Coconut Water for Weight Loss

Compared to other types of drinks, coconut water is low in calories, but it's not calorie-free. If you're looking for a natural drink to add to your weight-loss diet, coconut water makes a good choice, as long as you stick with the waters without any added juice or sugar. Always consult your doctor before going on any weight-loss diet.

Coconut water is the liquid you find when you open up a fresh coconut. In essence, coconut water is the actual juice of the coconut, not to be confused with coconut milk, which is a mixture of coconut water and coconut milk and is much higher in both calories and fat.

Coconut water without any other added ingredients is a low-calorie drink. One cup contains 45 calories, 0 grams of fat, 10 grams of carbs and 1 gram of protein. If you're lucky enough to get fresh coconut water, you'll also get some fiber, which is helpful when trying to control hunger on a weight-loss diet. One cup of fresh coconut water contains 2.6 grams of fiber.

The drink is also a rich source of a number of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, calcium, potassium, magnesium and manganese. However, the amounts vary greatly between the fresh juice and ready-to-drink coconut water, with fresh juice a better source of the minerals and ready-to-drink water a better source of vitamin C.

If drinking coconut water helps you create or maintain a negative calorie balance, then it may help you on your weight-loss diet. For example, if you drink 1 cup of coconut water instead of 1 cup of orange juice daily, you save almost 90 calories. If 1 pound of fat contains 3,500 calories, swapping your OJ for coconut water can help you lose 1 pound in about six weeks.

When drinking coconut water as part of a weight-loss plan, count and track the calories in the drink to stay on target. Coconut water is also a source of sodium, and the amount may vary from brand to brand. Sodium not only causes you to retain water, but getting too much in your diet may increase your risk of hypertension. Read food labels and go for the brands with less sodium.