much, nor have they undergone a ton of selective breeding like other fruits. When you open up a carton of coconut water, it’s pretty close to what Polynesians were drinking for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
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Tips for Choosing Coconut Water
Potassium content >500 mg
Higher the potassium, the higher the quality. I look for coconut water to have at least 500 mg potassium per 8 ounce serving. This ensures that you’re getting a good dose of potassium and it implies that the quality of the coconut water is higher. Lower quality waters that either dilute the water or use less nutritious coconuts will have lower potassium levels.
No added sugar
When a coconut water producer adds sugar, they aren’t just adding extra sugar—they are telling on themselves. The addition of sugar to coconut water indicates a low quality, bad-tasting coconut water.
Thailand origin
This might just be personal preference, but the best coconut waters I’ve ever had come from Thailand. They are sweeter and tend to be higher in nutrients than coconut waters from Brazil or Philippines.
Fresh vs. bottled
Obviously, fresh is best. It tastes better, it’s unpasteurized, it tends to be more nutrient dense. It’s just better all around. But bottled/cartoned coconut water is very good, too. The best brands I’ve had are the Whole Foods Organic brand and Harmless Harvest.
When choosing a young coconut, look for the heaviest one you can find. Heavier coconuts have more water, and sweeter more nutrient dense water. It should look clean and unblemished, with no red or pink coloration on the outside husk.
How to Use Coconut Water
Drink it.
The most basic way to use coconut water is to drink it. Open the coconut, unscrew the cap, and pour it down the hatch. Simple, clean, refreshing.
Add salt.
Add a quarter to a half teaspoon of salt to your coconut water to turn it into a premier electrolyte drink and rehydration elixir. This is especially helpful in warm weather regions where you’re sweating a lot and burning through calories and electrolytes.
Make a coconut cream latte.
This is something I cooked up on a lark. Add two tablespoons of heavy cream to six ounces of coconut water. Add coffee or espresso over ice on hot days. On cold days, use a steamer to froth and warm up the heavy cream/coconut water mix—then add the espresso shots. The result is a subtly sweet coffee drink that replenishes any of the potassium caffeine consumption often burns through.
Make my world famous electrolyte energy drink.
This is something I would make and take if I were training hard for something like another marathon or triathlon or even a “fun” event like a Spartan Race. Basically, if you’re going to be sweating and expending a ton of energy, this is the electrolyte energy drink for you.
12 ounces coconut water
1-2 TB blackstrap molasses
Juice from 1-2 limes or lemons
Half teaspoon salt
Finish with ice to keep cold and slightly water it down. If it’s too strong, add water to dilute. This gives you a huge dose of potassium, sodium, magnesium, and calcium, plus enough glucose for a little energy. Tastes great too.
Now, I don't drink coconut water all that often—if I'm being honest. But it's the one "juice" that I do think can be a regular part of a healthy diet.
Do you drink coconut water? What's your favorite kind?
References
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19911682/ ↩
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38278200/ ↩
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10674546/ ↩
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/290921/ ↩
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* This blog reflects my personal views and opinions and isn’t intended as medical advice, but I hope it will be informative and inspiring as you pursue a healthy, fulfilling life.