It’s that time of year again… beach days, outdoor games, and countless other activities under the summer sun. With summer fun, however, comes summer heat, which can often be a force to be reckoned with. Among other risks, summer heat can lead to dehydration; a condition that 75% of Americans chronically suffer with. We’re all taught from a young age that it’s important to stay hydrated, but what really is hydration? What beverage is the most hydrating? Here is what you need to know about hydration and the best way to beat the heat by conquering dehydration this summer, including the hydrating beverage we swear by: coconut water!
What Really is Hydration?
Thirsty? Drink some water to quench your thirst; this is common sense. But why does water hydrate our bodies? In short, if your body doesn’t have enough fluid, it can’t function properly. Hydration is defined as the act or process of combining or treating with water. Hydrating our body with enough water helps to regulate our body temperature, keep joints lubricated, keeps organs functioning properly, and more. Consuming water is imperative to life, but in order to "treat" our body with water, we must combine our water intake with the consumption of other essential electrolytes, or minerals. Electrolytes help your body regulate chemical reactions, maintain the balance between fluids inside and outside your cells, and are responsible for directing the water you’ve consumed to the area of the body that needs it most. There are 3 main electrolytes that are essential for hydration: sodium, potassium, and magnesium. If your body does not have enough of these minerals, you become dehydrated.
Coconut Water: The Key to Hydration
So, what can we drink that is high in water content but also contains electrolytes? Coconut water! Extracted from the young green coconut, coconut water is comprised of about 95% water, contains very little fat, and is rich in electrolytes. The best part: this natural beverage possesses all these benefits without any added sugars and carbohydrates! In pure coconut water such as Covico 100% Evaporated Coconut Water, the only sugars found are natural occurring, as nothing is added to the liquid extracted from the coconut. Just one cup of coconut water contains roughly 16% of the recommended daily intake of potassium, as well as sodium, magnesium, and calcium! Chalk full of these essential minerals, coconut water is sure to help you battle dehydration this summer.
When compared to other hydrating beverages, we believe that coconut water reigns supreme. Here’s a comparison of coconut water to other popular hydration options:
Water vs. Coconut Water
As previously mentioned, water is essential to life, as hydration primarily entails drinking enough water for your body to function properly. According to the Cleveland Clinic, losing just 1.5% of your body’s water can cause symptoms of dehydration such as headache, fatigue, dizziness, and more. It is well known and accepted that hydration requires water, and water is always a good beverage choice! If you’ve endured strenuous exercise, sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, or other activities that cause your body to lose fluids, however, you may also want to incorporate an electrolyte-rich beverage such as coconut water in your diet; these minerals are equally important when it comes to hydration.
Sports Drinks vs. Coconut Water
Sports drinks are intended for quick hydration and do contain electrolytes; however, they also often contain high levels of carbohydrates in the form of sugar. A typical 32 oz sports drink contains between 56 and 76 grams of sugar. The American Heart Association recommends that women should consume no more than 24 grams of sugar daily, and men should consume no more than 36 grams of sugar daily. This means that consuming just one 32 oz sports drink would account for over half of a woman’s daily sugar intake, and almost half of the recommended daily sugar intake for men! According to the Harvard School of Public Health, sports drinks are intended only for those engaging in vigorous activity for at least one hour. For those who are not performing intense exercise, overconsumption of sports drinks can lead to health problems such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. If you’re watching your sugar intake, opt for a 100% pure coconut water due to the natural beverage's complete lack of added sugars.
Coconut Water vs. Enhanced Water
Enhanced waters are drinks marketed as water with added ingredients such as vitamins and minerals, artificial and natural sweeteners, and sugars. While enhanced waters can be hydrating and provide your body with an extra hydration boost in comparison to regular water, they can often be misleading. In some cases, minerals such as electrolytes can be added to enhanced waters, but the quantity is not actually enough to make much of an impact on your health. Additionally, although the wide variety of flavors and variations of enhanced waters can be appealing and tasty, it is not uncommon to find added sugars and sweeteners to this type of beverage. With 100% pure coconut water, what you see the minute you crack open the coconut is what you get. The electrolytes naturally occur in the liquid and there are enough to positively impact your health. There are no added sugars or sweeteners.
Take Hydration (and Sustainability!) One Step Further With Covico Evaporated Coconut Water
Covico Evaporated Coconut Water has an incredibly consistent, slightly sweet taste that is possible to achieve in each batch due to the product's powdered form. Additionally, coconut water is an extremely sustainable beverage; coconut palm trees grow naturally from fallen coconuts, require no water in addition to the rain, promote biodiversity, and create zero waste. When purchasing Covico evaporated coconut water, you are also immensely reducing your carbon footprint, as by evaporating our coconut ingredients we can reduce ocean freight fuel by 95%! Covico coconut water requires no refrigerated or frozen storage, is fantastic as a single ingredient product, or can easily be added to a formulation. Let’s get you through those dog days of summer without experiencing dehydration. Get yourself some Covico coconut water today!