i must admit, i’m a wee bit of a skeptic with anything Hollywood endorses as “healthy”. maybe it was the baby food diet, the Master Cleanse, the Cookie diet, the just-don’t-eat diet. all i know is, at some point i developed trust issues. and you know what’s super hot right now? coconut water.
okay it’s not a diet. but it sounds oddly suspicious.
apparently this is THEE drink of the season. not to be confused with coconut milk, coconut water is the clear liquid extracted from young coconuts before the fruit grows its meat. and all the celebs are into it: Molly Sims, Heidi Klum, Anna Paquin, Jessica Simpson, have all been photographed with a carton. what’s more, Madonna, Demi Moore, and Matthew McConaughey have each invested in Vita Coca who’s sales have jumped from $4 million US in 2007, to $20 million in 2009. (measly compared to billion dollar Red Bull, but still. ain’t too shabby either.)
when i read this i thought, those crazy celebrities. what are they trying to sell us now. plus everyone knows fruit juice is loaded with sugar, preservatives, and has no dietary fibre.
well, uh, it may be more than just hype. with the help of dear friend Google, i found many articles that claim coconut water does indeed have health benefits. here’s just a sample, as compiled through Eat Smart Age Smart, The Daily Telegraph and Metro.co.uk
- pure coconut water has no artificial colours or sweeteners
- it’s low calorie (one cup contains a mere 46)
- one cup has 3 grams of fibre and 2 grams of protein. (that’s pretty amazing to me.)
- it’s huge in potassium. 330mls has more than 2 bananas.
- it re-hydrates the body 3 times as fast as water or sports drinks. this is due to the natural occurring electrolytes: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, and the aforementioned potassium. (oh – and the sodium content is only one third the measure of Gatorade)
- it’s low in sugar, cholesterol free, and 99% fat free
- according to the director of Coconut Research Center, the juice regulates blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol
keep in mind though:
- the fresher, the better. once coconut water has been exposed to air and warm temperatures, it quickly loses it’s nutritional value
- coconut water has a laxative effect. don’t overdo it
- too much potassium can have an impact on your heart. avoid coconut oil if you have heart disease, kidney disease, or are on a low-potassium diet
- if you have a nut allergy, check with your doctor
what do you think? is it worth checking out? are any brands better than others?
hey thanks for coming! i'm the diet book junkie, you know, that girl who's always sprouting forth random health facts about what she's "read somewhere" or what she's learned "on Dr. Oz today!"; who can read Women's Health magazine while stuffing her face with Tim Tams and not feel a tinge of guilt whatsoever. but all that's gonna change, because now i'll be testing out the different diet trends, all in the pursuit of putting-my-money-where-my-pie-hole-is. so if you're like me and wonder if any of these popular diets actually work - or if you're just tired of dieting and wanna watch someone else do it for a change, please, stay tuned!
