Coconut water is often referred to as “nature’s sports drink.” But how did this simple beverage, enjoyed for thousands of years throughout the world, earn such an impressive title? 

Read on to find out 5 big reasons why athletes are choosing coconut water over other sports recovery drinks.

1. Coconut water is packed with electrolytes.
One of the best benefits of drinking coconut water is its electrolyte content. Electrolytes are electrically charged ions that help your cells maintain and transmit voltages and impulses to and from other cells. Electrolytes play a vital role in your body, especially in maintaining proper functionality of your nerves, heart, and other muscles.

The electrolytes present in your body include:

• Potassium
• Sodium
• Chloride
• Magnesium
• Calcium
• Phosphate
• Bicarbonate
• Sulfate

However, if you’re an athlete, you probably sweat a lot. Each time you sweat, you rid your body of toxins, but you also lose important electrolytes, especially potassium and sodium. In order to repair your body, you need to replenish your electrolyte levels. This is where the high electrolyte content of coconut water comes into play.

The electrolytes in coconut water, especially potassium and sodium, make it a super hydrating beverage. Coconut water contains about 600 mg of potassium and 252 mg of sodium per serving, making it an excellent post exercise recovery drink.

Coconut water also contains a healthy amount of other essential electrolytes, including:

• Calcium, 57.2 mg
• Magnesium, 60 mg
• Phosphorus, 48 mg

2. Coconut water contains essential vitamins.
In addition to its high levels of electrolytes, coconut water also contains essential vitamins that aid in sports recovery.

These vitamins include:

Vitamin C
One serving of coconut water contains about 10 percent of your daily value of vitamin C. Vitamin C is an excellent way to boost your immunity, as well as prevent illness, cardiovascular disease, eye disease, and prenatal health disorders. Some believe vitamin C can also prevent wrinkles.

Vitamin B6
Coconut water contains B6, which helps your body build protein by producing amino acids. B6 also helps produce neurotransmitters to regulate your mood, and it helps metabolize food to increase energy.

Thiamin and Riboflavin
Coconut water also contains B1, Thiamin, which maintains your nervous and circulatory systems, and B2, Riboflavin, which promotes energy metabolism.

Folate
Another B vitamin found in coconut water is Folate, or B9. Folate helps your body produce and maintain new cells. Folate is also important for brain health and development, especially in fetuses.

Now that you know about some of the benefits of drinking coconut water, read on to find out more.

3. Coconut water is naturally fat-free and low in calories.
If you’re an athlete, you probably appreciate a healthy diet that is low in calories and unnecessary sweeteners. Coconut water is just that.

Compared with other super hydrating exercise recovery drinks, coconut water benefits your body because it replenishes what you need to recover (e.g. electrolytes and vitamins) without going overboard in the sugar or salt departments.

A serving size of coconut water contains about 46 calories while other super hydrating beverages can contain hundreds of calories per serving.

Best of all, coconut water is all natural, so you can rest assured that you won’t negate your hard workout by putting toxins, additives, or preservatives into your body.

4. Coconut water calms upset stomachs and reduces vomiting.
Strenuous exercise can lead to an upset stomach. Because coconut water is easy on your digestive tract, it can provide an excellent, all natural home remedy for stomach pain and/or vomiting.

In addition, coconut water has lots of dietary fiber and is considered a diuretic. Both of these benefits of coconut water aid and ease digestion while safely and naturally removing toxins from your body.

And because coconut water is low in sugars, it’s safe to give it to children experiencing stomach pain, flu symptoms, and/or vomiting.

5. Coconut water promotes weight-loss and energy.
If you’re an athlete, you’ll probably appreciate a food or drink that boosts energy. Coconut water, unlike energy drinks or shots, increases your energy naturally.

All of the B vitamins and other essential nutrients in coconut water refresh and revitalize your body by boosting your body’s metabolism and turning the nutrients in your food into usable energy. By boosting your metabolism and promoting energy, coconut water, in turn, helps advocate weight-loss.

How do you benefit from drinking coconut water? Tell us below.