Vita Coco

Has anyone here used an after sports drink called "Vita Coco"? I read a short "info article" in a magazine and they claim it is better than Gatorate, Powerade and the other sports drinks but with more of the good stuff (electrolytes, potassium)and less of the bad stuff (sugar, additives). They say it is all natural. At least that's whay they say. Anyone?????:confused:

I haven't heard of it - but that doesn't mean anything. I'm hooked on Cytomax and turn a blind eye to anything else.

A quick google search says it is coconut based. That sounds better as a pina colada than an endurance ride thirst quencher.

I googled it, too. My local natural foods grocery store sells a brand of coconut water, although not this one. I have heard that coconut water is something of a natural electrolyte liquid. I have tried it and it is not sweet at all. To me, this is a good thing. However, I have to wonder how cost-effective coconut water is outside of the regions of the world where coconuts are grown. I know I can't afford it at local pricing.

I also am turned off by all that excessive packaging. That's how the brand sold near me is packaged. Can you imagine how much trash one would generate drinking that when riding?

Clif electrolyte mix lemonade flavor is 92% organic and doesn't contain any high fructose corn syrup products, nor any artificial flavors or colors. No preservatives, so it does have an expiration date. Doesn't cause me any stomach distress at all (unlike Gatorade).

Might be worth looking into if you're in the market for something on the natural side.

It comes in a big jar and you mix it with water, so there is minimal packaging waste.

Full ingredient list available at www.clifbar.com

If you go to an Asian grocery, they sometimes have green coconuts (at least that;s what I call them. Very little meat and full of water. You can tell them apart from the "regular" coconuts because their is a white fibrous material around the nut shell. it is carved in a cylinder, with a pointy end. They are also wrapped in plastic wrap to keep the white from getting too gross looking.

I don't know whether this is the same as the packaged product, or if it is more environmentally freindly, but it sure is delicious! The shell is much easier to peirce than the ripe coconuts. I opened mine up and there is a thin layer of meat, with a very delicate texture, similar to custard. I would suspect that it is cheaper in an ethnic store than in a natural foods market. I think I paid one dollar for a coconut maybe it was one or two years ago. And unprocessed, since it hasn't been cracked open. The repackaged stuff probably at least needs heat treatment to prevent spoilage.

I had always assumed that these coconuts were probably unhealthy to eat, because of the "evils" of tropical fats. So, I've only bought them rarely, as a guilty treat. Though the fluid doesn't seem oily, so this is just may just be a baseless prejudice.

I love coconut juice. It's the product of my Thai peeps:D

Young coconut juice/water has no fat what so ever. Here's a link to the nutritional facts. http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals....onut_water.htm

Now when you start carving into the white meat, that's you will find fat. Doesn't matter if it's a young coconut or a mature one, all the fats are within the white coconut flesh. Asians use coconut milk like a Europeans use sour cream and cheese...to add the rich flavor of fat.

If you think about it, a coconut is a big nut, just like a walnut or a macadamia. It's a super nutritious seed that is the start of new plant. Therefore, it's going to have all the similar fats of nuts. However, coconut meat is whole lot higher in saturated fat than other nuts.

Tip: if you can't find the fresh coconuts, you can find them packaged in the freezer section of an asian store.

Mmmmmmm. Thai curry. :D