Having grown up here on the Caribbean island of Trinidad, the restorative properties of coconut water aren’t new to me: my family believes in coconut water. Fighting a cold? Drink some coconut water. Trying to lose weight? Be sure to have coconut water every day. Feeling a bit hungover? A cold glass of coconut water will clear that right up. And while these “remedies” might be questionable, I must admit that I feel a certain cultural satisfaction every time I go to the coconut vendor at the side of the road, and have him cut the top off of a not-quite-ripe coconut with a large machete so I can drink the water straight from the nut.
Well, as it turns out, coconuts are going mainstream: According to Lime, Zico has begun packaging coconut water in handy 11-oz. boxes, ostensibly to be chugged as an after-workout refresher. According to the article, “Naturally occurring electrolytes make young green coconut water especially suited to post-workout hydration. One container of Zico contains five essential electrolytes — potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus. Even better, coconut water infuses the body with necessary electrolytes without added sugar or artificial coloring. Zico also boasts a 4.8 pH level, which clocks it in with significantly less acid than the average sports drink.”
You might want to give it a try — it comes in its natural flavour, or enhanced with mango or passion fruit and orange peel. And even if you choose not to use it after your workout, at the very least, drinking it may send you into a daydream of tropical skies and sandy beaches.
Author by Karen Walrond
