Is Coconut Water the Best Drink for Weight Loss?

Most of us run to the good ol’ coconut water when we have tummy problems, especially diarrhoea. Coconut water is nature’s best solution to dehydration and aids to speedily restore the electrolyte balance of the body. However, people are rapidly discovering that this humble drink has a lot of other benefits too.

How Does Coconut Water Help in Weight Loss?

There is more to the humble coconut water than just rehydration post a bout of diarrhoea. Here are some of the ways in which you can significantly improve your weight loss with coconut water.

1. Water Goal and Satiety Quotient

Coconut water is a great way to complete your water goal. We all know it can get boring to drink all that water in the day. Substituting one of your daily 8 glasses of water with a serving of coconut water can do you a world of good! The bonus is: coconut water also has a high satiety quotient. This means it will help you keep feeling full, curbing untimely cravings and binge-eating.

2. Better Than Energy Drinks

Coconut water is packed with minerals, especially potassium. It also has a good amount of natural sugars and saturated fats too. So it is one of the best energy drinks nature has to offer! We all know that many energy drinks, sports drinks, and fortified waters also pack a good amount of unnecessary sugars and calories. So why not go au naturale?

3. No More Bloating

Coconut water is the perfect all-natural diuretic. A diuretic is a substance that makes you… pee! So drinking a glass of coconut water every day can help you reduce water-retention. It is one of the best remedies for bloating.

4. High Fibre

Fibre is absent in most drinks – including water, colas, sodas, electrolytes, etc. So coconut water can help you in packing extra fibre into your diet – and we already know the benefits of fibre for weight-loss. Not only does it help you feel full, it clears the bowels effectively, and also maintains blood sugar level, thus aiding weight loss.

5. Fights Cholesterol

Coconut water helps you maintain a healthy lipid profile. Cholesterol and its derivatives are closely linked to weight loss and many other lifestyle disorders (like diabetes, obesity, cardiac problems, etc.) – all of which can be avoided by including coconut water in your daily diet.

6. Improved Metabolism

Coconut water, on account of its fibre and protein content, helps speed up metabolism. This will in turn make your body burn more calories, speeding up weight loss.

Nutritional Benefit of Drinking Coconut Water

There’s more than just weight-loss benefits that should make you consider adding coconut water to your daily diet.

1. Better Skin

Coconut water helps flush toxins out. It is hence a good natural remedy for acne and pimples. Drink every day for clearer skin.

2. Better Kidneys

Coconut water is a diuretic food, and hence helps the kidneys function better. It is a natural way to keep kidney stones away too.

3. Better Immunity

The different vitamins in coconut water – like thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, etc. help fight common infections. Coconut water is also anti-viral and anti-bacterial in nature. Perfect to keep season-change related ailments away.

4. Better Blood Pressure

This benefit of coconut water comes from its ability to regulate blood circulation. The fibre content also keeps blood sugar in check, thereby minimising blood pressure fluctuations.

5. Better Digestion

Coconut water contains a lot of enzymes, like catalase, phosphotase, and many more. They regulate metabolic activity in the body, keeping digestion on track.

6. Better Electrolyte Balance

The sugar, vitamins, minerals, and fats in coconut water make it the perfect natural oral rehydration solution.

7. No More Free Radicals

Coconut water contains an important enzyme called peroxidase. It helps in getting rid of free radicals in the body – the stuff that makes you age.

8. No More Migraines

Magnesium is closely linked to migraines. It has been suggested that a magnesium deficiency is responsible for most cases of migraines. Coconut water, being loaded with magnesium, could help tackle migraines.

9. No More Blues

Believe it or not, coconut water can also help fight depression, the reason being, again, magnesium.

Useful Tips for Drinking Coconut Water

Coconut water should not be stored once it is removed from the coconut, and should be consumed fresh. Avoid refrigerating it. It is also best to not add sugar or even any kind of artificial sweetener to the drink. Just enjoy its natural taste!

When to Drink

While you can have coconut water just about any time of the day, you can optimise this factor in order to maximise its benefits. Drink coconut water:

• immediately after a workout
• as refreshment after a tiring day
• after spending long hours in the sun
• 20 minutes before a meal (to control meal portions)

How Much to Drink

It is usually best to have 1 serving of coconut water a day. The best way to calculate the amount of coconut water you are consuming is to have coconut water straight out of a fresh tender coconut. Consuming the water of 1 tender coconut a day is ideal.

One of the things people get wrong about coconut water is how much the drink. It is important to note that coconut water – while being extremely healthy – is also high on sugar and fats both. A single cup of coconut water contains 6.3g sugar and 3-4% of your daily RDA of saturated fat. While the body needs both these nutrients, too much could, in fact, reverse your weight loss!

FAQ on Coconut Water for Weight Loss

1. How Much Coconut Water Should I Drink Per Day?

It is recommended to keep your coconut water intake to one serving per day (1 serving being water of 1 fresh tender coconut or 1 cup).

2. What Will Happen If I Drink Coconut Water Daily?

You will harvest all of its benefits! But also keep in mind that, it is important to support weight loss with coconut water with proper guided dietary modifications and exercise. Just drinking coconut water will not help you lose weight. Be smart.

3. How Many Calories are There in Coconut Water?

A single cup of coconut water has 46 calories. However, remember that 25 of these calories come from the sugars present in it!