Is Coconut Water Good For Diabetes?

Coconut water is often touted as having great health benefits while being low in sugar and fat. Among the coconut water benefits, it is frequently noted for its potential to help manage blood sugar levels, making it particularly relevant for people with diabetes. It’s a popular beverage that can be drunk plain, mixed into other fruit juices, or used for cooking. But is coconut water good for diabetics?

If you have diabetes and want to know if you can incorporate coconut water into your diabetic friendly diet safely, here is everything you need to know about coconut water. Coconut water is often considered a healthy beverage option due to its low glycemic index and nutritional profile, which may support blood sugar management.

What is Coconut Water?

Coconut water is the liquid found inside coconuts, specifically harvested from young green coconuts. Coconut water is not pure water and contains natural sugars, dietary fiber, small amounts of proteins, and vitamins and minerals like calcium, folate, vitamin C, and magnesium. Potassium, calcium, and magnesium in coconut water are considered essential minerals, crucial for hydration, muscle function, and bone health.

Coconut water develops inside coconuts to suspend the endosperm inside the coconut as it develops into a coconut tree. As the coconut grows, the water takes on a cellular phase with a styrofoam-like texture that can be eaten.

What’s the Difference Between Coconut Water and Coconut Milk?

If you’ve gone to your local grocery store, you may have seen that there are cans of coconut water as well as coconut milk. Many people may not know the difference between the two, however.

Coconut water is as described above: it’s the water stored inside young green coconuts that contains essential nutrients.

On the other hand, coconut milk is the liquid specifically found within the coconut’s flesh, the white, edible layer directly under the brown coconut shell. Coconut milk needs to be extracted from the flesh by straining it with additional water, and it’s often used for cooking and baking. Coconut milk is made from coconut meat, which comes from mature coconut and is rich in healthy fats. It also contains a lot more calories and fat than coconut water from the coconut flesh.

Coconut Water Nutritional Information

Coconut water is 94% water and has a lot of natural nutrients that are important for a balanced diet. Here is a nutritional breakdown for one cup of coconut water:

• Calories: 60
• Carbs: 15 grams
• Sugar: 8 grams
• Calcium: 4% of daily value (DV)
• Magnesium: 4% of DV
• Phosphorus: 2% of DV
• Potassium: 15% of DV

Coconut water also contains other nutrients that support overall health.

The low sugar content of coconut water makes it a good drink for people with diabetes who want something sweet to drink but want to control their sugar intake and stay in control of their blood sugar levels.

3 Health Benefits of Coconut Water

Coconut water has numerous health benefits that can help your body. Here are some of the different ways consuming coconut water can help you.

1. Naturally Fat-Free & Low-Calorie

If you drink natural coconut water, which is free from added sugar and flavors, you get to enjoy a drink that’s naturally fat-free and low in calories. One cup of coconut water has just 60 calories, which is half as much as a cup of orange juice. In contrast, other fruit juices are often packed with sugars, which drastically reduces the nutritional value of the drink and can be unsafe for people with diabetes.

2. High in Potassium

Potassium is a nutrient that many people don’t get enough of in their diets. It helps remove excess sodium from your body, can help prevent kidney stones, and helps regulate fluid balance in the body.

While potassium supports healthy kidney function, individuals with chronic kidney disease should monitor their intake of coconut water due to its high potassium content, as excessive potassium can be dangerous for those with impaired kidney function.

Just one cup of coconut water contains 15% of your daily recommended potassium consumption, making it an excellent way to get more potassium in your diet without using dietary supplements or building a diet plan around achieving potassium goals.

3. Helps You Stay Hydrated

Oddly enough, coconut water is actually comparable to sports drinks when it comes to hydration. Coconut water has natural electrolytes in potassium, sodium, and magnesium. However, because you can get coconut water without any added sugars or flavorings, it’s ultimately a better choice than store-bought sports drinks.

5 Ways to Drink Coconut Water

The easiest way to drink coconut water is by drinking it straight like you would a glass of regular water. For people with diabetes, tender coconut water is a safe and beneficial choice, as it contains less sugar and fewer additives than mature coconut or processed coconut water. However, some people may not enjoy the taste of drinking coconut water or may want to try creative ways of adding it to their diet.

Whether you’re looking to hide the taste of coconut water or just add more of it into your diet, try one of these methods instead:

• Drink coconut water on an empty stomach in the morning to help boost energy and hydration.

1. Add it to another drink like a low-sugar fruit juice. The mild flavor of coconut water makes it difficult to detect when added to drinks with stronger flavors.
2. Use it as the liquid base for a smoothie. The strong flavors of fruits and veggies will easily cover up the flavor of the coconut water.
3. Use it as a soup base. Coconut water can add a rich depth of flavor to savory soups.
4. Use it as a base for homemade popsicles. You can blend fruit and coconut water in a blender, then add it to popsicle molds and freeze, or substitute coconut water for the liquid in your favorite popsicle recipe.
5. Seek out recipes that use coconut water without substitutions, such as Vietnamese braised pork, Thai curries, or Chinese chicken soups.

Should People With Diabetes Drink Coconut Water?

Coconut water can be a refreshing and beneficial addition to your diet for blood sugar regulation if you have diabetes. However, coconut water should be consumed moderately to avoid excessive intake, which can lead to health complications such as blood sugar spikes and, in some cases, kidney damage due to high potassium content—especially for those with pre-existing kidney issues. High sugar patients should monitor their intake and consult a healthcare provider before adding coconut water to their diet. Some studies suggest coconut water may help lower blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity, but more research is needed.

There is no conclusive evidence that coconut water or coconut increases insulin levels directly. Additionally, mature coconut water may have different effects compared to young coconut water due to its higher fat content, so it should be chosen carefully. Uncontrolled high blood sugar levels can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, making it important to manage your intake and monitor your health closely. Its low sugar content, despite its natural sweetness, natural electrolytes, and hydrating properties, makes it a healthier alternative to sugary beverages and sports drinks. However, it’s important to monitor portion sizes and choose varieties without added sugars or flavorings.

Everyone’s nutritional needs are different, and what works for one person may not work for another. If you’re wondering how to safely include coconut water in your diabetes management plan, connect with a registered dietitian at no cost to you. A registered dietitian can provide personalized guidance to help you make the best choices for your health and lifestyle.

Coconut Water FAQ

What is the Glycemic Index of Coconut Water?

Coconut water has a glycemic index (GI) score of about 54, meaning it is considered to have a low glycemic index. When a food has a low GI, that means it takes longer for the food to affect your blood sugar levels, which helps with stability and prevents blood sugar levels from spiking.

How Much Coconut Water Should People With Diabetes Drink?

It’s recommended that diabetes patients drink no more than two cups of coconut water per day, and it should be paired with healthy fats and proteins that combat blood sugar spikes. While coconut water does not have a lot of sugar, too much coconut water consumption can potentially lead to blood sugar levels spiking, which can be dangerous.

If you’re concerned about your blood sugar levels while drinking coconut water, try eating a small snack alongside it, such as a handful of almonds or some cubes of cheese.

What is the Best Coconut Water to Buy?

For people with diabetes, always look for unsweetened varieties of coconut water that is 100% pure, unsweetened, and free of added flavors or preservatives. When buying packaged coconut water, check the label carefully for added sugars and preservatives, and choose products without these additives. Coconut water without additives is best for people with diabetes and for regulating blood sugar levels.

Can Coconut Water Interact With Diabetes Medications?

Coconut water may mildly interact with diabetes medications, potentially lowering blood sugar levels when combined with antidiabetic drugs. This effect is rated as minor and is considered unlikely in humans, though shown in animal studies. However, if you’re on blood pressure medications, the high potassium content may lower your blood pressure further. It’s best to monitor your blood sugar and blood pressure closely, especially because drinking coconut water can lead to too much potassium, and consult your healthcare provider before drinking coconut water regularly while on these medications.