With the world’s elevated curiosity in well being and wellness over the past couple of many years, there’s one pure beverage that has emerged as a fan favourite because the finest hangover treatment and hydration resolution: coconut water. Manufacturers like Vita Coco have made this tropical beverage accessible to the plenty, by way of merchandise like their Pure Natural coconut water and their Pressed coconut water.
Right here’s why coconut water’s distinctive pure profile of wholesome fat and minerals is the perfect dehydration resolution.
In my 15 years of expertise as a registered dietitian, I’ve labored with shoppers on all types of objectives, from long-term vitamin plans to easier objectives like staying hydrated. Whereas many individuals flip to water or sports activities drinks to beat hangovers or to pair with train, I like to advocate coconut water because the smartest thing to drink for dehydration.
To grasp why, let’s dig into what dehydration is, the science behind hangovers, and how one can add coconut water to your day by day routine because the finest hangover drink and hydration help.
What Is Dehydration?
Dehydration happens when your physique doesn’t receive the right quantity of fluids it must operate. It may be attributable to a wide range of circumstances resembling:
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Extreme sweat
- Frequent urination
- Alcohol
If you turn into dehydrated, you’ll be able to develop a wide range of signs, starting from delicate to extreme. The longer dehydration is left untreated, the upper the chance of extreme signs. Examples of delicate to reasonable signs embrace1:
- Much less frequent urination
- Thirst
- Headache
- Dry mouth
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
Extra extreme signs of dehydration embrace lack of urination, speedy heartbeat, speedy respiration, confusion, and fainting.
The Essential Function of Electrolytes
To deal with dehydration, it’s important to interchange any electrolytes misplaced. An absence of electrolytes can impression all facets of well being, from cardiovascular well being to immunity. Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electrical cost, which is launched when the electrolytes dissolve in fluids within the physique like urine or blood2.
When your electrolyte ranges are balanced, the costs from these highly effective minerals assist regulate your coronary heart rhythm, fluid stability, and nerve and muscle operate. However, an electrolyte imbalance within the physique may cause fatigue and negatively impression nerve and muscle operate. For this reason it’s crucial to go for drinks with electrolytes when dehydrated. In different phrases, should you’re in search of what to drink for dehydration, water may really not be one of the best resolution!
The Science Behind Hangovers
Alcohol is a diuretic, which suggests it causes an elevated manufacturing of urine within the physique. In different phrases, there’s a purpose why you retain operating for lavatory breaks at completely satisfied hour! Ingesting alcohol in extra can dehydrate you and trigger dizziness or weak spot. Different widespread hangover signs embrace fatigue, headache, and focus issues — and should you don’t create good hangover habits, you may be making your signs worse.
Whereas some hangover signs could appear delicate, extended alcohol abuse over time may cause way more extreme points. Extreme or persistent alcohol consumption causes a collection of physiological processes that may ultimately lead to kidney harm. To begin with, blood quantity and blood stress are decreased after alcohol consumption, which in flip will increase the discharge of hormones like antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and aldosterone.
These hormones then stimulate thirst and water consumption, in addition to the discharge of renin — an enzyme which helps regulate the extent of electrolytes within the physique. In an effort to assist hold your electrolytes balanced by way of the onslaught of alcohol, your physique then reduces urine manufacturing.
Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electrical cost, which is launched when the electrolytes dissolve in fluids within the physique like urine or blood.
Whereas decreased urine manufacturing might assist forestall electrolyte imbalance, it can also cease waste from leaving the physique — which may enhance the chance of sickness or an infection within the kidneys3. Treating hangovers isn’t nearly relieving quick signs, it’s additionally about stopping dehydration to keep away from long-term harm. As a Registered Dietitian, right here’s why I’ve discovered coconut water is one of the best hangover treatment.
The Dietary Advantages of Coconut Water
So why is coconut water an excellent hangover treatment drink? Conventional rehydration or electrolyte drinks are inclined to fall quick on offering optimum rehydration due to their larger sodium content material. This could negatively have an effect on blood stress and have the alternative of the meant hydration impact. To not point out that many electrolyte and sports activities drink choices comprise synthetic flavors and sweeteners. General, coconut water is a more healthy, extra pure different to standard electrolyte drinks to assist with every part from dehydration to hangovers.
Listed here are the vitamin info for one cup of coconut water from contemporary coconuts4:
- 45.6 energy
- 1.73 grams protein
- 0.48 grams fats
- 8.9 grams carbohydrate
- 2.64 grams fiber
One cup of coconut water additionally contains the next electrolytes, which assist cement its popularity as one of the best hangover treatment:
- 57.6 milligrams calcium
- 60 milligrams magnesium
- 600 milligrams potassium
- 252 milligrams sodium
My Favourite Coconut Water Model
Relating to recommending a coconut water for hangovers, I really like Vita Coco.
Their drinks supply superior hydration advantages as a consequence of their pure extraction technique of coconut water. This implies their drinks have the balanced fluid and electrolyte composition of coconut water with none added flavors, preservatives, or colours. And I can personally attest to the refreshing, coconutty taste and hydrating high quality of VIta Coco merchandise. They style nice alone or combined along with your favourite fruit juice or flavored water.
How Vita Coco Can Assist You Hydrate
The great sources of electrolytes like potassium in Vita Coco help speedy rehydration by offering ample electrolytes — however with out overloading the you with sodium and sugar that may additional dehydrate. This in flip offers quicker restoration, particularly as in comparison with water alone, which doesn’t comprise ample electrolyte content material.
Why Is Coconut Water the Finest Hangover Treatment?
Coconut water can mitigate hangover signs naturally by replenishing the physique with vitamins and electrolytes to keep up fluid stability. And by treating dehydration, you may also forestall the damaging impacts on mobile and molecular immunity attributable to an absence of fluid within the physique. So not solely is it one of the best hangover treatment, it’s only a nice on a regular basis hydration resolution.
Why We Love Vita Coco
Relating to selecting your coconut water, there are just a few causes to select Vita Coco. My preliminary advice is all the time the organic model of Vita Coco, which is sourced immediately from natural farms within the Philippines and is comprised of a single ingredient: coconut water5. Meaning no added sweeteners, coloring, or the rest — it’s USDA licensed natural and all pure. Even the packaging is comprised of plant-based supplies, and we love that there’s actually nothing synthetic concerned in any a part of the manufacturing course of.
One other considered one of my favs is Vita Coco’s Pressed coconut water, which is nice for people who find themselves in search of a extra concentrated coconut taste. Some folks simply don’t love the style of coconut water — however Vita Coco’s pressed possibility drinks a bit extra like a contemporary, tropical coconut smoothie. It’s made with natural coconut puree, a little bit of natural sugar, ascorbic acid (vitamin C for freshness!), and a few naturally-derived Gellan gum for texture. This feature is right for somebody who needs the electrolyte advantages of coconut water however with a thicker consistency and stronger taste.
Incorporating Vita Coco Into Your Each day Routine
Relating to including Vita Coco into your weight loss program, attempt merely swapping one or two of your typical cups of water consumption with coconut water — and even higher, drink coconut water along with common water.
Is Coconut Water Good for a Hangover?
Sure, there’s a purpose I like to recommend coconut water as one of the best hangover treatment — you’ll be able to undoubtedly use coconut water to assist forestall dehydration and deal with hangovers! As a dietitian, I might advocate that identical to some other beverage that comprises sugar (pure or not), it’s best to eat sparsely. That is very true in terms of the Vita Coco Pressed coconut water, as a result of it’s barely larger in energy than common coconut water (60 energy per cup versus 45 energy per cup) and comprises 10 grams of sugar per serving. To keep away from overdoing it, attempt to restrict your consumption to 16 ounces day by day for dehydration, together with loads of plain water.
Understanding how one can forestall a hangover is all about hydration. When you’re partaking in consuming alcohol, be sure you hydrate with coconut water previous to consuming, after which drink one glass of water for each serving of alcohol. When you choose, you may additionally make coconut water cocktails to offset a number of the dehydrating signs of consuming alcohol.
Methods to Forestall Dehydration
Hydration is essential for daily optimum well being, however notably in conditions the place we could also be in danger for dehydration — like when consuming alcohol, sweating from train or scorching climate, or after we’re sick and dropping electrolytes.
Listed here are just a few tricks to forestall dehydration, regardless of the state of affairs:
- Eat water-rich meals day by day like soup, in addition to juicy vegatables and fruits like watermelon, strawberries, peaches, cucumbers, and zucchini.
- Drink at the very least 8 to 16 ounces of low to no-calorie fluid with each meal and snack you eat all through the day.
- Carry a bottle of coconut water or plain water with you wherever you go so that you all the time have a supply of fluid.
When to Search Medical Consideration for Extreme Dehydration
When you expertise any of the next signs of extreme dehydration, a easy glass of coconut water isn’t going to chop it. Instantly search skilled consideration for medical-grade rehydration should you6:
- Have had diarrhea for twenty-four hours or extra
- Are irritable or disoriented
- Really feel a lot sleepier or much less lively than standard
- Can’t hold down fluids
- Have bloody or black stool
Conclusion
As a registered dietitian, coconut water is my favourite drink to advocate for hydration and electrolytes. Vita Coco is a naturally sourced coconut water possibility with a wholesome stability of pure sugars, optimum ranges of electrolytes, and a scrumptious and refreshing style.
Hydration is a crucial a part of residing your healthiest life — it’s actually important for the operate of the physique’s cells and regulating fluid and electrolyte stability7! Be your individual well being advocate and educate your self on efficient hydration by way of pure fluids like coconut water.
Sources:
- https://www.well being.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/symptoms-of-dehydration-what-they-are-and-what-to-do-if-you-experience-them
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541123/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0741832924001009
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/170174/vitamins
- https://vitacoco.com/pages/faq
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/symptoms-causes/syc-20354086
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/well being/ailments/9013-dehydration
