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Discover the Top 10 Amazing Health Benefits of Coconut Water

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Medically Reviewed by Dr. Aman Priya Khanna
Written by Kirti V, last updated on 12 July 2024| min read
Discover the Top 10 Amazing Health Benefits of Coconut Water

Quick Summary

  • Coconut water is a natural sports drink that is low in calories and carbs.
  • It is a good source of electrolytes, which can help to prevent dehydration.
  • Coconut water may also help to improve blood sugar control and reduce inflammation.

Have you ever had a sip of tender coconut water in the scorching summer heat and felt like it was the most invigorating drink there is? If so, then you will be interested to know that there are an array of health benefits of coconut water beyond its role as a summertime beverage.

Coconut water is the semi-clear liquid found inside coconuts. Abundant in green coconuts and commonly referred to as nariyalpani in Hindi. It has gained considerable prominence among athletes as an energy beverage compared to other sugary alternatives. Wondering about the benefits of drinking coconut water daily, then stay with us to know it all.

Major Benefits of Drinking Coconut Water on Your Health

There are innumerable health advantages to drinking coconut water, which are as follows:

  1. Blood Sugar Levels Management: It has a high magnesium content and assists in controlling high blood glucose levels. According to a study conducted by Yanan Dai et al. in 2021 on 48 subjects, it has been shown that coconut water aids in reducing blood sugar, subsequently decreasing retinal and diabetic damage. 
  2. Enhances Blood Circulation: Coconut water nutrition comprises minerals like potassium and sodium that help improve blood flow. Likewise, it helps reduce blood sugar and pressure levels.
  3. Improved Metabolism: The high amounts of potassium, enzymes, and nutrients present in it enhance your metabolism. It contributes to the loss of extra body calories.
  4. Strengthen Muscles and Bones: It contains adequate calcium, which hardens your teeth and bones. It also helps in muscle contraction, ensuring efficient functioning.
  5. Prevents Kidney Stones: It prevents kidney stones from forming in your body by eliminating chlorine and citrate in your urine. As per a recent study conducted by Roshan M. Patel et al. in 2018 on a total of 8 participants, these advantages of coconut water have been proven.
  6. Promotes Heart Health: Green coconut water is rich in essential minerals, vitamins, amino acids, vitamin C, antioxidants and L-arginine. These help control high blood pressure and sugar and prevent heart diseases.
  7. Maintains Hydration: The electrolytes like sodium, potassium and magnesium found in coconut water contribute towards maintaining proper water balance, prominently post-workout or while recovering from ailments.
  8. Enhances Immunity: It comprises lauric acid (a type of saturated fatty acid), which possesses antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral qualities. It will aid in removing harmful bacteria from the body, ultimately boosting your immune system. Also, coconut water vitamins help with immunity buildup.
  9. Combats Digestive Problems: The minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium found in coconut juice effectively treat diarrhoea. Also, the fibres present in it will impart laxative (facilitate bowel movements) effects. They also act as natural diuretics (medications that aid in reducing fluid accumulation in your body). It will cleanse your gut by eliminating toxins from your digestive tract.
  10. Restores Energy Levels: Coconut water is rich in electrolytes, minerals and antioxidants that help you retain your stamina after exercising or recuperation. It allows athletes to regain their energy faster.
  11. Supports Healthy Skin: There are many benefits of coconut water in promoting our skin health. It can manage skin issues like ageing, cancer, photodamage (damage from sunlight), and pigmentation because of electrolytes. These electrolytes penetrate deep inside your skin to provide sufficient moisture, stimulating cell growth and helping in damage repair in skin cells.
  12. Improves Hair Health: The advantages of coconut water for our hair include dandruff control, a flaky and itchy scalp and reduced intense hair fall. The minerals, vitamins and amino acids in coconut water render these hair benefits.
  13. Recovers from Hangovers: Electrolytes, natural sugars, and fibres in coconut water ensure quick rehydration and relieve headaches and nausea. It helps regain decreased minerals in your body due to alcohol intake.
  14. Reduce Excess Body Weight: The coconut juice benefits in weight loss are related to metabolism. It contains high bioactive enzymes and electrolytes. These accelerate your body's metabolic rate.
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Nutritional Value of Tender Coconut Water

If you have been wondering what coconut water contains or if coconut water is good for you, keep reading. Nutrients and calories in coconut water are given below in detail:

 


Nutritional Value of Tender Coconut Water

Nutritional Value of Mature Coconut Water

(g/100g)

(g/100g)

Energy

19 kcal

19kcal

Water

94.18

94.45

Sugars

5.23

3.42

Protein

0.12

0.52

Carbohydrate

4.76

4.41

Lipids

0.0733

0.1482

Saturated Fatty Acids

0.03

0.1

Monounsaturated Fatty Acids

0.03

0.02

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids

0.0128

0.0054

Minerals

(mg/100g)

(mg/100g)

Potassium

203.70

257.52

Calcium

27.35

31.64  

Magnesium

6.40

9.44

Iron

0.02

0.02

Phosphorus

4.66

12.77

Manganese

0.12

0.08

Vitamins

(mg/100 dm3)

(mg/100 dm3)

Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)

Trace

0.01

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

0.01

0.01

Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)

7.41

7.08

 


(mg/g)

(mg/g)

Amino Acids

15.51

17.61

From the above table, you can understand the difference in composition between a mature and a tender coconut, also called a young or green coconut.

Coconut Water: Fresh vs. Packed

Fresh coconut water functions as an enzyme that facilitates metabolism, as its nutrients are the most effective. With time and preservation, the qualities of the nutrients degrade and lose their efficiency.

The coconut water ingredients in packages contain preservatives and other additives that alter coconut water's calories, nutrition and taste. The packaged one has a high sugar content.

Takeaway

There can be innumerable benefits of coconut water for our overall health. It supports significant body functioning, including the performances of almost everybody's digestive, skeletal, muscular and urinary systems.

Coconut water comprises low-calorie nutrients, minerals, vitamins, electrolytes, amino acids and other nutrients. It is also easily available, less expensive and free from most side effects. It makes coconut water popular among people, notably athletes.

If you want to know more about the uses of drinking coconut water, contact a HexaHealth expert. It is your one-stop platform for all your healthcare needs. We can provide a comprehensive view of the uses of coconut water for your well-being and wish you a healthy life ahead! 

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Frequently Asked Questions

There are several health benefits of coconut water:

  1. Helps in hydration

  2. Improves bone and muscle health

  3. Provides nutrition and electrolytes essential for metabolism

  4. May help prevent kidney stones

  5. Can reduce blood sugar levels and help control diabetes

  6. May enhance heart health

You can have coconut water before and after food. However, it is most effective when consumed on an empty stomach in the early mornings. This will help you feel full for longer hours.

Yes, coconut water helps you to lose weight. It has minerals like potassium and several high bioactive enzymes, which enhance your body’s metabolic rate. In this way, it helps your muscles burn more calories.

The advantages of drinking coconut water every day include:

  1. Improves your insulin sensitivity and blood sugar levels

  2. Helps in weight management

  3. Coconut water potassium enables decreasing blood pressure

  4. Aids in preventing urinary tract infections

  5. Enables you to become more physically active with increased stamina

Coconut water is filled with significant nutrients in different essential electrolytes and minerals like potassium, manganese, calcium, amino acids, antioxidants, and cytokinins. It includes about 470 milligrams of potassium and is regarded as its best source of it.

Fresh coconut water contains electrolytes, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, different plant hormones, and amino acids that are necessary for your body to maintain proper fluid balance. It supports other body functions like bone and muscle build-up, optimal heart and kidney performance, and weight loss.

There are several advantages of coconut water for your skin as it is composed of vitamins that may assist in reducing your fine lines and wrinkles. Coconut water vitamins include vitamin C, vitamin B2 and vitamin B3.

There are various health benefits of drinking tender coconut water, such as:

  1. Rehydrate your body during sickness and after workouts

  2. Supply important nutrients and electrolytes

  3. Minimise high blood pressure levels and stroke risks

  4. Decrease your added sugar intake

  5. Help you maintain optimal body weight

  6. Promotes healthy skin and hair

Coconut water is rich in different vitamins and minerals essential for your body in many ways. The vitamins include vitamins B2, B3, B5, B7 or H, B9 and small quantities of vitamin B1. The minerals comprise magnesium, potassium, calcium, manganese and sodium.

The best time to drink coconut water is early in the morning when your stomach remains empty. It helps in immunity build-up, boosts metabolism, and suppresses overeating habits that subsequently render weight loss.

People suffering from diabetes can drink coconut water as its low-sugar content helps them manage elevated blood sugar levels and reduce diabetic retinal damage. Yet, they need to limit their consumption (i.e., 200 ml in a day) to avoid getting hyperkalemia (high potassium levels in the blood).

Green or young coconut water serves many health advantages, for example:

  1. Prevents dehydration and provides energy

  2. Helps manage blood pressure

  3. Acts as an appetite stimulant

  4. Assists in developing immunity

  5. Makes your bones and teeth stronger

There are a few adverse effects of coconut water if taken in excess amounts in persons, such as:

  1. With hyperkalemia

  2. Kidney patients

  3. Patients with cystic fibrosis

  4. Persons going for and after surgeries

  5. Pregnant woman

Drinking coconut water daily usually has many health advantages, but drinking too much might be harmful. In some individuals, it may cause bloating and stomach upset, especially those with irritable bowel syndrome.

Although there are many health advantages of coconut water if you drink it every day, you must ensure to take it in proper quantities. Excessive drinking may trigger stomach issues and flatulence.

The recommended daily intake of coconut juice or water is 1 or 2 cups for each person.

Drinking coconut water for diabetic patients is usually considered safe for its low sugar content, but they must limit their intake to 200 ml per day.

Patients suffering from cystic fibrosis, high diabetes and severe kidney problems shouldn’t drink coconut water.

Coconut water provides your body with hydration and antioxidants that have a detoxifying effect on your body.

There are various essential minerals in coconut water, like potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium and manganese.

Yes, there are many benefits of coconut water on your health and welfare, such as:

  1. Providing hydration

  2. Detoxifying your body

  3. Supplying your body with vital nutrients

Yes, there may be a few side effects of drinking coconut water for people suffering from hyperkalemia, kidney problems or cystic fibrosis, depending on their condition.

Coconut water benefits for males include: 

  1. Increasing stamina and athletic performance

  2. Curing infertility

  3. Increasing sperm count

  4. Ensuring optimal erectile functioning 

  5. Enhancing sexual performance

Coconut water benefits for females are:

  1. Regulating hormones and uterus functions

  2. Relieving menstrual cramps

  3. Combating polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) 

  4. Supporting a healthy pregnancy

Drinking coconut water for 7 days has numerous benefits for your body, ensuring:

  1. Electrolyte balance

  2. Hydration

  3. Proper digestion

  4. Weight control

  5. Compensating nutrient deficiency

References

All the articles on HexaHealth are supported by verified medically-recognized sources such as; peer-reviewed academic research papers, research institutions, and medical journals. Our medical reviewers also check references of the articles to prioritize accuracy and relevance. Refer to our detailed editorial policy for more information.


  1. Rethinam P, Krishnakumar V. Health Benefits of Coconut Water. In: Rethinam P, Krishnakumar V, editors. Coconut Water: A Promising Natural Health Drink-Distribution, Processing and Nutritional Benefits [Internet]. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2022 [cited 2023 Oct 30]. p. 385–455. link
  2. Lopez AS. A concise review on tender and mature coconut water: Its application in food. 2023 [cited 2023 Oct 30]link
  3. Dai Y, Peng L, Zhang X, Wu Q, Yao J, Xing Q, et al. Effects of coconut water on blood sugar and retina of rats with diabetes. PeerJ [Internet]. 2021 Jan 29 [cited 2023 Oct 30];9:e10667link
  4. Nitbani FO, Tjitda PJP, Nitti F, Jumina J, Detha AIR. Antimicrobial Properties of Lauric Acid and Monolaurin in Virgin Coconut Oil: A Review. ChemBioEng Rev [Internet]. 2022 [cited 2023 Oct 30];9(5):442–61link
  5. Tuyekar SN, Tawade BS, Singh KS, Wagh VS, Vidhate PK, Yevale RP, et al. An Overview on Coconut Water: As A Multipurpose Nutrition. Int J Pharm Sci Rev Res [Internet]. 2021 Jun 15 [cited 2023 Oct 30];68(2)link
  6. Yong JWH, Ge L, Ng YF, Tan SN. The Chemical Composition and Biological Properties of Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) Water. Molecules [Internet]. 2009 Dec 9 [cited 2023 Oct 30];14(12):5144–64. link
  7. Ekasari CP, Widyarti S. The physicochemical properties comparison of the natural coconut water and the packaging coconut water. IOP Conf Ser Earth Environ Sci [Internet]. 2019 Dec [cited 2023 Oct 30];391(1):012021link
  8. Patel RM, Jiang P, Asplin J, Granja I, Capretz T, Osann K, et al. Coconut Water: An Unexpected Source of Urinary Citrate. BioMed Research International. 2018 Nov 1;2018:1–5.link

Last Updated on: 12 July 2024

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational and learning purposes only. It doesn't cover every medical condition and might not be relevant to your personal situation. This information isn't medical advice, isn't meant for diagnosing any condition, and shouldn't replace talking to a certified medical or healthcare professional.

Reviewer

Dr. Aman Priya Khanna

Dr. Aman Priya Khanna

MBBS, DNB General Surgery, Fellowship in Minimal Access Surgery, FIAGES

12 Years Experience

Dr Aman Priya Khanna is a well-known General Surgeon, Proctologist and Bariatric Surgeon currently associated with HealthFort Clinic, Health First Multispecialty Clinic in Delhi. He has 12 years of experience in General Surgery and worke...View More

Author

Kirti V

Kirti V

B.A. English | M.A. English ( Magadh University, Bihar)

3 Years Experience

With 3 years of full-time experience as an SEO content writer, she has honed her skills to deliver captivating and persuasive writing that leaves a lasting impact. She is always ready to learn new things and expand...View More

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