Is coconut water really all that it’s hyped up to be when it comes to a “sports drink”?

ACE published an article regarding the benefits of coconut water for athletes. Here is the link for you to take a look:

http://www.acefitness.org/certifiednewsarticle/1042/nutrition-spotlight-...

Triathletes have been using coconut water in the past few years to rehydrate and replenish as a more natural way vs. sports drinks or just water. Coconut water contains a high level of potassium so it can help ward of cramps and replenish depleted muscle stores from intense exercise. It is free of dyes and artificial colors, so its a more natural product and easier for the body to digest. It also contains electolytes that your body needs to replenish (sodium, magnesium, etc) after intense exercise and it is relatively low in calories.

I think its a great alternative to a traditional sports drink.

Coconut water is a great alternative to sports drinks for all of the reasons mentioned above. It has several electrolytes (although some are in a different amount than you'd find in a Gatorade, etc). I'm all for a natural option! If mother nature did it well, why mess with it. The difficulty for some clients is in the lack of info on the nutrition label (ie. magnesium or other electrolytes)-if it's not listed specifically make sure they're not over supplementing with other products!

Great question. Most sports hydration drinks contain small amounts of color or flavor - many of which are artificial. Coconut water does not contain any additives, but READ the labels. There are a few manufacturers who alter the composition by adding sugars. If you drink pure coconut water it is full of electrolytes that are lost during moderate to heavy exercise. It is lower in calories than many sports drinks, so it is probably not a good source of energy unless you add an energy gel or other form of nutrition during extended exercise routines. It has my thumbs up for being a natural, highly digestible product. Sustainable too!

I have been drinking it in place of regular water after heavy training days in the sun. I'm noticing that I get plenty of replenishing hydration without ever experiencing "sour-stomach". That gives it a giant A+ over regular sports drinks for me.