In recent years, coconut water has become a very trendy beverage.
It is tasty, refreshing and also happens to be very good for you.
It is loaded with several important nutrients, including minerals that most people don't get enough of.
Here are eight health benefits of coconut water:
1. Good Source of Several Nutrients
Coconuts grow on large palm trees known scientifically as Cocos nucifera. Despite the name, the coconut is a fruit rather than a nut.
Coconut water is the juice found in the center of a young, green coconut. It helps nourish the fruit.
As the coconut matures, some of the juice remains in liquid form, while the rest ripens into the solid white flesh known as coconut meat (1).
Coconut water is produced naturally in the fruit and contains 94 percent water and very little fat.
CCIt should not be confused with coconut milk, which is made by adding water to grated coconut meat. It contains about 50 percent water and is very high in coconut fat.
Coconuts take 10–12 months to fully mature. Coconut water typically comes from young coconuts about 6–7 months of age, although it's also found in mature fruit.
An average green coconut provides about 0.5-1 cups of coconut water.
One cup (240 grams) contains 46 calories, as well as (2):
- Carbs: 9 grams.
- Fiber: 3 grams.
- Protein: 2 grams.
- Vitamin C: 10 percent of the RDI.
- Magnesium: 15 percent of the RDI.
- Manganese: 17 percent of the RDI.
- Potassium: 17 percent of the RDI.
- Sodium: 11 percent of the RDI.
- Calcium: 6 percent of the RDI.
Bottom Line: Coconut water is found in young coconuts and is a good source of fiber, vitamin C and several important minerals.
2. May Have Antioxidant Properties
Free radicals are unstable molecules that are produced in your cells during metabolism. Their production increases in response to stress or injury.
When there are too many free radicals, the body is said to be in a state of oxidative stress, which can damage cells and increase the risk of disease (3).
Research on animals exposed to toxins has shown that coconut water contains antioxidants, modifying free radicals so they no longer cause harm (4, 5, 6, 7).
One study found that rats with liver damage showed significant improvement in oxidative stress when they were treated with coconut water, compared to rats that received no treatment (6).
In another study, rats were fed a high-fructose diet and then treated with coconut water. Free radical activity decreased, as well as blood pressure, triglycerides and insulin levels (7).
So far, no studies have investigated this antioxidant activity in humans.
Bottom Line: Coconut water contains antioxidants that protect cells from damaging free radicals.
3. May Have Benefits Against Diabetes
Research has shown that coconut water can lower blood sugar levels and improve other health markers in diabetic animals (8, 9, 10).
In one study, diabetic rats treated with coconut water maintained better blood sugar levels than other diabetic rats (9).
The same study also found that the rats had lower levels of hemoglobin A1c, a measure of long-term blood sugar control (9).
Another study found that providing the water to rats with diabetes led to improvements in blood sugar levels and reductions in markers of oxidative stress, including malondialdehyde (MDA) (10).
However, controlled studies need to confirm these effects in humans.
Nevertheless, with three grams of fiber and a digestible carb content of only six grams per cup, coconut water can easily fit into a diabetic meal plan.
In addition, it is a good source of magnesium, which has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and decrease blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes (11, 12).
Bottom Line: Studies on diabetic animals suggest that it may improve blood sugar control. It's also a good source of magnesium, which may increase insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar levels.
4. May Help Prevent Kidney Stones
Drinking enough fluids is important for kidney stone prevention.
Although plain water is a great choice, one study suggests that coconut water may be even better.
Kidney stones form when calcium, oxalate and other compounds combine to form crystals in the urine (13).
These can then form stones. However, some people are more susceptible to developing these stones than others (13).
In a study on rats with kidney stones, coconut water was found to keep crystals from sticking to the kidneys and other parts of the urinary tract. It also reduced the number of crystals formed in the urine (14).
The researchers believe that it helped reduce free radical production that occurred in response to high oxalate levels in urine.
However, this is the first study that has investigated coconut water's effects on kidney stones and more research is needed in this area.
Bottom Line: Early animal research suggests that water from coconuts may potentially prevent kidney stones by reducing crystal and stone formation.
5. May Support Heart Health
Drinking coconut water may be helpful to reduce heart disease risk.
In one study, rats that consumed coconut water had reductions in blood cholesterol and triglycerides. They also experienced significant decreases in liver fat (15).
The same researchers conducted another study, in which rats were fed a similar diet and treated with the same dosage (4 ml/100 g of body weight) of coconut water.
After 45 days, the coconut water group had a reduction in cholesterol and triglyceride levels that rivaled the effects of a statin drug used to lower cholesterol (16).
However, it's important to note that this was a very large dose. In human terms, it would be equivalent to a 150 lb (68 kg) person consuming 91 oz (2.7 liters) of coconut water per day.
Nevertheless, the finding that it reduced cholesterol as effectively as a statin drug is very impressive and should be further investigated.
Bottom Line: Animal studies suggest that coconut water may have powerful cholesterol-lowering properties.
6. May Reduce Blood Pressure
It may be also be a great beverage for keeping blood pressure under control.
One small study gave coconut water to people with high blood pressure. 71 percent experienced significant improvements to systolic blood pressure, which is the higher number of a blood pressure reading (17).
Additionally, it contains an impressive 600 mg of potassium in 8 oz (240 ml). Potassium has been shown to lower blood pressure in people with high or normal blood pressure (18, 19).
What's more, one animal study found that coconut water has anti-thrombotic activity, which means it should help prevent the formation of blood clots (8).
Bottom Line: Coconut water may help lower blood pressure and potentially decrease the risk of blood clots forming in the arteries.
7. Beneficial After Prolonged Exercise
Coconut water may be the perfect beverage for restoring hydration and replenishing electrolytes lost during exercise.
Electrolytes are minerals that play several important roles in the body, including maintaining proper fluid balance.
They include potassium, magnesium, sodium and calcium.
Two studies found that coconut water restored hydration after exercise better than water and equal to high-electrolyte sports beverages (20, 21).
The participants also said it caused less nausea and stomach discomfort (20, 21).
However, another study comparing high-electrolyte beverages found that coconut water tended to cause the most bloating and stomach upset (22).
Bottom Line: Coconut water is effective at replenishing fluids and electrolytes after exercise. It is comparable to other sports beverages.
8. Delicious Source of Hydration
Coconut water is slightly sweet with a subtle, nutty flavor. It's also fairly low in calories and carbs.
The water is freshest when it comes directly from the coconut. Simply press a straw into the soft part of a green coconut and start drinking.
Store the coconut in the refrigerator and consume it within two to three weeks of purchase.
You can also buy bottled coconut water at most grocery stores.
However, be sure to read the ingredients list to verify you're getting 100 percent coconut water. Some bottled brands contain added sugar or flavoring agents.
It can be used in smoothies, chia seed pudding, vinaigrette dressing or substituted for plain water whenever you want a bit of natural sweetness.
Bottom Line: Coconut water can be consumed directly from green coconuts or in bottles. Avoid brands with added sugar, sweeteners or flavors.
Coconut Water is Super Healthy
Coconut water is a delicious, nutritious and natural beverage that is extremely good for you.
Although controlled studies are needed to confirm many of these benefits, the research to date is encouraging.
This article was reposted from our media associate Authority Nutrition.
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Though made in large part of plastic, glass, ceramics, gold and copper, they also contain critical resources. The gallium used for LEDs and the camera flash, the tantalum in capacitors and indium that powers the display were all pulled from the ground — at a price for nature and people.
"Mining raw materials is always problematic, both with regard to human rights and ecology," said Melanie Müller, raw materials expert of the German think tank SWP. "Their production process is pretty toxic."
The gallium and indium in many phones comes from China or South Korea, the tantalum from the Democratic Republic of Congo or Rwanda. All in, such materials comprise less than ten grams of a phone's weight. But these grams finance an international mining industry that causes radioactive earth dumps, poisoned groundwater and Indigenous population displacement.
Environmental Damage: 'Nature Has Been Overexploited'
The problem is that modern technologies don't work without what are known as critical raw materials. Collectively, solar panels, drones, 3D printers and smartphone contain as many as 30 of these different elements sourced from around the globe. A prime example is lithium from Chile, which is essential in the manufacture of batteries for electric vehicles.
"No one, not even within the industry, would deny that mining lithium causes enormous environmental damage," Müller explained, in reference to the artificial lakes companies create when flushing the metal out of underground brine reservoirs. "The process uses vast amounts of water, so you end up with these huge flooded areas where the lithium settles."
This means of extraction results in the destruction and contamination of the natural water system. Unique plants and animals lose access to groundwater and watering holes. There have also been reports of freshwater becoming salinated due to extensive acidic waste water during lithium mining.
But lithium is not the only raw material that causes damage. Securing just one ton of rare earth elements produces 2,000 tons of toxic waste, and has devastated large regions of China, said Günther Hilpert, head of the Asia Research Division of the German think tank SWP.
He says companies there have adopted a process of spraying acid over the mining areas in order to separate the rare earths from other ores, and that mined areas are often abandoned after excavation.
"They are no longer viable for agricultural use," Hilpert said. "Nature has been overexploited."
China is not the only country with low environmental mining standards and poor resource governance. In Madagascar, for example, a thriving illegal gem and metal mining sector has been linked to rainforest depletion and destruction of natural lemur habitats.
States like Madagascar, Rwanda and the DRC score poorly on the Environmental Performance Index that ranks 180 countries for their effort on factors including conservation, air quality, waste management and emissions. Environmentalists are therefore particularly concerned that these countries are mining highly toxic materials like beryllium, tantalum and cobalt.
But it is not only nature that suffers from the extraction of high-demand critical raw materials.
"It is a dirty, toxic, partly radioactive industry," Hilpert said. "China, for example, has never really cared about human rights when it comes to achieving production targets."
Dirty, Toxic, Radioactive: Working in the Mining Sector
One of the most extreme examples is Baotou, a Chinese city in Inner Mongolia, where rare earth mining poisoned surrounding farms and nearby villages, causing thousands of people to leave the area.
In 2012, The Guardian described a toxic lake created in conjunction with rare earth mining as "a murky expanse of water, in which no fish or algae can survive. The shore is coated with a black crust, so thick you can walk on it. Into this huge, 10 sq km tailings pond nearby factories discharge water loaded with chemicals used to process the 17 most sought after minerals in the world."
Local residents reported health issues including aching legs, diabetes, osteoporosis and chest problems, The Guardian wrote.
South Africa has also been held up for turning a blind eye to the health impacts of mining.
"The platinum sector in South Africa has been criticized for performing very poorly on human rights — even within the raw materials sector," Müller said.
In 2012, security forces killed 34 miners who had been protesting poor working conditions and low wages at a mine owned by the British company Lonmin. What became known as the "Marikana massacre" triggered several spontaneous strikes across the country's mining sector.
Müller says miners can still face exposure to acid drainage — a frequent byproduct of platinum mining — that can cause chemical burns and severe lung damage. Though this can be prevented by a careful waste system.
Some progress was made in 2016 when the South African government announced plans to make mining companies pay $800 million (€679 million) for recycling acid mine water. But they didn't all comply. In 2020, activists sued Australian-owned mining company Mintails and the government to cover the cost of environmental cleanup.
Another massive issue around mining is water consumption. Since the extraction of critical raw materials is very water intensive, drought prone countries such as South Africa, have witnessed an increase in conflicts over supply.
For years, industry, government and the South African public debated – without a clear agreement – whether companies should get privileged access to water and how much the population may suffer from shortages.
Mining in Brazil: Replacing Nature, People, Land Rights
Beyond the direct health and environmental impact of mining toxic substances, quarrying critical raw materials destroys livelihoods, as developments in Brazil demonstrate.
"Brazil is the major worldwide niobium producer and reserves in [the state of] Minas Gerais would last more than 200 years [at the current rate of demand]," said Juliana Siqueira-Gay, environmental engineer and Ph.D. student at the University of São Paulo.
While the overall number of niobium mining requests is stagnating, the share of claims for Indigenous land has skyrocketed from 3 to 36 percent within one year. If granted, 23 percent of the Amazon forest and the homeland of 222 Indigenous groups could fall victim to deforestation in the name of mining, a study by Siqueira-Gay finds.
In early 2020, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro signed a bill which would allow corporations to develop areas populated by Indigenous communities in the future. The law has not yet entered into force, but "this policy could have long-lasting negative effects on Brazil's socio-biodiversity," said Siqueira-Gay.
One example are the niobium reserves in Seis Lagos, in Brazil's northeast, which could be quarried to build electrolytic capacitors for smartphones.
"They overlap the Balaio Indigenous land and it would cause major impacts in Indigenous communities by clearing forests responsible for providing food, raw materials and regulating the local climate," Siqueira-Gay explained.
She says scientific good practice guidelines offer a blueprint for sustainable mining that adheres to human rights and protects forests. Quarries in South America — and especially Brazil — funded by multilaterial banks like the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group have to follow these guidelines, Siqueira-Gay said.
They force companies to develop sustainable water supply, minimize acid exposure and re-vegetate mined surfaces. "First, negative impacts must be avoided, then minimized and at last compensated — not the other way around."
Reposted with permission from DW.