5 Reasons to Hydrate With Coconut Water During and Post Exercise
You’ve just finished a sweat session and are looking to reach for something refreshing to quench that thirst and replenish yourself after a solid workout. If you’re looking for something with a little more oomph than water, but don’t want all the added sugars from sports drinks, try coconut water. When you hydrate with coconut water during exercise and recovery, your body will thank you by feeling replenished and refreshed. Of course, not all of us have the convenience of scaling a coconut palm to get the freshest coconut, but packaged coconut waters are the next best thing. In this post, we will cover 5 reasons to hydrate with coconut water during and post exercise, and why you should include it as part of your work out regime!
Coconut Water Aids in Rehydration
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, it is recommended that you consume 3 – 8 ounces of fluids every 15-20 minutes during exercise in order to maintain proper fluid balance. You’re constantly losing fluids and electrolytes through sweat when exercising- if you’re not properly hydrated, you can be left feeling dizzy, weak and experience muscle cramps. Hydrating with coconut water during exercise can help you feel more energetic and increase your athletic performance – go ahead, join that boot camp!
Coconut Water Contains Electrolytes
Electrolytes are ions found in blood, urine and other body fluids like sweat. Our bodies lose electrolytes when we get our sweat on and need to be replaced! The main electrolytes in body fluid are sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate and phosphate. If you do not replace and replenish these during or post workout, you can experience stiffness, muscle cramping, nausea, fatigue and irritability. Hydrating on water alone does not replace those lost nutrients.
Coconut Water is All Natural
Coconut water is naturally healthy and a natural healer. There are no food additives or artificial ingredients in Grace 100% pure coconut water. The water hidden inside these magical fruits is all natural and contains a nutrient composition ideal for rehydrating the human body – a perfect reason to hydrate with coconut water during exercise. An article from the American Journal of Emergency Medicine cited that coconut water is used as an emergency intravenous rehydration in remote areas of the world. Since it comes directly from the coconut almost sterile, with perfect proportions of nutrients, allowing it to be infused directly.
It’s Better Than Sports Drinks
To put it bluntly, coconut water has more nutrients per serving, 25 percent fewer calories and half the sugar of manufactured sports drinks. Not to mention, coconut water packs just under 1 gram of protein per cup, which of course aids in muscle recovery post workout. In addition, coconut water contains more electrolytes per serving than sports drinks. For example, in 1 cup of sports drink there are 37 milligrams of potassium and 2 milligrams of calcium. In the same serving of coconut water there are over 600 milligrams of potassium and 58 milligrams of calcium.
The Bottom Line
Next time you’re heading to the gym, or on your way home, grab a coconut water to help replenish those vital nutrients lost during exercise. Water is always a good option, but lacks all of the optimal nutritional value and added supplements that coconut water brings to the table. Avoid all of the added sugars and artificial flavours of manufactured sports drinks and hydrate with Grace 100% pure coconut water during exercise instead – your body will thank you!
