10 Benefits of Coconut Water
When we think of coconuts, we tend to think of stunning tropical beaches and exotic cocktails. Of course, coconuts are delicious, especially when eaten fresh, and the juicy meat inside has a unique flavor that is hard to resist.
As delicious as the meat is, though, many people go for the juice inside, which is commonly known as coconut water.
Not only is coconut water delicious and refreshing, but it also offers a selection of other benefits. It can be enjoyed straight from the carton, mixed with other ingredients or, best of all, straight from the coconut itself.
Coconut Water Benefit #1: Aids Digestion
A healthy digestive system is just as important as maintaining good health in the rest of your body. It is important because it helps to make sure that you get all the nutrition that you need from the food you eat. Otherwise, you can begin to fall quite ill, rather quickly.
Coconut water is a very good source of fiber, which is well known for its ability to aid digestion. It also contains a compound known as monoglyceride which helps to make digestion easier. It can also help kill parasitic worms and protect against illnesses of the digestive system. Coconut water can be useful for people that suffer from heartburn and indigestion.
Coconut Water Benefit #2: Hydrates
Keeping hydrated isn’t always as easy as you might think. Even water doesn’t always hit the spot and many sports drinks are on the market that are designed to help hydrate as much as possible. Coconut water, however, can be just as, if not more, effective at hydrating than many products on the market.
Coconut water is a good source of potassium and is also low in sodium. Potassium is good for helping to keep us hydrated, making coconut water a good choice for people that want a refreshing and rehydrating beverage. It also contains less sugar than a lot of sports drinks on the market, making it a healthier option.
Coconut Water Benefit #3: Good For Diabetics
Diabetes is a condition that can seriously affect peoples’ lives. The need to maintain level blood sugar means that diabetics are often very restricted in terms of what they can or cannot eat. Every day it can be a struggle to maintain a healthy blood sugar level, and the price of failing to do so can be severe.
This means that diabetics often have to miss out on the delicious stuff the rest of us enjoy, including sweet drinks. The good news for diabetics, though, is that coconut water is low in sugar. This means that they get to add a delicious and tasty treat to the list of food and drinks they can enjoy.
Coconut Water Benefit #4: Controls Vomiting
Certain illnesses and other conditions can cause us to vomit. Although unpleasant, this is not usually a serious problem for us and will pass harmlessly once we have recovered from the cause. If the vomiting continues for too long, it can lead to malnutrition, dehydration and other problems. This can be dangerous to people in situations that make them vulnerable.
Drinking coconut water can help to control vomiting. This can give people a chance to absorb some nutrition and liquids. This can be extremely beneficial in some cases and might even be able to save a life. A doctor should always be sought in cases of extreme vomiting, though.
Coconut Water Benefit #5: Essential Minerals
Generally speaking, we have food for nutrition and drinks for refreshment and rehydration. This means we tend not to look out for nutritional value in drinks, other than to avoid those with high sugar contents and other ingredients of which to keep clear.
Coconut water contains magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium and phosphorous. These are all essential minerals that we will struggle without. What is particularly special about coconut water is that it contains all of these, which is unusual. Other foods and drinks tend to have some, but rarely do they have all of them.
Coconut Water Benefit #6: Helps Reduce Blood Pressure
A lot of people in the world have blood pressure that is too high. For them, this can hold both short-term and long-term complications, and they can be very serious indeed. High blood pressure is a big contributor to heart disease, which is one of the biggest killers of people on Earth.
Keeping your blood healthy pressure largely involves living a healthy lifestyle. This includes eating a healthy diet, and coconut water can be very helpful to this end. It is high in chloride and low in sodium, both factors which help to reduce water retention in the body. This, in turn, helps to reduce our blood pressure.
Coconut Water Benefit #7: Aids Weight Loss
It can be difficult to keep your body at a healthy weight especially as we get older. It seems as though we can gain weight even by eating a small snack, yet we still need to be able to eat for nutrition and to keep our energy levels up. Of course, though, it is not only down to how much you eat, but also what you eat.
Coconut contains no cholesterol and contains only natural sugars. These both help to keep your weight down, particularly when compared to many of the alternatives available. Just remember that there is no magic trick to weight loss, and it will involve exercise and eating a healthy diet.
Coconut Water Benefit #8: Emergency Blood Replenishment
We simply must have sufficient blood flowing through our bodies. If we lose too much, for whatever reason, then our very lives are in danger. In many cases, we will try to find a transplant to help replenish the lost blood, but this is not always possible. In some instances, it can be necessary to turn to alternatives instead.
In very urgent cases, coconut water can be administered intravenously to help rehydrate a patient when they have lost too much blood. This should only be used as a last resort, and cannot be used as a complete blood substitute. It is a method that is often used in poorer countries where people don’t have access to adequate medical facilities.
Coconut Water Benefit #9: Hangover Remedy
The day following a night on the town can often be quite difficult to endure. This means hangovers and a lingering sense of nausea can leave us tucked up in bed for much of the day with the lights off. The search for a complete hangover cure continues, but we can at least try to alleviate the symptoms to a degree.
Hangovers occur largely due to dehydration, and coconut water contains electrolytes that can help rehydrate you again. In addition to helping your head, it can also help to soothe an upset stomach. Of course, the best solution is to not drink too much in the first place, but where’s the fun in that?
Coconut Water Benefit #10: Energizing
On some days, it can be difficult to see just how we will be able to make it to the end of the day as our energy levels begin to drop. A tea or coffee can help give us a boost, but too much is not healthy and it can also keep us awake at night if we drink caffeine too late in the day. Coconut water, however, makes for a healthy alternative that gives us the perk we need.
Coconut water is full of electrolytes, and these help our body to generate energy. This can help keep us going even when we are beginning to struggle.
