Coconut water is wildly different to coconut milk and coconut oil in terms of taste and nutrition.

Coconut water – that is, the juice found in the centre of a young coconut – was once a refreshing treat enjoyed only on tropical holidays. Nowadays, tapping the benefits of coconut water is as easy as nipping to the corner shop on your lunch break.

Despite coming from the same fruit, coconut water is wildly different to coconut milk and coconut oil in terms of taste and nutrition.

We asked clinical pharmacist and nutritionist Mike Wakeman of VitMedics to talk us through the various benefits of coconut water:

Given that liquid helps to nourish the fruit as it grows, it makes sense that coconut water is packed with healthful plant-based compounds. As the coconut ripens, the water slowly transforms into the solid white flesh we call ‘coconut meat’, leaving very little liquid once the fruit has reached full maturity.

‘Not to be confused with coconut milk, coconut water is a sweet refreshing drink taken directly from the inner part of coconut fruits,’ says Wakeman. ‘It has long been touted for its health qualities, including natural hydration, high fibre content, anti-ageing impact, antimicrobial properties, as well as an energy enhancement.’

1. Coconut water is highly nutritious

Coconut water is known to Hawaiians as Noelani, meaning ‘dew from the heavens’, says Wakeman. And it’s easy to see why. ‘It’s rich in electrolytes, vitamins, minerals – such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, selenium, methionine, zinc, iodine, manganese, boron, and molybdenum – cytokines, and proteins,’ he says. While coconut water contains an array of minerals, it’s particularly high in manganese and potassium, with one 250ml serve supplying almost one fifth of your Recommended Daily Amount (RDA).

READ MORE