How much coconut water can you drink per day?

Coconut water: Coconut water is the sweet-tasting, translucent fluid found in young green coconuts. When you poke a hole in the top of a coconut and insert a straw, you're drinking coconut water. It's produced naturally and can be consumed immediately. Coconut water has significantly fewer calories than coconut milk, making it a good choice for those on a calorie-restricted diet.

Naturally grown coconuts contain about half a cup to one cup of water, but it may differ based on the size of the fruit, geography and climatic conditions.

Coconut milk: Unlike naturally produced coconut water, coconut milk is a manmade drink. Coconut milk is manually processed from the outer layer of ripe coconuts. Once ready, it can be used for drinking or as an ingredient in some milk-based recipes.

Health benefits of drinking coconut water

Coconut water has numerous health benefits, including improved organ health, regulated blood pressure and lowered risk of heart disease. We’ve compiled a list of potential advantages coconut water can offer.

Good source of hydration

Drinking coconut water may help sick people improve hydration levels in their bodies. Illnesses resulting in vomiting and diarrhea cause us to lose fluids rapidly, meaning our bodies quickly become dehydrated. Coconut water can help replenish the lost fluid content.

While water is also a good source of hydration, coconut water is slightly better as it restores blood sugar levels much more effectively than a regular glass of water. The nutrients your body receives from coconut water may also help in a faster recovery. However, we don’t recommend replacing regular water with coconut water entirely.

How much coconut water should you drink?

While coconut water is healthy and delicious, too much of it can be harmful. While there are no set guidelines as to the exact amount of coconut water you can or should drink, experts recommend consuming one or two small to medium cups at the most in a day. Two cups of coconut water is sufficient for a healthy adult with a moderate level of activity. The proportion may go up or down depending on how active you are and whether you have any health conditions.

Can drinking too much coconut water be harmful?

Coconut water contains sodium, an ingredient that’s already high in most American diets. If you drink too much coconut water — substituting it for water completely — your sodium levels might become toxic.

Coconut water also contains a lot of calories, which may increase weight and body fat percentage. The carbohydrates and calories in a serving of coconut water may also increase the sugar levels in your blood, so if you have high blood pressure, it’s better to avoid drinking more than two cups of coconut water in a day.