Electrolytes in the Coconut

The other day a friend emailed me asking if I ever drank coconut water after a work-out and of course immediately this song popped into my head.  

 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNcx59q05_I]

 

This same friend mentioned that she wasn’t the biggest fan of sports drinks, so her trainer recommended coconut water to replenish her electrolytes after working out.  Of course, I hadn’t heard of this.  I chuckled at the thought of me smashing a coconut to get to the coconut water with me wearing most of it and half a coconut shell as a hat.  After all, straws don’t simply pop into the side of a coconut. 

 

With a quick search on-line, I found these nifty little cartons of O.N.E coconut water on-line, which comes with a straw and pops into the top quite easily.

 

 

I have to admit.  The idea of trying coconut water intrigues me even if it is minus the rum and a paper umbrella.  The whole natural sports drink appeals to me, as it lacks food coloring and high fructose corn syrup which are the main ingredients found in many of the popular sports drink. 

 

Upon researching the benefits of coconut water, I learned that “the electrolytes in coconut water helps you get rid of fatigue and refreshes your body to the core”, which puts a whole new twist to Harry Nilsson’s lyrics. There’s electrolytes in the coconut, so drink it all up…. There’s electrolytes in the coconut, so drink it all up.  Besides replenishing my electrolytes, I learned that coconut could really “relieve a belly ache” by cleansing the digestive tract.  Plus, coconut water has twice the potassium of a banana.

 

But most importantly, if I contract intestinal worms a little coconut water can help rid me of the nasty little buggers.  Hey, I watch HouseIt could totally happen

 

So, have you tried coconut water?  What did you think?

13 comments

  1. Sweeter says:

    Maybe I will have to find that O.N.E. coconut water b/c every young coconut I’ve tried this summer was too old or just bad. I hacked away at least 3 of those darn things. Apparently the midwest is not the place to find these things LOL. My sister lives in the SoCal area and she tells me young coconuts are quite popular there. I’m with you about liking the naturalness of it. Recent issue of Runner’s World also mentioned coconut water as a good recovery drink.

  2. Tiffany says:

    I love anything that has to do with coconuts! I have purchased several brands and types of coconut water. Unfortunately, I drink them before I ever even get a chance to run to test the electrolyte/energy theory. Usually, between my kids and myself, they do not make it much past the grocery store. We do drink coconut milk frequently in lieu of other types of milk. The larger carton makes them last longer than the small coconut water containers. We also use coconut oil to cook with since it can cook at higher heats than other oils (thus, not having the free radicals problem). My absolute favorite coconut product though is the ever-so-healthy Pina Colada!

  3. Jill Will Run says:

    I have tried coconut water post-run one time. It’s not very strong flavored and it was refreshing enough. I don’t know if I “felt” a difference due to the product. I like the more natural aspect too. But the main issue is that it’s kind of pricy!

  4. Jenny says:

    I tried it once and it made me gag! I don’t know why, because I love coconut flavors, especially things made with coconut milk, but I just couldn’t stomach the water! I know people who like it though, so give it a try!

  5. Nancy says:

    I drink the Goya cans found in the ethnic food isle. It’s only .99 cents a can with 120 calories, other brands I have seen have twice as many calories. It does have chunks in it and I wouldn’t say it’s “tasty” but I will drink it just for the benefits. I did put a splash in my regular water one day and it made it kind of nutty. So maybe cutting it in 50/50 with water would make it easier for some to get down.

  6. Amanda M. says:

    I absolutely cannot stand coconut, but my kids love it. I will have to find some coconut water for them to try. Here’s a recipe from my favorite book. 1 c coconut milk, 1/4 c lime juice, 1/3 c mint leaves, 4 TBS honey, 2 cups ice. Blend for 1-2 minutes.

  7. lindsay says:

    sounds like i need to give it a whirl! thanks for the info. i watch house too — i don’t eat ham ever since seeing the one episode where the girl got worms. haha.

  8. Sarah Brown says:

    Interestingly, on the same day I read this post, the St. Pete Times had a huge article on the benefits of consuming coconut oil. The saturated fats in it produce ketones- which are helping patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinsons.

    On another coincidental note, I purchased my first whole coconut last week when they were on sale at Publix and the whole family gathered round as Tommy drilled holes with the screwdriver to drain the cocunut water, then smashed it in a towel with a huge hammer. We were all surprised that it’s flavor is not naturally sweet like the shredded coconut we are accustomed to. It tasted more like a nut.

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