It is still safer to proceed with caution when it comes to trendy nutritious foods and drinks. Brands often make heavy promises about their goods' supposed advantages but don't have the research to back that up. In some examples, however, these items do kind of boast some valid, evidence-based wellness advantages.
Case in point: coconut water. While it is definitely not the magical elixir that it is held out to be by some advertisements and influencers, it provides nutrients that can improve hydration and optimal wellbeing. Here's what you need to know:
Perfect workout beverage
During or after a workout, coconut water may also help. After a workout, drinking coconut water can help athletes rehydrate and replenish the electrolytes lost from sweating.
The calories in coconut water come mainly from sugar, a carbohydrate that helps athletes refuel their energy reserves and heal a bit more easily. During a workout, it will also provide energy from carbs and fluids to avoid exhaustion and dehydration.
Great for athletes, too
Like popular sports drinks, coconut water contains sodium, potassium, and also small levels of calcium and magnesium, depending on your brand of choice. All these are electrolytes or charged minerals that are important in so many body functions. Getting the right electrolyte level is essential to keeping you hydrated and doing the best you can.
Now, it is important to remember that there are many other ways to obtain these electrolytes - it's found in many of the things we consume. And the body does a better job of balancing the electrolyte levels if you're healthy. Just sipping on coconut water or another electrolyte liquid will benefit anyone who is severely dehydrated.
Better than fruit juice
Coconut water has a sweet, somewhat funky aroma, and its color is cloudy-clear. It is also lower in sugar relative to other fruit juices, and therefore also lower in calories. A cup of orange juice, for example, has 112 calories and 21 grams of sugar while a cup of coconut water has 46 calories and 6 grams of sugar. Coconut water also contains 2 grams of protein, 0.5 grams of fat, and 2.5 grams of fiber, all of which help keep the blood sugar from spiking and aid sluggish digestion.
Rich in manganese
Manganese plays many essential functions in the body as a trace mineral that must be obtained by diet (your body does not produce it on its own). It is involved in starch, protein, and cholesterol metabolism and is important for the forming of the bone and proper immune response. One cup of coconut water provides 15 percent of the DV for manganese.
