After many posts in which I praised coconut oil and coconut milk, it’s the coconut water’s turn.

Come on, did you really think there was anything in this nut that I wouldn't be nuts about? 😉

Honestly, I first heard about the miraculous coconut water many years ago… even before we actually met in real life. I don’t remember exactly what year it was, but for a while it was impossible to watch E News or browse through magazines without encountering coconut water, which was already considered then the hottest thing to be found among the celebs and the fitness experts on the other side of the world. This was exactly the time I started to get very interested in nutrition and the more I read about the benefits of coconut water, the greater the disappointment that no matter how much I searched – I just couldn’t find a trace of this product here in Israel. You have no idea how many times I bought cans labeled “coconut liquid” thinking that I had finally found the sought-after product, only to find that I had once again bought thick white coconut milk, and not the clear liquid.

 Fast forward a few years – Daniel and I are flying to Thailand for the first time. It was a fascinating experience in every way – the culture, the landscapes, the people and of course the special Thai cuisine. Out of it were three main stars that I came back to day after day for almost a month : Pad Thai, sweet mango with sticky rice in coconut milk sauce and cool coconut water in young green nuts – which I finally met face to face for the first time. From the first moment I bought a fresh coconut in Chiang Mai's night market I immediately realized what all the hype was about! It’s just the right amount of sweet, saturating and excellent on its own and in combination with natural smoothies and juices.

[crp]

About a year ago, the brand Vita Coco, which sells completely natural coconut water from the liquid found in green and young coconuts, has finally made its way to Israel.

You may have already encountered this name in the past even if you never drank their product – many celebrities like Madonna, Rihanna, Demi Moore and Matthew McConaughey have invested millions of dollars in the product, simply because they believed in it from the very first moment and made sure to promote it along with dozens of other Hollywood celebs and fitness influencers from around the world.

Vita Coco has a selection of natural products derived from coconut nuts – from coconut water, to coconut milk and until my favorite coconut oil.

In Israel, meanwhile, we have the natural coconut water and coconut water with natural pineapple puree, which are both great in terms of taste {just like drinking coconut water from the nut!} and also health-wise. Their coconut water, sourced from coconuts from the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Brazil, are packaged in oxidation-proof cartons that guarantee long shelf life without any preservatives or artificial ingredients.

In honor of the upcoming summer and the dry sense that the heat will bring in the coming months, I decided it was time to give the stage and make a good introduction to this amazing natural drink – the coconut water.

WHAT’S COCONUT WATER?

High-quality coconut water is the transparent liquid found in the young green coconuts. Unlike coconut milk, which is made from mixing the white and fleshy part with the remaining coconut water in the ripe and older nut, the coconut water contains 0% fat and a greater amount of vitamins and minerals found in larger amounts in young coconuts. Thanks to these qualities, and due to the high amount of electrolytes it contains, it’s considered nature’s sports drink and is the best substitute for all sports drinks filled with sugars, empty calories and unnatural substances.

Coconut water is the ideal substitute for sweetened drinks because of its excellent tropical taste and also because it contains a very small amount of sugar, which comes from natural sources only {fruit sugar, for example, from beets, pears and carrots}. By the way, they’re also excellent for anyone who wants to lose some weight {who doesn’t actually? ;)} because it helps to sense satiety and reduce craves and contain only 18 Kcal per 1000 ml.

HOW DOES THE COCONUT WATER AFFECT THE BODY?

As you've figured out, coconut water is more than just a refreshing and delicious drink. They contain many components that help maintain a healthy body and mind…

1. Provide energy to the body – Coconut water increases energy levels in the body because they have {healthy!} sugars from which the body produces energy.

2. Help lose weight – As I wrote above, drinking coconut water regularly can help with a diet because it quenches the body with fluids and thus prevents dehydration, which causes a slow calorie burn in the body. Drinking coconut water is especially good for those who have difficulty drinking large quantities of regular water and prefer to drink something with a little more taste, without compromising the quality of drinking. Coconut water is very tasty and low in calories and fat, and therefore is an excellent substitute for sweetened drinking.

3. Recovery after exercise – coconut water is low in calories and rich in potassium, which prevents dehydration and protects muscles from contractions, and is therefore perfect after working out.

4. Reduce blood pressure and heart disease – A study from 2005 found that coconut water can also be a natural solution for regulating high blood pressure.

5. Can relieve hangovers – It’s recommended to drink coconut water in a hangover condition due to the large amount of potassium and magnesium in them, which help prevent dehydration and recover the body quickly.

HOW CAN YOU INTEGRATE COCONUT WATER INTO YOUR DAILY DIET?

As I said at the beginning, coconut water has an amazing taste and is fun to drink when it’s cool straight from the carton 🙂

But if you want to “play” with them a little, here are some great recipes for super healthy and super delicious juices and smoothies that you can make with this wonder water :

For the full recipes – click on the photos that will take you to the original posts 🙂

If you want to understand exactly how Vita Coco produce their coconut water, it’s worth watching this sweet video ♡ 

What do you think about coconut water? Have you tasted it before?

Want to share another recipe for a cool drink that combines coconut water? Write it in comments!! 🙂

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in collaboration with Vita Coco