Holy Smokes, I’m in Brazil!
I’ll be here for the next couple weeks and am excited to share info about some incredible tropical fruit and foods available in several posts per week so buckle up! One of the things I was looking forward to most on my bae-cay 😉 is having access to coconuts 24-7! I’m obsessed.
Apparently coconuts first arrived in Bahia in 1553 and then their growth spread all along the coast of Brazil. There are so many dishes that use coconut here from cassava and tapioca puddings, tapioca cous cous, beiju molhado, canjica (porridge), and much more. My favorite way to eat a coconut is fresh, drinking the water and eating the meat (when I’m not managing my macros as coconut milk and meat are higher in fat.
Coconut water which forms naturally in the fruit is 94% water, very little fat, high in potassium around 600 mg, and low in sodium. A diet rich in potassium is key for lowering blood pressure, dealing with sugar cravings, adrenal fatigue and much more. Research has shown that coconut water can lower blood sugar levels and improve health markers in animals, and has an antioxidant effect to modify free radicals so they do not cause harm. Beyond all this coconut water is the perfect post-workout drink for replenishing electrolytes post-workout because it contains potassium, magnesium, sodium and calcium. In two separate research studies, researchers found that coconut water restored hydration after exercise better than water and equal to high-electrolyte sports beverages. XO
Also check out this Past Post on 7 Natural Ways to Replenish Your Electrolytes Post Workout.
References:
Haddy FJ, Vanhoutte PM, Feletou M. Role of potassium in regulating blood flow
and blood pressure. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2006
Mar;290(3):R546-52. Review. PubMed PMID: 16467502.
Ismail I, Singh R, Sirisinghe RG. Rehydration with sodium-enriched coconut
water after exercise-induced dehydration. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public
Health. 2007 Jul;38(4):769-85. PubMed PMID: 17883020.