The Health Benefits of Coconut Water

Coconut water is a popular beverage, dubbed “Mother Nature’s sports drink,” and has been endorsed by many celebrities — actress Gwyneth Paltrow, music icon Madonna and basketball player LaMarcus Aldridge, to name a few — because of its outstanding health benefits.

There’s no doubt that a tall glass of pure, organic coconut water is one of the most refreshing beverages you can enjoy, whether it’s after a workout or simply to quench your thirst during a hot summer day.

In this article, you can learn more about coconut water, including its composition, where it comes from, its uses and benefits, and why it has become one of the most sought-after health beverages today.

The scientific name for coconut water is “coconut liquid endosperm” — it is the clear liquid found in the center of young, green coconuts and is made when the endosperm tissues of a coconut fruit go through nuclear mode of development, as described below in a Molecules journal 2009 study:

“[T]he primary endosperm nucleus undergoes several cycles of division without cytokinesis (the process in which the cytoplasm of a single eukaryotic cell is divided to form two daughter cells). Cytokinesis then occurs, progressing from the periphery towards the center, thus forming the cellular endosperm layer.

At first, the cellular endosperm is translucent and jelly-like, but it later hardens at maturity to become white flesh (coconut meat). Unlike the endosperms of other plants (e.g., wheat and corn), the cellularization process in a coconut fruit does not fill up the entire embryo sac cavity, but instead leaves the cavity solution-filled.”

The “solution” mentioned above is coconut water. It’s described as having a refreshing and nutty flavor. It’s mildly sweet, but not overly so, unlike other fruit juices available on the market. It’s astringent and mildly acidic when fresh, which is then lost as time goes by.

Tropical regions around the world have consumed coconut water not just for its flavor, but also because of its superb health benefits. Coconut water is 95% water but, at the same time, it offers a unique chemical composition that features vitamins, minerals, amino acids, natural sugars and phytohormones.

Its electrolyte content is another noteworthy element. Not only is this liquid an ideal rehydrating drink, but the electrolytes in coconut water are also said to be similar to human plasma, which is why doctors have used uncontaminated raw coconut water intravenously, injecting it into the bloodstream to help avoid dehydration.

Many people, usually those who are not accustomed to having coconut in their diet, often refer to coconut water and coconut milk interchangeably. But these two drinks are actually different. Coconut water is the raw, clear liquid — which develops naturally in the fruit — that you get when you open a fresh coconut.

Coconut milk is a manufactured product made by grating the coconut meat, adding water and squeezing out the juice. This results in a white and creamy liquid, not too different from dairy milk. It is used in many ingredients, such as curry and sauces.

Health Benefits of Coconut Water

I’ve always stressed the importance of making pure, filtered water your primary beverage of choice. However, drinking coconut water is something I also recommend.

Not only is it one of the best rehydration drinks available on the planet, thanks to its electrolytes and natural salts like potassium and magnesium, but coconut water offers numerous nutrients that are beneficial for your body. Among these useful components are its cytokinins, a class of phytohormones that boast of antiaging, antithrombotic and anticarcinogenic effects.

This liquid offers inorganic ions, B vitamins and minerals such as iodine, selenium, zinc and sulfur that all provide support for your antioxidant and overall system. Here are some of the benefits of drinking coconut water daily:

• Provides cardioprotective effects — A 2003 animal study published in the journal Plant Foods for Human Nutrition found that tender coconut water (TCW) may have cardioprotective effects as it helped decrease concentration of total cholesterol, VLDL + LDL− cholesterol and HDL cholesterol among rats that had induced myocardial infarction.
  The researchers noted that these benefits may come from the nutrients in the liquid, namely calcium, potassium, L-arginine and magnesium.
• May help boost kidney health — Coconut water may reduce the risk of kidney stones. In a 2013 study, coconut water helped inhibit crystal deposits in renal tissues of rat subjects. It reduced the amount of crystals in their urine, as well. What’s more, the researchers noted that this liquid “protected against impaired renal function and development of oxidative stress in the kidneys.” They noted that it can be used for phytotherapy against urolithiasis.
  • Our results indicate that CW has multiple beneficial effects in diabetic rats for preventing hyperglycemia and oxidative stress caused by alloxan.”
    A separate study also noted that the L-arginine in coconut water is responsible for its antidiabetic and antithrombotic effects, and is mediated through the L-arginine-nitric oxide pathway. Diabetic rats that were treated with mature coconut water L-arginine had reduced concentration of blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c.
  • Offers rehydrating effects after exercise — A 2007 study compared the rehydrating effects of water, coconut water and a sports drink. The authors noted that drinking coconut water is “as good as ingesting a commercial sports drink for whole body rehydration after exercise-induced dehydration but with better fluid tolerance.”
    May help maintain healthy blood pressure levels — A study involving 28 hypertensive subjects looked at the potential effects of coconut water on blood pressure levels. Those who were given coconut water had significant decreases in their mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
    The high levels of potassium in coconut water may be a contributing factor to this benefit as well. A 1998 study in the Hypertension journal notes that this mineral has a “modest blood pressure-lowering effect.”
    • May help maintain bone and teeth health, as well as muscle strength — MedicalNewsToday notes that coconut water contains calcium, which is needed by your bones and teeth for repair, as well as magnesium, which not only brings potassium and calcium into the muscles for contraction and relaxation, but also helps with energy production and better organ function.
    Coconut water can be used intravenously. When extracted fresh from the fruit, the liquid is sterile and free of parasites, bacteria and germs. During the Vietnam War and World War II, it was infused into the bloodstream of patients whenever doctors had an insufficient supply of IV fluids. It’s said to be similar in composition to human blood plasma.

    Coconut Water Nutrition Facts

    Serving Size: 3.5 ounces (100 grams)

    	Amt. Per  Serving	% Daily  Value*
    Calories	19	1%
    Calories from Fat
    Total Fat	0.20 g	0%
    Saturated Fat	0.176 g	1%
    Trans Fat
    Cholesterol	0 mg
    Sodium	105 mg	4%
    Potassium	250 mg	7%
    Total Carbohydrates	3.71 g	1%
    Dietary Fiber	1.1 g	4%
    Sugar	2.6 g
    Protein	0.72 g	1%
    Vitamin A0%	Vitamin C	4%
    Calcium2%	Iron	3%

    *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.