Coconut Water is HOT
Madonna has invested in it. Celebrities tout the benefits of it. And a lot of my NFL guys have been asking me about it lately.
What is IT?
Coconut Water.
Coconut water emerged a few years ago and has gained a ton of popularity more recently to the point of being, dare I say, "trendy."
But outside of Madonna, Demi Moore, and other celebrities touting its benefits, is there any truth to this stuff or is it just mere hype?
Coconut water is simply the clear fluid found in the center of a young coconut.
It’s naturally high in potassium, one of the minerals that is lost in sweat, and some products are now enriched with sodium to better meet the needs lost through sweat (the primary mineral lost in sweat is sodium).
One of it’s appeals is that it is a "natural" product — not created from added sugars and food dyes, like the more popular sports drinks on the market. Of course those are effective at doing the job of rehydrating as well, though.
Others love the taste — citing the sweetness in sports drinks as "too much" during activity. Again, that sweetness isn’t a bad thing when used properly, however (meaning during activity).
Two of the more popular brands are Vita Coco and ZICO.
But if you like the taste (I do) and what it does for you when exercising in the heat, coconut water is certainly something to explore. And, heck, if it means you’ll drink more … I’m all for it, since many struggle to drink enough to rehydrate properly.
Have you tried it?
Leave a comment below in our new Facebook application — answer the question "have you tried coconut water?"
August 9th, 2010 at 8:04 am
I love the taste. Its low in cals and is perfect after hot yoga!
[Reply]
August 9th, 2010 at 8:48 am
I too enjoy the taste – I do not like the sport drinks that are out there
[Reply]
August 9th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
I don’t like coconut so I won’t like coconut water. What about all the calories and fat associated with coconut. I’d rather have plain water and then have room for more calories in my meals.
[Reply]
Chris and Kara Mohr Reply:
August 9th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
as a fat source it is primarily saturated fat, but the data suggests the type of saturated fat is a healthier source than some others — so in my mind it’s better to have coconut or coconut oil than other saturated fats, like butter. Of course all saturated fats should be limited as a whole, though, and kept to under 10% of total fat consumption.
[Reply]
August 10th, 2010 at 9:23 am
I have used coconut water on several occasions during long hot road bike rallys and have had good results. There is no obvious benefits like a surge of energy but the rides were just more comfortable. There are articles on the internet about it that are interesting especially the use of it in place of blood transfusions during W.W.2.
[Reply]