Many people see coconut water at the grocery store and wonder if it’s a healthful alternative to juices, soft drinks or sports drinks. You’ll recognize it by brand names such as Zico…Vita Coco…Naked Juice…or O.N.E. The manufacturers claim that it’s good for you, but is it? Let’s take a look…

Don’t confuse coconut water with coconut milk, which is much thicker and sweeter. Coconut water is thin and tastes mildly like coconut. It contains many nutrients and is especially high in potassium, with as much as 560 milligrams (mg) to 670 mg per serving (some brands have more potassium than others). In comparison, one medium banana has about 422 mg of potassium. Coconut water contains far less sodium than typical sports drinks—and contains magnesium, calcium and phosphorus, the other major minerals lost during perspiration. Athletes who exercise vigorously often need sodium to compensate for the amount that they lose during exercise, but people who don’t exercise vigorously tend to consume too much sodium and too little potassium. That is one reason I often recommend coconut water to my patients who need to boost their potassium intake.

In addition to providing potassium, coconut water contains fewer calories and less sugar than sports drinks. Example: Naked Juice Coconut Water has 44 calories and 8 grams of sugar per cup, while Gatorade G-Natural has 50 calories and 14 grams of sugar per cup.

Coconut water also contains healthful amounts of B vitamins and, most important, cytokinins (plant growth hormones), including kinetin, a potent antioxidant that lab studies have suggested may have anti-aging, anticancer and anti-blood-clotting effects…and zeatin, which is known to improve nerve signal transmission and inhibit formation of the brain plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

While I do recommend coconut water to people who need extra potassium—and as an occasional thirst quencher for people who like it—it is best consumed in moderation, not as a substitute for water. People with diabetes should steer clear of coconut water and other drinks that contain sugar—or consume small amounts of coconut water diluted with water. People with chronic kidney disease should avoid coconut water because of its high potassium content.

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