Coconut Water Powder – Everything You Need To Know
If you’ve ever been lucky enough to sip the water fresh from a young coconut, you know there’s nothing else quite like the slightly sweet and surprisingly refreshing beverage. Supplement companies have found a way to freeze-dry this miraculous treat and package it up so that it’s available for consumption, even if you happen to live in a non-tropical area.
Coconuts have long been the subject of study for nutritionists and medical scientists, but coconut water powder is relatively fresh on the scene.
So what do you need to know about coconut water powder? From its nutritional benefits, variety of uses, and convenience for those of us not living in tropical climates, coconut water powder is a great alternative to fresh coconut water.
This article is going to take a close look at what coconut water powder really is, and discuss in-depth everything you need to know about this potential miracle drink.
Everything You Need To Know About Coconut Water Powder
Every part of the coconut has a highly useful purpose, from the fibrous outer shell to the delicate water inside the center of the fruit. Most people who have spent even a short amount of time in a tropical paradise have tasted fresh coconut water, often drank with a straw straight from the large seed itself.
In North America, we’re more familiar with the flesh, the milk, and the oil of the coconut because they keep well in storage much easier than water does. They all also happen to be harvested from mature coconuts, whereas the best coconut water comes from the heart of a young, green fruit, preferably no older than 6 months of age.
The majority of coconut water, approximately 96% in fact, is simply water. But the remaining few percentage points are composed of high-quality nutrition, namely vitamins and minerals, natural sugars and proteins, amino acids and fatty acids and fiber, among others.
Coconut water powder is made by evaporating and freeze-drying the liquid so that it becomes a powder, which can then be rehydrated simply by adding plain water or another liquid back to the mix.
Is Coconut Water Powder Good For You?
Coconut water powder is a food supplement, which means it doesn’t require any specific studies or approvals to be sold on a mass market. It’s generally accepted that the benefits of the powder are similar, if not entirely the same, as those of fresh coconut water.
Though this isn’t 100% accurate, for the purposes of this article and due to the lack of research specifically on the powder, we’ll consider the benefits of coconut water to be the same as the powdered form.
With that in mind, yes, coconut water is very good for you, for a variety of reasons.
Benefits of Coconut Water
Coconuts have been used as a source of hydration in tropical countries since humans discovered how to crack the hard, outer shell. For centuries people have been using the ultra-hydrating beverage to combat the high temperatures of the tropics where the trees grow.
Coconut water is a great source of calcium, iron, and Vitamin D, which are all essential in your diet. When you choose coconut water, you’re also avoiding any added fat and cholesterol that comes with the animal products you’ll usually find these vital nutrients in.
As a fantastic source of antioxidants, coconut water helps your body neutralize free radicals, protecting you from damaged cells that can turn into anything from signs of aging to life-threatening cancer and other chronic diseases.
Coconuts, in general, are also considered very heart-healthy, since it lowers blood pressure and helps balance cholesterol levels.
As an added benefit, drinking coconut water regularly can also help keep you regular, in the digestive sense. Even though it’s a liquid, coconut water is a great source of fiber, which is one of the nutrients that Americans are most often deficient in, even though it’s absolutely crucial to our overall health and well-being.
Staying well hydrated has many other benefits, such as clear skin, improved mental focus, higher energy levels, and better muscle maintenance.
If you’re following a strict diet, coconut water is almost guaranteed to fit in nicely, as it’s Keto and Paleo-friendly as well as entirely plant-based, so it’s perfect for vegans and vegetarians as well.
Coconut Water for Athletic Performance
In more modern times, coconut water has been shown to be perfect for athletes who are trying to recover from a hard workout or power through an endurance exercise.
The anti-oxidant rich liquid is also teaming with electrolytes, minerals like potassium and magnesium which help you better balance your hydration levels compared to drinking plain still water.
Instead of drinking sports beverages that are full of artificial flavors, sugar, and various fillers, coconut water can help your muscles recover with limited soreness just as well if not even better. You can drink it before or after a workout for great results.
Risks Of Coconut Water Powder
Coconut water has a very high amount of potassium in it, so if a person with kidney disease drinks copious amounts of the liquid, they can run into severe kidney function distress because their body won’t be able to properly process the potassium.
In fact, any healthy body can have problems with a potassium overdose if they are over-consuming coconut water, which becomes even more dangerous if a person takes spoonfuls of the powdered version without properly hydrating at the same time.
On the other end of this discussion, people who are prone to kidney stones might find coconut water useful in preventing or, at least, managing their condition. Kidney stones are caused when calcium and other minerals form crystals and eventually turn into small stones in your kidneys.
There’s some evidence suggesting that coconut water prevents the crystals from sticking to your kidneys, reducing the number and size of potential stones.
The one other concern that might be raised in regards to coconut water and coconut water powder is blindly using it as a miracle hydration beverage and over-exerting yourself to the point of dangerous exhaustion when exercising.
While coconut water is a great alternative to sugar-laden sports beverages, it still has its limits. When used responsibly and logically as directed, coconut water has very few risks, and they’re not very common.
How To Use Coconut Water Powder
The most popular way to use coconut water powder is to add it to your shakes and smoothies, according to the individual directions on the brand you purchase.
Depending on the quality of the product, some powders will dissolve perfectly in plain water, but others might clump up a bit or retain a bit of a chalky texture, so blending it with other flavors and textures can disguise any undesirable consistency.
Serving Size of Coconut Water Powder
Of the products we reviewed, the recommended daily dosage is between 1 to 1.5 tablespoons per 8-ounce glass of water, per day.
Also, you can add your coconut water powder to any liquid, variety, and volume, that’s convenient for you. You certainly don’t have to stick to the water recommendations if that’s not your favorite way to drink the supplement.
The Best Coconut Water Powder You Can Buy
If you have a choice between coconut water from a fresh, young coconut and coconut water powder, straight from the fruit is always going to be better.
However, by opting for powder over a canned beverage, you’re more likely to have higher nutritional content and fewer preservatives and contaminants.
Many canned sources of coconut water are packaged in aluminum, which comes with its own potential risk factors, so high quality, organic coconut powder is a great way to enjoy the benefits without added sugars, preservatives or pasteurization.
1. Earth Circle Organics Pure Young Dried Coconut Water Powder
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This manufacturer is dedicated to working with organic (though not certified organic), sustainable farmers and the young coconuts for this particular product come from family farms in the south of India.
They have a proprietary dehydration process that ensures maximum nutrition and flavor with minimal environmental impact.
Key Features
- No added sugars, flavorings, colors or preservatives or any other additives, this powder is made entirely and solely of coconut water
- Each serving has 446 mg of potassium to help keep you hydrated for the longest possible time
- 1 package is the equivalent to 12 bottles of water, which is a great cost comparison for you and much better for the environment
Biggest drawbacks:
The biggest complaint about this product is that it doesn’t taste like coconut water fresh from a young coconut, but that is generally the case with all supplements compared to fresh ingredients.
If the taste isn’t up to your standards, adding it to your smoothie will give you all the benefits and very little if any of the flavor.
2. Coconut Water Powder by Bulksupplements
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Buying in bulk is one of the best ways to reduce waste, and Bulksupplements has a great reputation for providing high quality products in large volumes.
This 1 kg supply will keep you in coconut water for months, depending on how addicted you get to the tasty results.
Key Features
- Tastes deliciously coconut-like without completely overwhelming your smoothie or juice, if you add it to another flavored beverage
- Mixes best as an emulsion, so it’s a great addition to smoothies, yogurts and creamy sauces
- Lab-tested for quality & purity
Biggest drawbacks:
While the product does state that it’s coconut water powder, the nutritional label indicates there is a fat content in the supplement that is more likely to belong to coconut milk powder.
It’s difficult to tell exactly what you’re getting, but it’s definitely from an anti-oxidant rich, heart-healthy coconut, at the very least!
3. Freeze Dried Coconut Water Powder
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This product is specifically designed for use in plant care, designed to help propagate healthy bacteria in your soil.
Just because that’s what it was designed for, however, doesn’t mean you can drink it if you want to!
The manufacturer makes it clear on its website that it’s entirely food safe and great for ingesting, whether you’re plant or human.
Key Features
- Freeze-dried, raw organic coconut water
- No fillers, preservatives or GMOs
- Specifically states no bio-solids or “humanure” on the package, so you know you’re drinking coconut water made without undesirable fertilization methods
Biggest drawbacks:
There are no instructions for use on the package, so you have to go to the manufacturer’s website to find details on how to apply the powder to your plants.
Can you use coconut water powder for plants?
Yes, coconut water powder is frequently marketed specifically as a source of nutrition for plants. The richness of the vitamins and minerals can be used as a growth-enhancing component for most plants, providing the perfect ingredients for healthy bacteria to flourish during plant propagation.
It has been used in experiments with hydroponic plant growth and shown to enhance root growth and boost the cloning of developing plants.
This is thought to be thanks to specific cytokinins, which allow coconut palm trees to rapidly uptake water and nutrients from the soil, which is essential in the hot, competitive tropical environment.
In controlled gardens, the same cytokinins help your plants grow noticeably taller and sturdier, with faster cell division in the seeds leading to more shoots growing.
Coconut water can be useful for your plants regardless of how you prefer to grow them – from organic soil to a hydroponic-tube system.
Be careful that you always use coconut water or coconut water powder, however, as coconut milk and/or oil will not have the same nutrition for your plants and might accidentally sabotage your efforts.
How to use coconut water powder for plants
Buildasoil is one of the leading brands marketing coconut water powder for optimal plant health. On their website, they share directions on multiple ways to use the powder for plant growth.
The suggestion is to use 1 lb of coconut water powder per 150 gallons of water, which should adequately drench 1 acre of growing land.
For smaller uses, 1 teaspoon per gallon of water makes a fantastic seed soak, and 1/3 lb per 50 gallons of water will nicely drench most home vegetable or plant gardens.
Related Questions
What is coconut kefir and is it good for you?
Coconut kefir is made from fermenting coconut milk along with kefir grains and often some date paste for added flavor. Kefir grains are basically just sugar molecules formed into a specific shape that allows them to feed on sugar, creating the fermentation process.
Coconut kefir is a very powerful probiotic beverage, which means it feeds the healthy bacteria in your gut and improves a wide variety of digestive issues while boosting your immune system at the same time.
You can also make or buy coconut water kefir, which has a slightly different nutritional profile as coconut kefir made with milk, but both are highly nutritious and delicious.
What is coconut coir?
Coconut coir is the fibrous, hairy material found covering the hard-internal shell of a coconut, underneath its outer shell.
Mature coconuts will generally have strong, sturdy brown fibers whereas younger coconuts will have lighter, more flexible off-white hairs. Mature coconut coir is often used as a growing medium in gardening as it’s organic, natural, full of nutrients and very efficient at retaining moisture.
Can coconut water be heated?
Yes, absolutely. Coconut water adds a lovely flavor to hot teas or cocoas, or even soups, stews or savory sauces.
Some of the nutrition might be lost to high heat, but there will still be plenty of valuable vitamins and minerals that survive and provide a unique twist to some of your favorite family recipes and hot winter drinks.
