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I love coconut water! When I’m traveling in the tropics, there is nothing better than drinking water straight from a coconut. Mother nature designed the perfect vessel for a drink that is so refreshing, slightly sweet, and keeps you hydrated in hot climates. You’ve probably heard that coconut water makes an excellent hydrating drink that replenishes electrolytes and can replace nasty chemical-filled Gatorade and Powerade – but there really is more to it than that. How do you buy the healthiest coconut water and avoid the worst?
Coconut water is one of the healthiest drinks on the planet
Coconut water contains a unique combination of B vitamins, vitamin C, micronutrients, and phytohormones that are exceptionally beneficial to your health. A scientific review of coconut water, published in the journal Molecules, highlights some of the ways that coconut water replenishes your body:
- Helps to prevent heart attacks
- Lowers high blood pressure
- Can have anti-aging effects
- Fights free radicals to help prevent cancer
- Contains trans-zeatin which can be used to treat Alzheimer’s disease or dementia
That being said, I don’t want you to think it’s okay to pick up just any coconut water off of the shelf. Packaged coconut water is really flooding into the market recently. You can find it in bottles, cartons or powdered, frozen, flavored, carbonated, and sweetened. With all these choices it can be confusing and difficult to know if you are choosing the best one.
It usually costs at least $3 bucks a bottle, so it’s not exactly affordable- and if I’m going to spend my hard earned money on some, I make sure it’s worth it! Primarily, I look for coconut water that is the least processed and still has the majority of its nutrients intact. This is always going to be directly from a fresh coconut – but, of course that’s not always available. If you haven’t already heard, Pepsico and Coca-Cola have their own versions of coconut water – (O.N.E., Zico, Naked) – and you can only imagine what the corporations have done to it.
How To Ruin Coconut Water
Using a concentrate instead of fresh juice: Some coconut water companies get away with saying their drinks contain “100% Coconut Water” that’s “All Natural” even though it’s made from a reconstituted concentrate. Just like other juices in the store, they heat fresh coconut water and reduce it to a syrup. It’s cheaper for them to import this coconut water syrup, which they later add water prior to packaging. Any juice that has been heated to this extent loses a significant amount of its nutrients and its beneficial enzymes are denatured (i.e. the enzymes don’t work anymore).
Taking water from mature coconuts: This is a biggie. Young coconuts on the tree are usually green with an abundance of water in the center that is full of nutrients. Anyone that drinks coconut water straight from a coconut is drinking out of one of these young coconuts. As they begin to age, the nutrients in the water begin to seep into the meat of the coconut, and the water becomes less nutritious. It’s essentially watered-down. This also happens when young coconuts are picked and allowed to lie on the ground in the sun, for an extended period of time. While older “mature” coconuts might be used to make coconut oil, coconut milk and other coconut products, the coconut water from older coconuts is often discarded because it’s lacking nutrients and doesn’t taste the same. As the popularity in coconut water spiked recently, companies realized that they could buy up the water from mature coconuts and could get it cheaper than young coconut water. This is why it’s important to drink young coconut water and not get scammed into drinking the watered-down and less nutritious version.
Adding “natural flavors” or sweeteners: Young coconut water is refreshing and sweet, so there is absolutely no need to flavor or sweeten it – unless you are trying to hide something. Guess what happens when they use mature coconuts for their water? It tastes acidic, so they mask this taste with natural flavors or sweeten it up with sugars. I’ve heard that some companies use a centrifuge system to remove the acidic taste, but it’s a safe assumption that if you see a plain coconut water on the shelf with any natural flavors or sweeteners added it is from mature coconuts and not worth your money.
Pasteurizing it with heat: Coconut water is very delicate, naturally perishable, and should be kept cold. Have you ever stopped to wonder why most bottled and boxed coconut waters on the shelves aren’t in the refrigerated section? I recently checked out one of these bottles and noticed it didn’t expire for 2 years! This is because most coconut water at the store is heat pasteurized, which literally means that it’s been cooked to a very high temperature to kill bacteria and extend its shelf life. It has been shown that heat also destroys some of the vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients and also denatures enzymes – stripping its benefits and much of its flavor. If coconut water is from concentrate, this would be the second time it’s heated. Obviously, your best bet is to seek out and find unpasteurized raw coconut water. This can be hard to find, but there is another way to kill bacteria while keeping the nutrients intact: HPP (high pressure processing). Without using heat, HPP is best way to preserve the goodness in coconut water, while extending its shelf life a little to make it more available commercially.
Dipping whole coconuts in formaldehyde or sodium metabisulphite: It’s been reported that some non-organic coconuts may be preserved for transport to the U.S. by dipping them in chemicals, including formaldehyde a known carcinogen. This leads to the possibility that these chemicals seep into the coconut meat and poisons the water. Some of my favorite organic cafes avoid this by getting frozen coconut water shipped directly to them.
We called up several of the most popular coconut water companies and asked where they source their coconuts (young vs. mature), if they dip them in chemicals, how they pasteurize them, and about additives and preservatives that they may use. We got a variety of responses, and it’s almost surprising to me how much some of these companies have screwed up something as basic as coconut water. I found several brands to avoid, because they are so heavily processed that the final product barely resembles natural coconut water.
Coconut waters to avoid at all costs:
Naked Juice Coconut Water – Although it’s not from concentrate, Naked told me that they use “mature” coconut water that is flash pasteurized with heat. The plain variety doesn’t have any additives, but all of the flavored ones have added natural flavors. This is also a Pepsico brand – a company that spent over $4 Million dollars to fight GMO labels – so they aren’t getting any of my business.
O.N.E. Coconut Water – This is another Pepsico brand that is flash pasteurized with heat. The flavored waters “with a Splash of Fruit Juice” contain natural flavors and “sugar” as an ingredient. As it doesn’t say “cane sugar” on the label, this could very well be from GMO sugar beets.
Pepsico told me that they couldn’t confirm whether their sugar is GMO because:
“the exact source of the sugar in our coconut water cannot be confirmed because we source our ingredients from around the world and that information is not available at this time. Please know that all of our products comply with all applicable food laws and labeling requirements. O.N.E. Coconut Water relies on the regulatory agencies charged with safeguarding our food supply when sourcing ingredients for our products”.
They are relying on the FDA’s regulations to protect us, although the FDA themselves say that the manufacturer is responsible for ensuring the safety of the ingredients used in their products, including GMOs.
Zico – They sell two entirely different coconut waters depending on which packaging you choose. The waters in the bottles are made from concentrate and are a “blend of Asian coconuts” with natural flavors added. On the other hand, the ones in the tetra-pak cartons are not made from concentrate, have no additives, and contain only Thai coconut water that is packaged in Thailand. A bit confusing, isn’t it? While the tetra-paks (boxed) seem like a good choice, they use “Ultra High Temperature Pasteurization” to give it a long shelf life. This means it’s heated well above boiling point to 280 degrees Fahrenheit, which “kills everything” according to Scientific American, including beneficial nutrients. Plus, in case you didn’t hear the news, they were recently acquired by Coca-Cola – a big supporter of GMOs who have spent over 3.2 million to prevent GMO labeling.
CocoZona – We called and emailed them on several occasions, and they never replied to any of our questions – not even a peep! I always find it alarming when a company refuses to stand behind their product and isn’t transparent about their practices, especially since some companies have been caught lying about what’s really in the bottle. So, at this point, we know little more than what’s printed on the bottle of CocoZona, and the ingredient list reveals that it is made from concentrate. That’s enough reason to stay away from it.
Vita Coco – Don’t be fooled by all of those celebrity endorsements! Their waters are not made from concentrate, but they are all pasteurized with heat. Many of the flavored versions contain added sweeteners and the Cafe versions contain carrageenan. Even the seemingly plain 100% pure version contains added “fruit sugar.” Watch out for their coconut waters targeting kids, which are loaded with added sugar and many different natural flavors – they are not 100% coconut water! According to their website, Vita Coco Kids is also ultra high temperature pasteurized.
GOYA – This brand is heat pasteurized and contains added preservatives. Some versions are sweetened with sugar, which may be GMO. Because I vote with my dollars, I avoid any GOYA brand product as they spent over $56K to fight GMO labeling in California.
C2O – They told me they heat pasteurize their water up to 120 degrees celsius once the product is in the can for as long as 5 minutes. Although, they use no additives or concentrates, the length of this high heat processing puts it squarely on my avoid list.
Purity Organic – It’s made from concentrate and flash pasteurized with heat, so some of the goodness has been destroyed. It’s organic I know, but not all organic products use the best practices!
Coco Libre (Organic) – It’s made from concentrate, flash pasteurized with heat and has added “natural flavors.”
How do other popular coconut waters stack up?
Munkijo (organic) – This water isn’t from concentrate, contains no additives or added sugars and their young coconuts are sustainably grown and harvested. But I’m sorry to report they also use ultra high heat pasteurization to process their waters, so it’s far from the best on the market.
Coco Hydro by Big Tree Farms (organic) – I really like Big Tree Farms’ mission geared towards sustainability. Their unique version of coconut water is powdered and comes in packets that travel easily. So, there is no pasteurization involved, you just add water to reconstitute it. However, the process they use to evaporate the water uses heat, so it is not considered raw and some of the nutrients may be destroyed in the process.
Taste Nirvana (organic) – No concentrates or additives in this brand, and their young coconuts are sustainably grown, harvested and organic (though not labeled as such). I really like how it’s packaged in glass bottles. They are the only company that told me they use a “steam sterilization” process which is a combination of steam and pressure.
Amy & Brian (organic) – Other than the fact that they flash pasteurize the water, all other aspects are good – no additives, no added sugars, no concentrates. They also told me that their young coconuts are not treated with any chemicals or pesticides. I have to admit though, I’m not a fan of the cans they are in, even if they are BPA-free.
Harvest Bay (some varieties are certified organic) – They flash pasteurize their water for about 2 seconds at 120 degrees, and it’s not from concentrate. Some of their waters are now organic, and they are all non-GMO project verified. Although they add no sugars or additives to their plain version, most flavored varieties contain added sugar or natural flavors, so I’d avoid those.
Whole Foods 365 – They confirmed they don’t use a concentrate, however they heat pasteurize their water which comes “from around the world depending on availability”. Their water is also packaged in cans, which I don’t like!
Trader Joe’s – Their water is not from concentrate, but it is pasteurized. I have yet to hear back from them in regards to how they pasteurize their water (whether they use flash or ultra processing). They fortify their water with added vitamin C, which is a red flag that it has been heavily processed.
My top picks for packaged coconut water:
***This chart contains examples of the coconut waters we researched, however, there are many more available on the market or may be available in your neck of the woods. Please use this post as a guide to find the best coconut water in your area.***
While the best coconut water is straight from a young coconut picked from a tree, these packaged waters below are as close to the real thing as you can get. They don’t use any heat processing or concentrates, so they aren’t cooking your coconut water. Some of them use HPP to kill bacteria, and a couple of these brands serve it up completely raw and unpasteurized.
Harmless Harvest (organic) – I’ve written about this brand before, and it’s no secret that they are my favorite. I had the pleasure of meeting with the founders of Harmless Harvest and I’m blown away with how open and honest they are about everything. They’ve become a success not because of marketing, but because of their good practices. In fact, they hardly spend any money on marketing at all (and bloggers are not compensated either). They source their young coconuts from small organic agroforestry farms that pay a fair wage to their workers. The coconuts are then frozen and shipped to the U.S. for packaging, after which they use HPP processing to kill bacteria and extend the shelf life to 60 days. Because it’s so minimally processed, some of the waters turn pink when the naturally occurring antioxidants or phenols are exposed to light – and you won’t find this in pasteurized coconut water. You can find this at Whole Foods and most natural food stores in the refrigerator section.
Juice Press (organic) – This water is totally raw. It’s not pasteurized or processed with HPP. Their coconuts are shipped frozen to the store and then they ship it fresh to you with a 3 or 4 day shelf life.
Exotic Superfoods (organic) – Another fave, this water is 100% organic and raw. It is not processed with any heat or HPP – but it’s kept frozen to preserve freshness.
Liquitera (organic) – This bottled raw coconut water is also organic, without any pasteurization. It’s only available at their stores in New York.
Vital Juice (organic) – It’s never heated or frozen, and it’s preserved with HPP, 100% organic and non-GMO project verified. It is currently only available at stores in Washington and Oregon with plans of expansion, and you can also order it online on Amazon.
Unoco (wild coconut) – Made from wild coconuts (not from a plantation) and processed with HPP without any additives. It’s only available in California right now.
Suja (organic) – Suja makes a coconut water blend, Tropicaloe, which is made from freeze-dried coconut water mixed with pineapple, apple, aloe, lime, mint and spinach juices, all preserved with HPP. This juice is exclusively sold at Whole Foods stores.
Keep in mind that while I think coconut water is amazing, I don’t drink it every day, I use it as a treat or on days I am very active and sweat hard!
If you know someone who loves coconut water or needs a great substitute for soda, Gatorade, Powerade or other unhealthy drinks – please share this post!
We must educate as many people as possible about their choices to change the marketplace. When we change the marketplace and start spending our money on the best and safest brands, we change the world!
Xo,
Vani
10 Superfoods for Digestive Health
July 27, 2015 | 102,346 views
EmailBy Dr. Mercola
The digestive process seems simple on the surface. You put a food in your mouth, chew it up, and swallow. Then your body breaks down your food into components your body can utilize and absorb. Whatever’s left gets excreted as waste.
In reality, however, digestion is a complex process that can be easily sidelined by a number of factors, from not chewing your food enough to lacking enzymes, stomach acid, or the right balance of microbes to properly digest your food and absorb its nutrients.
The foods you eat can also make or break your digestive health, with heavily processed, genetically modified (GM), and sugar-rich foods among the worst offenders. If your diet is based on the latter, your gut is likely inflamed, possibly leaky, and putting you at risk of both chronic and acute health problems.
Cleaning up your diet with the digestive superfoods that follow can go a long way toward repairing the damage and healing your gut.1,2
10 Superfoods for Digestive Health
1. Aloe Vera
Fresh aloe vera gel is rich in enzymes and has antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral properties. It’s also a powerful anti-inflammatory, making it useful for soothing a number of digestive complaints.
Aloe vera juice can be helpful for acid reflux, for example, but ideally should be made from home-grown aloe with leaves that are 18 inches long before harvesting. Species that produce thick leaves are best.
Aloe also contains high amounts of an immune-stimulating polysaccharide, especially mannose, which has been shown to induce white blood cells to secrete interferon, tumor necrosis factor, and beneficial cytokines.
The benefits come from the inner gel of the plant, not the outer leaf. The inner gel can be combined with a lime or lemon and blended with a hand blender to make it more palatable when drinking. In addition, aloe vera has been found helpful for:3
- Candida infections
- Parasitic infections
- Constipation
- Ulcers, including those caused by H. pylori bacteria4
- Crohn’s disease, colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
2. Bone Broth
Bone broth is used as the foundation of the GAPs diet, which is based on the Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) principles developed by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride.
It forms the foundation because not only is it very easily digested, it also contains profound immune-optimizing components that are foundational building blocks for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. It is incredibly healing to your gut.
The GAPS diet is often used to treat children with autism and other disorders rooted in gut dysfunction, but just about anyone with allergies or less than optimal gut health can benefit from it, as it is designed to heal leaky gut. If your gut is leaky or permeable, partially undigested food, toxins, viruses, yeast, and bacteria have the opportunity to pass through your intestine and access your bloodstream; this is known as leaky gut.
When your intestinal lining is repeatedly damaged due to reoccurring leaky gut, damaged cells called microvilli become unable to do their job properly. They become unable to process and utilize the nutrients and enzymes that are vital to proper digestion.
Eventually, digestion is impaired and absorption of nutrients is negatively affected. As more exposure occurs, your body initiates an attack on these foreign invaders. It responds with inflammation, allergic reactions, and other symptoms we relate to a variety of diseases.
Leaky gut is the root of many allergies and autoimmune disorders, for example. When combined with toxic overload, you have a perfect storm that can lead to neurological disorders like autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities. Bone broth contains a variety of valuable nutrients of which many Americans are lacking, in a form your body can easily absorb and use.
This includes gelatin. The gelatin found in bone broth is a hydrophilic colloid. It attracts and holds liquids, including digestive juices, thereby supporting proper digestion. In addition, bone broth contains:
Calcium, phosphorus, and other minerals Components of collagen and cartilage Silicon and other trace minerals Components of bone and bone marrow Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate The "conditionally essential" anti-inflammatory amino acids proline, glycine, and glutamine 3. Fermented Vegetables
Another key component of the GAPS program is the daily consumption of fermented foods, particularly fermented vegetables like sauerkraut andkimchi.
Fermented foods are potent chelators (detoxifiers) and contain much higher levels of beneficial bacteria than even probiotic supplements, making them ideal for optimizing your gut flora. Fermented veggies also contain high levels of antioxidants and fiber for optimal digestive health.
Just one-quarter to one-half cup of fermented veggies, eaten with one to three meals per day, can have a dramatically beneficial impact on your digestive health and your overall health.
If you ferment your own vegetables, consider using a special starter culture that has been optimized with bacterial strains that produce high levels of vitamin K2. This is an inexpensive way to optimize your K2 levels, which are also crucial for good health.
If you enjoy spicy foods, you might also want to give kimchi a try. Kimchi is a traditional Korean dish made from fermented vegetables and a spicy blend of chili peppers, garlic, scallions, and other spices.
It's common to find kimchi at almost every Korean meal, where it is served alone as a side dish, mixed with rice or noodles, or used as an ingredient in soups or stews. It's rich in vitamins A and C, and due to its fermentation process is also rich in beneficial gut-boosting lactobacilli bacteria.
4. Kefir and Coconut Kefir
Kefir (fermented milk) and coconut kefir (fermented coconut water) are two more options to add more fermented foods to your diet. Both are rich in probiotics and enzymes to promote healthy bacterial balance that is necessary for proper gut health.
Kefir is easy to make at home using organic, raw, grass-fed milk, or coconut water, and will contain far more probiotics than you can get in supplement form. In addition to beneficial probiotics, traditionally fermented kefir also contains:
Beneficial yeast Minerals, such as magnesium Essential amino acids (such as tryptophan, which is well-known for its relaxing effect on the nervous system) Complete proteins Calcium Vitamins B1, B2, and biotin (B7) Vitamin K Phosphorus If you don’t consume dairy or you’re looking for a different taste, coconut kefir is a nice alternative to support your gut health. As noted by the Epoch Times:5
“Coconut kefir will enhance hydration and recolonize your gut and mucous membranes with a wide variety of beneficial microflora. It also contains beneficial yeasts that seek out and destroy pathogenic yeasts in the body (like Candida) as well as helping clean, strengthen, and purify intestinal walls so it can become more resistant to dangerous pathogens like E. coli, salmonella, and parasites.
Coconut kefir also helps assimilate nutrients in the gut and enhances the usage of certain trace minerals and B-vitamins.”
5. Flax Seed Tea
Flax seed tea is simple to make by pouring 12 ounces of boiling water over one tablespoon of flax seeds, then letting it steep overnight (drain the seeds out prior to drinking). This simple beverage provides healing support to the colon due to its content of omega-3 fats, soluble fiber and lignans, which are anti-inflammatory and have a lubricating effect.6 If you have leaky gut syndrome or irritable bowel, give this tea a try.
6. Red Cabbage
Red cabbage is rich in the amino acid L-glutamine, which is known to help heal the soft tissue lining your intestines. It’s especially helpful for people with leaky gut, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, and irritable bowel syndrome. You can eat red cabbage steamed, juiced, or, perhaps best of all, fermented, which will add an abundance of gut-healthy enzymes and beneficial bacteria into the mix as well.
7. Chlorella
Chlorella, single-celled fresh water algae, is often referred to as a near-perfect food, with a wide range of health benefits. For starters, it promotes healthy pH levels in your gut, which in turn helps good bacteria to thrive. It’s also a potent detox agent for mercury and other heavy metals, which is useful since one of the symptoms of mercury build-up is digestive distress and reduced ability to properly assimilate and utilize fats. Chlorella is even rich in fiber, helping to tone the lining of your intestines and keep you “regular.”
8. Moringa
Moringa, sometimes described as the “miracle tree,” has small, rounded leaves that are packed with an incredible amount of nutrition: protein, calcium, beta carotene, vitamin C, potassium… you name it, moringa’s got it. No wonder it’s been used medicinally (and as a food source) for at least 4,000 years.7 From a digestive standpoint, moringa is high in fiber that, as the Epoch Times put it, “works like a mop in your intestines… to clean up any of that extra grunge left over from a greasy diet.”8
Also noteworthy are its isothiocyanates, which have anti-bacterial properties that may help to rid your body of H. pylori, a bacteria implicated in gastritis, ulcers, and gastric cancer.
9. Psyllium
The recommended daily amount of fiber is between 20 and 30 grams, but I believe about 32 grams per day is ideal. Unfortunately, most people get only half that or less. Your best source of dietary fiber comes from vegetables, and most people simply aren't eating enough veggies. One way to easily increase your fiber intake is to add psyllium to your diet.
Taking it three times a day could add as much as 18 grams of dietary fiber (soluble and insoluble) to your diet. In addition to supporting healthy digestion, soluble fibers such as psyllium are prebiotics that help nourish beneficial bacteria. These beneficial bacteria in turn assist with digestion and absorption of your food, and play a significant role in your immune function.
Please keep in mind that psyllium is a heavily sprayed crop, which means many sources are contaminated with pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. For this reason, be sure to ONLY use organic psyllium husk, and make sure it’s 100% pure. Many supplement brands use synthetic or semi-synthetic active ingredients that do not contain psyllium, such as methylcellulose and calcium polycarbophil. Some brands even add sweeteners and other additives, which you’re better off avoiding.
10. Chia Seeds
Chia seeds contain about 10 grams of fiber in just two tablespoons, and they’re rich in anti-inflammatory phytochemicals for soothing gastrointestinal distress. One of chia seeds’ greatest qualities is how easy they are to use. They have a mild flavor that makes them adaptable to a variety of recipes, and they’re gluten-free, which is perfect for those with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or who are simply trying to avoid gluten. Chia seeds can be added to virtually any dish, from raw yogurt to applesauce to smoothies.
Keep in mind that chia seeds take on a gelatinous texture after they mix with a liquid, so if you prefer a crunch, sprinkle them on just before eating.
Avoid These Six Gut Health Disasters…
In addition to knowing what to add to your diet and lifestyle for digestive health, it's equally important to know what to avoid, and this includes the following. By avoiding the gut health disasters below and fortifying your diet with the superfoods mentioned above, you’ll be well on your way to optimal digestive health and wellness:
Antibiotics, unless absolutely necessary (and when you do, make sure to reseed your gut with fermented foods and/or a probiotic supplement) Conventionally-raised meats and other animal products, as CAFO animals are routinely fed low-dose antibiotics, plus genetically engineered grains, which have also been implicated in the destruction of gut flora Processed foods (as the excessive sugars, along with otherwise "dead" nutrients, feed pathogenic bacteria) Chlorinated and/or fluoridated water Antibacterial soap Agricultural chemicals, glyphosate(Roundup) in particular
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