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10 Disadvantages of Coconut Water That You Should Know
Although coconut is praised rightfully for its benefits, there are some alarming disadvantages of coconut water. Read on to learn the potential harm that this drink may cause.
Whenever one talks about health drinks, coconut water is the first drink that comes to mind. Extremely popular in its natural form, coconuts are mainly harvested and grown in areas with tropical climates. The drink is said to have tremendous health benefits, including its capability to lower your blood pressure, boost your immune system, as well as to rehydrate your body. It is often pushed forward as a super drink which is indispensable in the heat.
However, digging a bit deeper, various studies have shown that this sweet water has some not-so-sweet disadvantages too. Before you start consuming too much coconut water on a regular basis, read to know about the possible disadvantages of coconut water.
10 Disadvantages of Coconut Water
As with many foods, excessive consumption of coconut water can have various side effects. Its probable diuretic effects can cause problems in urination and cause electrolyte imbalances that may elevate your body's blood sugar levels. It can also have an impact on your kidneys and may interfere with the way some of your medication works. Let's find out about the 10 disadvantages of coconut water that you must know:
1. Possibly Harmful to People with Allergic Sensitivities
Coconut comes from the same family as tree nuts, and the protein called tropomyosin found in coconut water may trigger an allergic reaction in susceptible individuals who are allergic to nuts.
Did you know that the FDA has included "tree nuts" in the list of items falling under the term "major food allergen"? It has, and the list of tree nuts also contains coconut as one of the food products that can have an allergic reaction in some people (1).
Some of the common allergic reactions that you may experience from coconut water include swollen face, tongue, or lips, itching, and also difficulty breathing. In a rare severe case, it may also result in a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction, anaphylaxis,
2. May not be good for Athletes
Coconut water gets promoted as a natural alternative to generic sports drinks because it is supposedly rich in electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals that can help in replenishing your energy stores after exercise or exertion. It, however, might not be the perfect energy drink for professional athletes.
After an intense workout, the athletes need to replenish muscle glycogen stores and initiate muscle tissue repair and adaptation. It is also important for them to consume a carbohydrate supplement as soon as possible (2). Natural coconut water may provide much fewer carbohydrates and electrolytes than the average sports drink, and they may not be enough for athletes' recovery.
When it comes to packaged coconut water, certain brands may add extra sugar or artificial flavors to it. This may lead to excess calories in the coconut water as well as negate some of the potential health benefits.
3. Coconut Water May Spike Blood Sugar
Natural sugars are present in coconut water in various forms, which include sucrose, glucose, and fructose (3). These are said to have the potential to raise your blood sugar levels. These natural sugars may not increase your blood sugar level rapidly. However, some brands of packaged coconut water may contain added sugars or flavors. These may increase the sugar content and the GI, resulting in a faster blood sugar spike, thereby making it one of the disadvantages of coconut water.
The impact of coconut water on your body's sugar level may depend on various factors. These may include your overall health status and the amount of coconut water you consumed. If you are a diabetic patient, then you need to be extra cautious while consuming coconut water.
4. Coconut Water May Lower Your Blood Pressure
Conversely, for people with high blood pressure, consuming coconut water on a regular basis is good. But it may prove to be disadvantageous if you have low blood pressure. You must drink this super drink in moderation.
One study was published in the National Library of Medicine on the "Control of hypertension by the use of coconut water and mauby" (4). The study was conducted on 28 people to investigate the effect of regular consumption of two tropical food drinks, i.e., coconut water and mauby. It revealed that a "significant decrease in the mean systolic blood pressure was observed in 71% of the people who consumed coconut water on a regular basis during the study period."
5. May Result in an Imbalance of Electrolytes
Coconut water is generally known to be a natural source of electrolytes. These are essential minerals that help regulate our bodily functions. They also play an important role in muscle functions, nerve transmission, and maintaining fluid balance inside and outside your cells.
If there are too few or too many electrolytes in your body, it will result in an imbalance. Therefore, the consumption of coconut water in large quantities may result in electrolyte imbalance in your body.
Hyperkalemia and Hyponatremia are also considered to be the potential side effects of coconut water. Hyperkalemia is a condition when the blood in your body has high levels of potassium (5). This is considered to be a potentially life-threatening electrolyte disturbance (6). Hyponatremia is a condition when your bloodstream has low levels of sodium. One of the many causes of this is when you may consume too much fluid without enough sodium intake.
If you have any medical conditions or you do intense physical activities, you might be at a greater risk of electrolyte imbalance.
6. Has Diuretic Characteristics
Coconut water is believed to have diuretic properties. A diuretic is a substance that promotes diuresis, i.e., increases urine production. You may have to urinate more often than normal.
A study titled "Coconut water: An unexpected source of urinary citrate" (7) was conducted to determine whether the consumption of coconut water would induce changes to lithogenic factors beyond changes in urine volume. The results showed that consumption of coconut water significantly increased urinary citrate, urinary potassium, and urinary chloride without affecting urine pH. Some other studies conducted over time also revealed the same results (8).
This finds its place on our list of coconut water side effects because excessive consumption of coconut water, like any other diuretic, may lead to dehydration due to frequent urination.
7. Coconut Water may Interfere with the Medication
Coconut water may potentially interfere with certain medications. Components of coconut water may affect the way that some of your medications work.
Our contributor Mary Sabat, RDN, LD, and Ace Certified Trainer, says, “Coconut water is generally safe for most people when consumed in moderation, but it may interact with medications and existing medical conditions in some cases. Its high potassium content could interfere with medications that affect potassium levels, such as certain blood pressure medications or potassium-sparing diuretics. Additionally, individuals with kidney problems should be cautious due to the potential for potassium accumulation. People with nut allergies should also be aware that while coconut water is not a nut, it may be processed in facilities that handle tree nuts, posing a risk of cross-contamination.”
Consuming coconut water while you are taking medication for high blood pressure might result in dropping your blood pressure very low, which might be a severe health hazard. However, for most people, drinking moderate amounts of coconut water is unlikely to cause any problems with medication.
8. May Cause Kidney Problems
Excessive consumption of coconut water may potentially lead to kidney problems in some cases. Coconut water is high in potassium (9). If you have any kind of kidney problem, you may not be able to effectively excrete the excess amount of potassium that entered your body with coconut water. Therefore, it is considered one of the disadvantages of coconut water.
Sharing a word of caution, our contributor Mary Sabat, says, “Individuals with kidney disease should exercise caution when consuming coconut water due to its naturally high potassium content. Kidneys play a crucial role in regulating potassium levels in the body, and impaired kidney function can lead to a buildup of potassium in the blood, known as hyperkalemia, which can have adverse health effects, including heart rhythm disturbances. Therefore, it's important for those with kidney disease to monitor their potassium intake carefully and consult with healthcare professionals or dietitians to determine whether coconut water can be included in their diet without exacerbating potassium imbalances.”
9. Could be bad for Cystic Fibrosis
A genetic condition, cystic fibrosis, is known to affect your respiratory, digestive, and reproductive systems. The condition makes it quite difficult for you to absorb nutrients received through your food. This may make you prone to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.
Cystic fibrosis may also impact salt levels in the body, bringing them to a lower level than required for a healthy body. Doctors may recommend fluids or pills to increase salt levels. As coconut water contains only a small amount of sodium, it may not be enough to increase the required salt level.
10. May Interfere with the Surgery
Coconut water may interfere with surgery due to its high potassium content. Consumption of coconut water before your scheduled surgery may result in an increased level of potassium in your blood. This could be dangerous and may interfere with the anesthesia as also other medications used during the surgery or procedure. Anesthesia may affect the way your body processes potassium and can have various complications (10).
If you are scheduled to undergo surgery or have just undergone surgery, always check with your doctor before consuming coconut water.
Conclusion:
There is no denying the pluses of drinking coconut water. It replenishes, revitalizes, and restores you and your energy levels. However, it has a few disadvantages which get pronounced with immoderate consumption. It is important to consider all the potential disadvantages of coconut water before and during consumption. If you are on medication that may affect your potassium level, it is very important to speak to your doctor before making coconut water a part of your daily diet plan. Also, if you are scheduled to undergo any surgery, it is advisable to consult your doctor. Be mindful that excessive intake of coconut water may drop your blood pressure. If you consume coconut water with blood pressure-lowering herbs and/or supplements, the blood pressure might drop more than it is needed. Always consume it in moderation.
Contributor: Mary Sabat, RDN, LD, Ace Certified Trainer - Body Designs Ltd.
Citations:
1 - What nuts are considered "tree nuts?"
2 - Regulation of Muscle Glycogen Repletion, Muscle Protein Synthesis and Repair Following Exercise
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3905295/
3 - Authenticity and the Potability of Coconut Water - a Critical Review
https://academic.oup.com/jaoac/article/103/3/800/5804143
4 - The control of hypertension by use of coconut water and mauby
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15892382/
5 - Coconut water-induced hyperkalaemia
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232813007_Coconut_water-induced_hyperkalaemia
6 - Death by Coconut
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCEP.113.000941#d1e247
7 - Coconut Water: An Unexpected Source of Urinary Citrate
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