Benefits of Coconut Water

There are many health claims about coconut water as a replacement for sports drinks. This is especially true because many sports drinks are high in sugar, which you don’t want to have hanging on your teeth. People are looking for an alternative to replace the potassium and other salts lost in sweat. If you do not profusely sweat, coconut water is fine. If you do sweat profusely, coconut water is not enough to replace all the salt your body loses, and you may need to add to your water.


As far as your teeth go, you know that those nasty bacteria that can damage your teeth are acids and sugars. Erosion of the enamel on your teeth can begin if your teeth are sitting at an acidic level of 5.5 or lower. On its own, coconut water would be a good choice for a drink, because it’s pH is between 6.10 and 7.0 so it would make a good substitute.


However, you need to be careful here. Coconut water contains about 6% of natural sugars- the same sugars that cause tooth decay. While this amount by itself is not much, if the company puts in added sugar, you’ve just bumped up your acidic/sugary content as well as your calorie count.

Selecting The Right Coconut Water

When you are choosing a coconut water to drink, keep these ideas in mind. Choose coconut water that has been unsweetened. You might also want to stay away from coconut waters that contain acidic fruit juice, such as lemons or limes. Also, be sure you are drinking plain water in addition to coconut water, because plain water is still the best thing for your body- hands down.


Still have questions about coconut water? Give us a call! We would love to talk to you about healthy beverages.