Coconut water is the sweet, clear liquid found in freshly opened coconuts. Coconut water has so many amazing health benefits it is often referred to as a ‘fluid of life’. This is because it contains key nutrients needed by our cardiovascular, muscles, nervous, and immune system. It is low in kilojoules (calories), sugar and is 99% fat-free. It is rich in potassium, magnesium, chloride, and has a moderate amount of sodium, calcium, and protein.
Coconut water aids digestion and weight loss, plus it’s very nutritious and hydrating; helping to prevent dehydration and relieving tiredness by replenishing the natural salts lost by the body when we sweat. It is also a very good source of B-complex vitamins, such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, pyridoxine, and folate, essential if you are trying to conceive. Coconut water carries a very good amount of electrolyte potassium. 100 ml of coconut water has 250 mg of potassium and 105 mg of sodium. Together these electrolytes help to replenish any electrolyte deficiency in the body due to diarrhea.
Fresh coconut water contains a small amount of vitamin C, which provides about 2.4 mg or 4% of RDA. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin and anti-oxidant. These vitamins (water-soluble) are essential in the sense that the human body requires them from external sources to replenish each day, and are very important prior to conception, throughout any fertility treatment, as well as during pregnancy.
Coconut water is thought to provide many medical benefits for women. Many women around the world drink coconut water in order to boost their fertility and to aid a healthy pregnancy. Aside from the important nutrients it contains, these are some of the following ways in which coconut oil is thought to benefit women in particular:
Helps in the treatment of urinary tract infections.
These are common infections that many women experience. Coconut water is a natural diuretic and so helps to remove bacteria from the urinary tract. It has been found that drinking coconut water twice a day if you suffer from these infections may help.
Hydration – to keep all body cells hydrated.
This is particularly important in the 90 days before conception to ensure that all chemical reactions within cells can work as they are meant to. Many women who are trying to become pregnant and those that are pregnant living in tropical countries drink coconut water each day. Women can drink coconut water during pre-conception to gain the nutrients and hydration from the coconut water, and once pregnant in order to ease morning sickness, vomiting, and constipation. Coconut water contains electrolytes, chloride, calcium, potassium, sodium, and riboflavin.
It is rich in vitamins that are needed during pregnancy.
Coconut water also contains lauric acid which helps to balance hormones and also has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, which strengthen the immune system to help protect against infections.
Coconut water and oil are very good for the skin.
Drinking coconut water benefits the skin as it hydrates it and leaves it feeling soft. And coconut oil is great for rubbing into dry, itchy skin associated with hormone imbalance.