Looking for a healthy alternative to shed some pounds? Trying coconut water for weight loss, definitely, should be in your list of options. The water of coconut fruit is full of nutrients and it will not only quench your thirst but also help you lose weight naturally. Compared to other weight loss drinks, it comes with little or no weight gain effects when taken in moderation. You can drink it after workout or at any time of choice. In this article, find out more on how you can use this natural drink to lose weight fast, detox, benefits, reviews and testimonials
Coconut Water Weight Loss Facts
Coconut water is also called coconut juice which is a liquid endosperm naturally found inside young, still green coconut. Coconut is a tropical fruit of the coconut tree/palm (Cocos nucifera).
Coconut water is produced naturally in the fruit and contains 94% water and very little fat. An average green coconut provides about 0.5-1 cups of coconut water.
The cocos nucifera fruits take 10–12 months to fully mature. Coconut water typically comes from young coconuts about 6–7 months of age, although it’s also found in mature fruit.
The water is slightly thick liquid. It is tasty and refreshing. However, for the commercial coconut waters, the taste relies heavily on the flavors that have been infused with the water.
What properties of coconut water makes it a good weight loss drink?
Low Calorie content
A cup of coconut water contains 46 calories per serving, which makes it a low-caloric drink which can be taken instead of other drinks which can be sweet. Therefore, when you drink coconut water as a substitute of high flavored drinks which are high in calories can help you lose weight because you will lower the total number of calories you take in a day.
One pound of body weight is equivalent to 3,500 calories, when you drink coconut water once per week instead of flavored beverages which contain 151 calories per 12-ounce can, you can be in a position to lose 1.6 pounds of your body weight in a period of one year.
Fiber
One cup of coconut water contains 3 grams of fiber. Its fiber content is high compared to other drinks. Fiber does not contain any calories and it helps in slowing down the absorption of food through the digestive system which in turn aids in weight loss. This will help in maintaining the blood sugar levels.
Also the fiber in coconut water helps in preventing food cravings, sugar, spikes and crashes. Fiber also softens food passage therefore making it easier to eliminate waste from the body easily.
Coconut water is packed with nutrients
Protein
When you take a cup of coconut water you get 2 grams of protein from it. Protein helps in reducing your appetite that eventually helps you to consume lower calories when you have an aim of losing weight fast.
Potassium
Potassium is an excellent electrolyte that transforms food into energy. In addition, potassium also helps in building and strengthening body muscles.
Vitamin C & Antioxidants
A cup of coconut water is enough to provide with t 10% of your daily required allowance of antioxidants and vitamin C. How is Vitamin C important? Vitamin C, as studies show, is a must for producing a hormone called carnitine that aids in carrying energy directly to the cells
Enzymes
Coconut water is also packed with a number of enzymes that are required for the proper functioning of the digestive and metabolic systems. These enzymes include;
- Catalase
- Peroxidase
- Dehydrogenase
- Diastase
- RNA polymerase
- Phosphatase
Other nutrients include;
- Carbs
- Manganese
- Sodium
- Calcium
How Coconut Water and Weight Loss-how it helps
Provides satiety
Coconut water is nutritious and keeps your body hydrated always. When you consume coconut water you will tend to feel full and as a result of that you don’t feel hungry for at least an hour. You will also lack the desire to eat junk foods as the combination of salts and sugar in coconut water satisfies your taste buds this property will eventually aid in weight loss.
Anything that reduces appetite can make you take fewer calories without having a desire to eat frequently and it has been proved that coconut water has this effect and also studies have shown that weight loss all about the calories you burn that is calories out and the amount of calories that reduce appetite or calories in.
Lowers cholesterol
In a 2006 study, it was found that coconut water lowered the level of low density lipoproteins or the bad cholesterol and triglycerides in animals.
Due to the low levels of bad cholesterol the high density lipoproteins or the good cholesterol levels increased through the coconut water diet. These results were encouraging though the amount consumed was in a large amount compared to the amount consumed by most of the people.
The results took into account that taking coconut water can have health benefits to your body and therefore the scientists came to conclusion that a long-term study would be carried out on humans.
Reduces fats while building lean muscles
Coconut water helps to build your lean muscle because of its low caloric value.
It helps to combat cholesterol and increases your metabolic rate which eventually results to lesser fat accumulation in your body. The stored fats are used up to provide you with energy and you are left with only muscles which prevents weight gain. As mentioned earlier, it is also packed with proteins.
Improves insulin sensitivity
Coconut water has antioxidants which help to remove the reactive oxygen species (ROS). These reactive oxygen species are the main cause of many diseases, disorders and aging.
Studies show that reduced ROS improves your insulin insensitivity. When your body has high levels of insulin sensitivity you will be at risk of gaining weight or becoming diabetic.
Supports thyroid function
The thyroid gland is responsible for producing thyroid hormone in your body, when it does not produce enough of the hormones required for proper functioning in your body the metabolic rate is decreased. Coconut water is helpful in enabling the thyroid gland to function properly thus bringing the metabolic rate to its normal levels.
Due to the correct balance of electrolytes in coconut water it can help you to replenish your energy, help in lowering your blood pressure and help you to rebuild your lean muscles which will eventually help you obtain a healthy weight.
When and how much Coconut Water for Weight Loss?
Coconut water should not be consumed more than once or twice a day because it can raise your sugar levels. You should choose plain, unflavored coconut water and make sure that it has not more than 50 calories per serving.
You should limit yourself to two servings a day by drinking it in the morning for some extra energy or to rehydrate your body after sleep. You should also drink it in the afternoon after working out to replenish your lost electrolytes.
Ideas on how to use Coconut Water for Fast Weight Loss
Coconut water can be used as the main ingredient in your diet plan to make smoothies which can help you lose weight naturally. Some of the smoothies made from pure coconut water include:
Kokomo detox
It is bright green in color made by the following ingredients
- 1 banana
- 1 cup of pineapple
- 1 cup of pure coconut water 2 cups of kale
Directions
You just blend and enjoy the smoothie
Iced Coconut Coffee
It is also made of coconut water which is made by brewing cold iced coffe. Brewing the coffee cold helps it to lose the bitterness and acidity to make it tasty.
How to make it
- Put coarse ground coffee beans in a glass bowl
- Add cold cocos/cocos pure coconut water
- Refrigerate for 12 hours
- Strain out the beans
- Then it will be already sweet from the coconut water you can also add a drop of cream to make it sweeter.
Other useful tips to use coconut water for weight loss include the following
- Try to drink natural, freshly cut tender coconut water for best results.
- Do not store it for more than one day
- Add fresh fruits to coconut water to add flavor and to make it nutritious
- Tender coconut water is more beneficial for losing weight as compared to coconut water from mature ones.
Coconut Water Detox Weight Loss-Fast, Cleanse diet & Recipe
The main idea behind fasting is to flush out all harmful substances accumulating in your body which eventually can lead to weight loss.
Since time immemorial, fasting has been used as one of the ways to to detox human body. Coconut water detox is among the different ways in which individuals carry out detoxification.
Recipe: This form of flushing out toxins involves fasting by drinking just coconut water and water. So far, it is not as common as other forms fasting for instance juice fasting( fruit/vegetable juices), but it has been shown to give good results.
Coconut water detox can be done from one to seven or even for a longer duration. The duration sought by most people is 3 day & 30 day detox
The best coconut water for fasting is that one from green immature nut. The water from mature nut, which is usually brown, is still good if you cannot get the green one. Packaged coconut is the other option if you lack both the mature and immature nuts.
Coconut Water Weight Loss Reviews & Testimonials-Has anyone lost Weight with Coconut water?
Some individuals have found coconut effective in helping shade excess weight naturally.
According to the MailOnline (2014), Gordon Ramsay, a celebrity chef confirmed to have lost considerable weight after including coconut water in his fitness regime.
“My wife (and a fridge full of coconut water) made me shed two stone,” says Ramsay
Alternative medicine practitioners like Dr. Oz recommends also recommends this drink. Compared to other drinks it is low in fat, sugar content which helps nourish your body.
Other Health Benefits of Coconut Water
In addition to weight loss, coconut water is consumed because of its many other health benefits which include;
- It is a healthy source of hydration
- Fights against diabetes
- Thought to help prevent kidney stones
- Supports heart health
Is Coconut Water Fattening or will it make you gain Weight?
On the other coconut water can make you gain weight. Drinking too much coconut water or replacing water with coconut water can cause some adverse health related problems for example increase in body weight. Below is an explanation.
Sugar
Even though coconut water is favorably low in calories it is high in sugars with 6.3 grams per cup serving. According to a study published in JAMA International Medicine and American Heart Association, a diet which is high in sugar can increase your chances of gaining weight eventually leading to obesity.
Some commercially produced coconut water drinks are added sugar in order to improve taste which can increase your body sugar levels when consumed. The association then suggests that you should limit your daily total calories from added sugar to a maximum of 100 for women and 150 for men.
Saturated fats
One cup of coconut water contains as little as 0.5 grams of fat content but most of the fat that is 0.4 grams or 88 percent of the total fat content is saturated fat. The American Heart Association suggests that you should limit the amount of saturated fat you consume to a maximum of 5 percent to 6 percent of your total caloric intake.
When you drink more than 1 cup of coconut water it will in turn increase your saturated fat intake. Consuming a high fat diet can make it harder for you to lose weight and also a high fat diet of saturated fat increases your chances of contracting a heart disease and stroke.
Sodium
It also contains sodium which when taken in excess it will make you retain more water in your extracellular cells which will make you add weight .
