Hydration Elation: Coconut Water
I have always liked coconuts… especially dried coconut flakes added to just about anything. But I never really fell in love with the coconut until I went to Brazil. It was on the beaches along the ‘Litoral Norte’ (the coastline just north of Sao Paulo) that I began drinking fresh coconut water because, well, everybody seemed to be enjoying it and it tasted good! But what happened next was that I also began to feel much better. At first I didn’t associate the coconut water with my increased levels of energy and the disappearance of my occasional headaches. I just thought, it’s the sun, fresh air, ocean spray and lovely people that have gotten my spirits up. But the longer I stayed, the more I craved coconut water when I wasn’t drinking as much, and began to see a direct connection between how I felt and how much coconut water I drank.
Since my return to the States, I experienced a return of my headaches and some general malaise. So I grabbed some coconut water from the local health food store, careful to choose the brand that was the purest and of course, from Brazil. I felt better.
After doing some research, I think I figured out what this magic juice was really doing to my body. It was not only doing a fantastic job of keeping me hydrated, but it has the perfect balance of electrolytes for the human body AND high levels of potassium and magnesium. The combination of these, with the extra iron and salt that coconut water provides, turned out to be just what the doctor ordered! (Magnesium is easy way to treat migraines naturally so if you are a migraine sufferer, try adding some coconut water to your daily diet.)
And YES, I can personally attest to the fact that coconut water is absolutely the best hangover remedy on the market (or the beach). So, finish up your evening out with a cold glass of coconut water and rest easy.
| Name/Electrolyte | Sodium | Potassium | Magnesium | Iron | Calcium | Water |
| Coconut water (240 g serving) | 252 mg | 600 mg | 60 mg | 0.7 mg | 57.6 mg | 228 g |
| GATORADE (244 g serving) | 95.2 mg | 36.6 mg | None | 0.1 mg | 2.4 mg | 228 g |
More nutritionally potent than Gatorade, without the sugar or calories, and just as hydrating as water! So if you are preparing for a long hike, stocking up on water supplies, or just in need of some nurturing to your body and brain, consider stashing a bottle of coconut water in your pack instead of just water. If you are even slightly magnesium deficient (which most of us are), the substitution just might add some extra benefits that you didn’t even know you needed.
Cheers! Here’s to coconut water!
