Coconut water is known to have many benefits for the body. Not only refreshing the body during hot weather, coconut water can also add electrolytes and minerals to the body. In fact, coconut water contains nutrients such as antioxidants that can prevent damage to body cells. Apart from that, what other benefits can you get from drinking coconut water?
Nutrient content in coconut water
As a drink, the main content of coconut water consists of electrolytes, minerals, and vitamins.
Coconut water also contains sugar, but contains less sugar than soft drinks, packaged drinks, or fruit juices.
Not only that, there is also a carbohydrate content with a little protein and fat which further complements the nutrients in coconut water.
In 100 grams (gr) of coconut water has the following nutritional composition:
- Energy: 17 Calories (Cal)
- Protein: 0.2 g
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbs: 3.8 g
- Calcium: 15 milligrams (mg)
- Phosphorus: 8 mg
- Iron: 0.2 mg
- Sodium: 1 mg
- Potassium: 149 mg
From the nutritional composition, it can be seen that coconut water contains high potassium. Compared to formulated sports drinks, the potassium content in coconut water is higher.
This number is even higher than if you eat four bananas.
While the other mineral content in coconut water consisting of calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, and zinc is better than the mineral content in oranges.
Apart from those mentioned, other nutrients found in coconut water are antioxidants with amazing health benefits.
Read Also : 4 Coconut Water Content
Health benefits of coconut water
It is not wrong if young coconut water has various benefits because it is composed of nutrients that are good for the body.
In addition to relieving thirst and preventing dehydration, drinking young coconut water also brings health benefits such as the following:
1. Slow down aging
It turns out that coconut water has good benefits for your beauty, the efficacy of coconut water for beauty is that it can make skin smoother and look younger.
The content of cytokinins, one of the growth hormones, in coconut water functions to regulate cell growth, development, and aging.
This is because the cytokinin content in coconut water has anti-aging, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-thrombotic (anti-blood clotting) effects.
That's why coconut is called a food that can delay aging.
Cytokinins can balance pH levels in the body, strengthen and hydrate connective tissue, and reduce the risk of age-related diseases.
If you want to stay young, drinking coconut water can be one way.
2. Regulate blood pressure and cholesterol
Never thought, drinking coconut water can help improve blood circulation, lower high blood pressure, and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
This is due to the low potassium and sodium content in coconut water.
Sodium can lower blood sugar levels in people who have high blood pressure.
As a result, the efficacy of coconut water has the potential to prevent the formation of blood clots.
In addition, coconut water also helps increase HDL (good cholesterol).
3. Good for digestive health
Coconut water is claimed to be able to cure all diseases related to digestion.
Usually coconut water is used to treat diarrhea, indigestion, constipation, intestinal worms, bladder infections, and kidney disorders.
Coconut water is beneficial when you have diarrhea because it can replace lost fluids from the digestive tract.
In fact, the osmolarity of coconut water is greater than ORS (Oral Rehydration Therapy) which is recommended by WHO for the treatment of diarrhea.
This is because in coconut water there are amino acids, enzymes, minerals, and fatty acids that make it have a high osmolarity.
Coconut water is also low in sodium and chloride and high in sugar and amino acids.
It is a balanced composition of fluids in the drink to prevent dehydration that may occur due to indigestion.
4. Prevent kidney stone disease
Drinking lots of water is very good for kidney health. If enough water supports kidney function, drinking coconut water is more beneficial.
You need to know that kidney stones form when calcium, oxalic acid, and other components settle into crystals and are carried in the urine.
Well, a study entitled Prophylactic Effect of Coconut Water conducted on mice, showed that coconut water was able to prevent crystals from sticking to the kidneys and urinary tract.
In addition, coconut water reduces the formation of crystals in the kidneys.
This happens because coconut water can minimize free radicals that are formed due to high levels of oxalate in the urine.
However, human studies still need to be done to test the efficacy of coconut water in preventing kidney stones.
5. Supports organ function
The nutritional content in coconut water also has benefits for the continuity of the work of the organs in the body
Evidently, coconut water is a major source of arginine, an amino acid that can help your body deal with stress during exercise.
Basically, amino acids also help the formation of protein so that it is useful for the regeneration of cells in the body's organs.
Meanwhile, the enzyme content in coconut water also helps the digestive system and body metabolism.
Enzymes that work to support the properties of coconut water are acid phosphatase, catalase, dehydrogenase, diastase, peroxidase, RNA-polymerase, and others.
6. Repel free radicals
During the metabolic process, the body also produces harmful cells such as free radicals. The production of these cells can increase when the body is stressed or sick.
When there are too many free radicals, the body will reach a state of oxidative stress which can cause damage to healthy cells.
Researchers found that the antioxidants present in coconut water are efficacious to relieve the effects of oxidative stress so that they can ward off harmful radicals.
However, the antioxidant potential of coconut water still needs to be investigated further because there are no studies that have tested this potential in humans.
7. Replace lost body fluids
Coconut water is a natural isotonic drink that provides many of the benefits of a formulated sports drink.
The electrolyte content in coconut water can replace body fluids lost during exercise.
However, to restore hydration so that the body does not lose a lot of fluids, coconut water must be drunk in large quantities.
In addition, the risk of nausea, satiety, and stomach pain is also smaller if you drink coconut water than sports drinks.
Those are some of the benefits of young coconut water. The body becomes fresher after drinking coconut water, right?
Of course, the electrolyte content in it is able to replace the electrolytes that are lost during activities.
Coconut water is formed from a natural process in coconuts, so it is healthier to drink than formulated bottled drinks.
You can use coconut water as an alternative to healthy drinks.
8. Neutralize Toxins and Nausea Drugs
Many have proven that coconut water can neutralize toxins in the body, although it does not eliminate all toxins in the body when poisoned with drugs or other toxins. Coconut water can slowly neutralize it.
In addition, when we experience nausea, vomiting and stomach pain due to poisoning or taking the wrong medicine and are treated with coconut water.