COCONUT WATER : IN A NUTSHELL

The latest health trend, favoured by celebrities and sports personalities alike - is coconut water all it's cracked up to be?

Coconut water is the clear liquid found inside a young, green coconut, which is usually about the size of a basketball. Ideally, young coconuts are harvested between five and seven months of age, which is when they contain the most water.

A drink that has been favoured by Brazilians, Indians and Asians for years, coconut water is now widely available in places where the coconut palm doesn't grow-such as the UK and the US, thanks to it being packaged, shipped and readily available. Coconut water has a sweet, nutty taste and is a naturally refreshing thirst-quencher. It contains easily digested carbohydrate in the form of sugar and electrolytes-perhaps why sportsmen and women favour it, as electrolytes and sugars need to be replaced after periods of exercise. We explore some of the other possible health benefits of coconut water.

HEADACHE RELIEF

The majority of headaches are caused by dehydration, and coconut water is a good way to rehydrate and supply the body with electrolytes, especially in humid weather conditions or after intense periods of exercise. People who suffer from migraines often have low levels of magnesium, and as coconut water has high levels of magnesium it can help to reduce the frequency and intensity of migraine attacks.

SKIN TONIC

If you suffer from acne or other blemishes, coconut water can help to tone the skin-simply apply a small amount of coconut water on a cotton wool pad and sweep over the skin.lt can also help skin complaints from within, as when ingested orally it can provide moisture for the skin and reduces large quantities of oil. Victoria Secret supermodel Adriana Lima told The Cutthat she uses icecold coconut water on her skin as a treat.

DIGESTION AID

As coconut water has a high concentration offibre, it can help to prevent indigestion and can reduce acid reflux. Coconut water has been offered to patients with sickness and diarrhoea in tropical regions, in order to quickly rehydrate and replace excess fluid loss from the gastrointestinal tract, therefore reducing the need for hospitalisation.

COCONUT WATER Vs. SPORTS DRINKS

Coconut water is thought to be more effective at hydrating the human body than sports and energy drinks. During rigorous exercise or long periods of physical activities, our bodies lose essential electrolytes (potassium, sodium, chloride and bicabornate). Coconut water is an excellent source of replenishing these electrolytes, with an average of 294 mg of potassium, 250 mg of sodium and 5 mg of natural sugar per glass, whereas most sport drinks contain only half this potassium and five times the amount of processed sugar.

By Hilary Jones in "Live to 100 with Dr Hilary Jones - Food & Drink Special", UK, Autumn 2016, excerpts pp. 44-45. Adapted and illustrated to be posted by Leopoldo Costa.

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