Does coconut water help against high blood pressure?
What is coconut water?
Coconut water should not be confused with coconut milk. This is made from the grated flesh of the ripe nuts, is white, creamy, and contains significantly more fat than the low-calorie and low-fat coconut water.
Coconut water is said to be rich in minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and trace elements. In tropical countries, it is also used as a remedy for dehydration - for example, in cases of diarrhea or overheating. However, it cannot be classified as isotonic, contrary to common advertising claims, as the sodium content is too low.
How does coconut water affect blood pressure?
In a small study, Indian researchers observed the blood pressure of 28 participants with high blood pressure in 2005. They were divided into four groups. The first group received pure water, the second group drank coconut water, a third group received Mauby (a refreshing drink made from the bark of the Mauby tree), and the fourth group drank a mix of coconut water and Mauby.
The mean systolic and mean diastolic blood pressure values decreased in all three comparison groups during the two-week observation period. The systolic pressure dropped the most in the coconut water group, and the diastolic pressure in the group that received the mixed drink.
However, the significance of this study is relatively low due to the small number of participants and the short observation period. Coconut water may have an interesting composition of minerals. However, the influence on blood pressure is quite uncertain and insufficiently documented.
Coconut water is more likely to be regarded as a trendy drink rather than an effective food against high blood pressure in our latitudes.
Sources
By Sabine Croci.
This article is medically reviewed. Last updated (04/2024).
Information on the website and within the app cannot replace a consultation with a doctor, but can certainly complement it.
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