With the world’s elevated curiosity in well being and wellness during the last couple of a long time, there’s one pure beverage that has emerged as a fan favourite because the greatest hangover treatment and hydration answer: coconut water. Manufacturers like Vita Coco have made this tropical beverage accessible to the lots, via 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 excellent dehydration answer.
In my 15 years of expertise as a registered dietitian, I’ve labored with purchasers on all types of objectives, from long-term diet 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 neatest 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 greatest hangover drink and hydration assist.
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 situations akin to:
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Extreme sweat
- Frequent urination
- Alcohol
If you change into dehydrated, you may 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 average signs embrace1:
- Much less frequent urination
- Thirst
- Headache
- Dry mouth
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
Extra extreme signs of dehydration embrace lack of urination, fast heartbeat, fast respiration, confusion, and fainting.
The Essential Function of Electrolytes
To deal with dehydration, it’s very important to switch any electrolytes misplaced. A scarcity of electrolytes can affect all points 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. Alternatively, an electrolyte imbalance within the physique may cause fatigue and negatively affect nerve and muscle operate. Because of this it’s vital to go for drinks with electrolytes when dehydrated. In different phrases, for those who’re searching for what to drink for dehydration, water may really not be the very best answer!
The Science Behind Hangovers
Alcohol is a diuretic, which implies it causes an elevated manufacturing of urine within the physique. In different phrases, there’s a purpose why you retain working for lavatory breaks at comfortable hour! Consuming alcohol in extra can dehydrate you and trigger dizziness or weak point. Different frequent hangover signs embrace fatigue, headache, and focus issues — and for those who don’t create good hangover habits, you might be making your signs worse.
Whereas some hangover signs could seem delicate, extended alcohol abuse over time may cause rather more extreme points. Extreme or persistent alcohol consumption causes a collection of physiological processes that may finally lead to kidney injury. 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 preserve your electrolytes balanced via 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 could assist stop electrolyte imbalance, it can also cease waste from leaving the physique — which may improve the chance of sickness or an infection within the kidneys3. Treating hangovers isn’t nearly relieving instant signs, it’s additionally about stopping dehydration to keep away from long-term injury. As a Registered Dietitian, right here’s why I’ve discovered coconut water is the very best hangover treatment.
The Dietary Advantages of Coconut Water
So why is coconut water a superb hangover remedy drink? Conventional rehydration or electrolyte drinks are likely to fall brief on offering optimum rehydration due to their larger sodium content material. This may negatively have an effect on blood stress and have the other 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 various to traditional electrolyte drinks to assist with every little thing from dehydration to hangovers.
Listed below are the diet details 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 status as the very 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 like Vita Coco.
Their drinks supply superior hydration advantages on account of their pure extraction means 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 blended along with your favourite fruit juice or flavored water.
How Vita Coco Can Assist You Hydrate
The nice sources of electrolytes like potassium in Vita Coco assist fast rehydration by offering ample electrolytes — however with out overloading the you with sodium and sugar that may additional dehydrate. This in flip offers sooner 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 as well stop the adverse impacts on mobile and molecular immunity attributable to a scarcity of fluid within the physique. So not solely is it the very best hangover treatment, it’s only a nice on a regular basis hydration answer.
Why We Love Vita Coco
Relating to selecting your coconut water, there are just a few causes to choose Vita Coco. My preliminary advice is all the time the organic model of Vita Coco, which is sourced instantly 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 one among my favs is Vita Coco’s Pressed coconut water, which is nice for people who find themselves searching for a extra concentrated coconut taste. Some individuals 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 selection is good for somebody who needs the electrolyte advantages of coconut water however with a thicker consistency and stronger taste.
Incorporating Vita Coco Into Your Every day Routine
Relating to including Vita Coco into your weight loss program, strive 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 the very best hangover treatment — you may positively use coconut water to assist stop dehydration and deal with hangovers! As a dietitian, I’d advocate that similar to every other beverage that comprises sugar (pure or not), it’s best to devour carefully. That is very true in relation to 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.
Figuring out methods to stop a hangover is all about hydration. If you happen to’re partaking in consuming alcohol, remember to hydrate with coconut water previous to consuming, after which drink one glass of water for each serving of alcohol. If you happen to choose, you might additionally make coconut water cocktails to offset among the dehydrating signs of consuming alcohol.
Strategies to Forestall Dehydration
Hydration is essential for every single day optimum well being, however significantly in conditions the place we could also be in danger for dehydration — like when consuming alcohol, sweating from train or scorching climate, or once we’re sick and dropping electrolytes.
Listed below are just a few tricks to stop dehydration, regardless of the scenario:
- Devour water-rich meals day by day like soup, in addition to juicy fruit and veggies like watermelon, strawberries, peaches, cucumbers, and zucchini.
- Drink at the 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
If you happen to 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 for those who6:
- Have had diarrhea for twenty-four hours or extra
- Are irritable or disoriented
- Really feel a lot sleepier or much less energetic than regular
- Can’t preserve 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 personal well being advocate and educate your self on efficient hydration via 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/illnesses/9013-dehydration
