Hair of the dog not working? Try coconut water for the ultimate hang over cure. Fat free, cholesterol free, and with as few as 45-60 calories in an 11 oz. serving, coconut water with it’s vast list of bodily benefits, is changing the way people view the term sports drink.
Coconut water is water that comes from a green, young coconut (not the aged, brown, fuzzy kind you find in the grocery store). And it’s fat free, unlike it’s aged sisters, whose water has hardened to a sweet meat that is high in fat. Did you know that as little as 11 fluid ounces of coconut water contains more potassium than a banana? And the same size serving of coconut water contains more than 15 times the potassium found in the average sports drink!
Ten reasons why coconut water is worth adding to your diet:
1. It contains the five essential electrolytes: potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, and calcium.
2. It replenishes the body’s fluids after a workout.
3. It provides immune support and detoxification.
4. It cleanses the kidneys and eases stomach aches.
5. It regulates function of the intestine.
6. It improves muscle performance and allows for quicker muscle recovery after a workout.
7. It promotes smoother skin and healthier hair and nails.
8. It boosts circulation by carrying oxygen and nutrients to cells.
9. It promotes heart health, weight loss and mental acuity.
10. It reinforces proper alkaline balance.
What’s out there and where to buy it.
With it’s increasing popularity, you’ve probably seen people enjoying the beverage at the office, on the train, or at your yoga studio.
Here’s where to get it:
Many health food stores have juice bars where the juicer will crack open a fresh young coconut for you right before your eyes. Just grab a straw and you’re ready to go! Neighborhood natural markets and Whole Foods also stock the two major prepackaged brands, Zico and Vita Coco (which are slightly more convenient and taste just as fresh). If you live in a large city, it’s likely that your corner deli or grocery carries the tasty, good-for-you treat as well. Many ethnic markets also carry young coconuts that you can bring home and pop open with a hatchet.
The Naughty Side of Coconut Water: that’s right, get your young ones out of the room- it’s time to talk about the adult-side of our favorite beverage.
There’s no shame in a little indulgence over the holidays and New Year, but in case you splurged on one too many goblets of vegan egg nog, chugging a little coconut water before bed time could make the next morning much brighter.
Hangovers are caused by dehydration, a process in which the total amount of water leaving the body is more than the total amount consumed. Alcohol is a diuretic which encourages just that, by temporarily obliterating the body’s production of the anti-diuretic hormone and causing excessive urination. Your body’s battle against dehydration. The liver needs water to rid the body of the alcohol you’ve consumed. However, there is simply not enough water left after heavy alcohol consumption and the inevitable breaking the seal. Thus, the body has no choice but to borrow water from other organs: the brain included. This process is what produces those pounding headaches the next morning. Dehydration depletes the potassium store in the body, causing thirst, muscle cramps, dizziness, and faintness. As mentioned earlier, coconut water is extremely high in potassium, so drinking the beverage after a girl’s/boy’s night out helps to lighten the heavy hangover blues. Coconut water is also naturally packed with other vitamins and minerals that were exhausted by a night on the town. To be safe, have a glass before bed and the next morning as well (pre-walk of shame,). Or, to be extra witty about it: if you’re going to have a cocktail at your work’s Christmas party, tell your boss you’d like to be in charge of making coco-jitos! Replace the club soda in your mojito with coconut water. Peek see more cocktail recipes using coco-water, check out zico.com.
Nityda Coleman teaches yoga and yolates classes throughout the New York City area. She writes as the
NY Holistic Health Columnist at examiner.com. To view her teaching schedule and upcoming
events, visit her at Bliss Body Online. To ï¬nd her on Facebook, click here.