I'm Coco-NUTS for this Health Tip

Interesting Fact: During the Vietnam War when medics ran out of IV solutions, they substituted with coconut water (also known as young coconut juice), to treat the injured on the brink of death and buy them time until they could be transferred to another medical facility or more supplies arrived. The coconut water was infused straight into patient’s veins as they would with any other IV fluid. This technique was successful because coconut water has an electrolyte balance very similar to that of human blood plasma and so was able to keep patients hydrated and their blood pressure stable.

How is this relevant to me? Well, sometimes after a workout, no matter how much water I guzzle down, I will develop mild to moderate headaches. This is where Gatorade and other sports drinks usually step in. As tri-athlete Chris Legh lets us know in the latest television advertisement, Gatorade is a dehydration (and dehydration headache) buster due to all it’s fancy pancy scientifically developed electrolyte balance.

Sports drinks? I thought you were talking about coconut water. Stay on topic Diet Queen.

Ok, ok. You may have heard before coconut water, with its naturally occurring electrolyte balance so similar to our own blood, is nature’s sports drink. I think coconut water blows Gatorade and the like out of the…. water. Apart from its hydrating magnificence, it tastes yummy, it keeps in the fridge for ages, you can scoop out and eat the tasty flesh and it has plenty of naturally occurring minerals and vitamins and other beneficial constituents that I’ve read about, but I’m not inclined to regurgitate on to this page for you.


They’re also fun to drink along side homemade Thai for a feeling of smug authenticity.

One slight disadvantage is they do not have a screw off lid like a sports drink bottle. When I was first confronted with an entire young coconut and it’s hidden water treasure, I was stumped as to how to open it. Then I stumbled across this delightful video, opening your first young coconut is a very rewarding experience

So, thank you immature coconuts for fighting my post workout dehydration.