Given that high cholesterol runs in my family, I’ve stayed away from coconuts for most of my life (if I’m gonna indulge in some high cholesterol eats – ice-cream and cheese, please!), but it’s impossible to ignore the coconut water craze going on right now. A few months ago I watched a special on CNBC on Coca-Cola and even they banked on coconut water by buying a stake in Zico. Turns out, much to my surprise, that coconut water – unlike coconut milk – is low in calorie (about 45 per serving compared to over 500 for coconut milk), and has no cholesterol! There are a ton to choose from, but I like to avoid anything Coca-Cola supports (must they BUY EVERYTHING!?), so I opted to try Vita Coco because it not only comes in a bunch of flavors (100% Pure, Pineapple, Peach & Mango, Tangerine, Passion Fruit, and Açai & Pomegranate), but Madonna and Demi Moore both invested in the company – and you know they watch what goes into their bodies! Jump for more!
The water comes from green coconuts which are known for their health benefits and aside from being
cholesterol-free, each serving has 15 times more potassium than a
traditional sports drink (about 600 milligrams). I like the original
the best because it has a light almond-like flavor, but even the
fruit-flavored ones are light (think “water consistency”), so they go
down easy making them a great alternative for people who don’t like the
taste of sports drinks or for those who feel a little ill if they drink
water while working-out. I drink 5 to 6 bottles of water a day and have
started switching one for coconut water most days to get potassium and some beverage variety! The only thing stopping me from drinking more is that
while it’s low in sugar, it’s still not sugar-free like water.
Do you drink coconut water? I give it a big yay…surprisingly delicious (and nutritious!).