We’ve had superfoods, good fats, bad fats and everything in between and now it’s the turn of coconut water to take a bow.
You may have been drinking this good stuff for years but right now coconut water is the big thing, not least because it does genuinely have some great health benefits going for it.
The benefits of H2o are well documented. Our bodies are not at all happy if they are not adequately hydrated and this applies to ordinary, everyday activity not just in sports and exercise. Tea, coffee, and alcohol just don’t cut it when it comes to flushing our systems free of toxins and promoting clear skin and sparkling eyes.
One of the off-putting elements of drinking water, of course, is the flavor, or rather lack of it and as soon as you start adding to it you’re in danger of introducing sugars and additives, defeating the whole point of water.
So if you’re looking for a pure, sweet water from a natural source that has amazing benefits in terms of taste, purity and hydrating properties then you’ve found it in coconut water.
Coconut palms can be found up and down beaches from Hawaii to Madagascar but are not indigenous to these parts of the world. In fact, the original palms grew in one of two places: India or South East Asia. All the palms in the world can trace their ancestry to one of these two areas.
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With a long history of spreading and adapting across the continents, coconut water has become a staple for many cultures providing water and food. The coconut’s tough fibre, or coir, is also used to make items such as doormats and brushes, making it a versatile and useful food.
But what of the health benefits? The water itself contains a large amount of electrolytes, vital for the human body and other minerals. Being low in fat and carbohydrates, the water is great for general hydration but also been shown to alleviate dry skin and even help in reducing high blood pressure, thanks to a high concentration of potassium.
Many athletes are now using it to help in recovery after a hard work out, such is its restorative properties.
With so much going for it, it’s easy to see why coconut water has been hailed as the next miracle cure but with all things, it should be drunk in moderation. Though low in fat, it is not calorie-free unlike water and shop-bought drinks run the risk of containing high levels of sugar, so choose only the best coconut water, going for quality over quantity.
The trend for drinking coconut water looks set to continue and its benefits are being lauded far and wide from health sites to lifestyle bloggers. If you struggle to stay hydrated or are looking for a more efficient path to recovery after a work out, it might be time to see what everyone’s talking about and pick up a bottle of coconut water today.