Coconut water has been very popular recently; its health benefits have been hyped around all over the place, but is coconut water really that healthy?
Coconut water, often referred to as “Mother Nature’s sports drink” by marketers, is tapped from young, green coconuts, has a sweet, nutty taste and is naturally refreshing. According to the media hype, it is also low in calories, naturally fat-free and cholesterol-free, contains more potassium than four bananas, and is super-hydrating.
Those pushing coconut water claim that it has much less sugar than sodas and some fruit juices, but studies have shown that the average 330ml carton of coconut water contains more sugar than a the average chocolate bar.
While the demand for coconut water is skyrocketing, according to Lillian Cheung, DSc, RD, of Harvard School of Public Health in an article on WebMD, “One 11-ounce container has 60 calories and if you drink several in one day, the calories can add up quickly.”
Cheung, co-author of Savor Mindful Eating, Mindful Life, also says that we should pay attention to what we are actually drinking by reading the labels and making sure that what we are drinking does not contain added sugar or juices, which are no different from other sugary beverages.
One of the biggest problems with drinking coconut water is that those who really like it may find themselves drinking too much at a time and this could lead to blood sugar spikes and crashes.
So basically, the bottom line is that yes, coconut water is healthy, but too much of a good thing can easily become a bad thing. Staying hydrated is vitally important for everyone, and while the occasional coconut water drink is fine, the majority of your liquids should be normal drinking water; if you do not like tap water and need something cooler to drink, think about investing in a water cooler that provides filtered, chilled drinking water for the best, most natural and healthiest drink of them all.
