Experts doubt the health benefits of a now trendy island staple: coconut water
Wednesday, August 4, 2010 at 3:22PM 
Found this interesting article on HuffingtonPost.com about one of my favorite island treats, coconut water. It’s become very trendy and expensive) these days. That’s crazy to me since I drank coconut water about two weeks ago in Haiti straight from the coconut and one hundred percent organic. The price: free. Just had to ask a kid to climb a coconut tree and get it for me... Marlie
Coconut Water: Myth Or Miracle?
Fat-free, cholesterol-free, low-calorie, super-hydrating, naturally rich in electrolytes -- the touted benefits of America's latest health craze, coconut water, seem endless. Dubbed "nature's sports drink" and "life-enhancer" by marketers, its no wonder why celebrities have replaced their acai berry drinks and Kabbalah water with a juice box.
But with a price tag of $2-3 for a typical 11 fl. ounce tetra pack (equivalent to about 10 sips), is it really worth paying top dollar for, well, top water?
For the uninitiated, coconut water is the clear, nut-flavored (or "sock-flavored") juice stored inside young coconuts. It has long been a staple liquid of Southeast Asian nations (and the Caribbean), where the fruit is also harvested for its flesh, oil and milk.
In America, the beverage hit the stands five years ago through the two biggest players: Vita Coco, an independent manufacturer which sold $20 million of the juice in 2009 and expects to double that this year, and Zico, a brand backed by Cocoa-Cola. As fads go, the coconut water industry has burgeoned: Merrill Lynch notes that within five years, the U.S. coconut water industry went from zero to $35 million.
Coconut water's headiest claim is that it is rich in potassium: a typical serving offers 569 mg, which is almost twice the amount in a banana. This mineral helps regulate blood pressure by counteracting the stimulating effects of sodium, of which it contains only 160 mg, and this in turn helps to prevent related issues like stroke, heart attack and hangovers. Compare this to 14 fl. oz. of Gatorade, which contains 'only' 52.5 mg of potassium and 192.5 mg of sodium.
But nutritionists say you should think twice before chugging the stuff, especially after heavy-duty exercise.
Liz Applegate, director of sports nutrition at UC Davis says that coconut water's high potassium and low sodium combination isn't ideal after strenuous exercise. "Even though the belief is that when you exercise you need a lot of potassium, sodium is more important," she said. "When you sweat, you lose a lot more sodium than potassium."
Reader Comments (2)
Wow…hermes replica handbags|
Thanks for compiling this and posting it.
Raspekt from Chi-town.
I found so many interesting Replica Breitling Watches
stuff in your blog especially its discussion, if can more pictures will be better. From the tons of comments on your articles, I guess I am not the only one having replica iwc watches
all the enjoyment here! keep up the good work.