The Coconut
Water King
February 24, 2010
The ongoing coconut water craze that first sparked in the States a few years has remained strong namely because of the water's numerous health benefits. As soda drinkers try to ween themselves from the sugary stuff, coconut water is becoming a suitable choice. Among its long list of benefits, here are a few of the stand-outs:
Coconut water is...
• a blood plasma substitute; universal donor.
• a blood purifier and an immune booster.
• loaded with electrolytes that purify, rebalance and replenish.
• an isotonic beverage — same concentration of salt as human blood.
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• fat-free, weight reducing, high in potassium
• considered a skin softener with properties that fight eczema.
How much true staying power coconut water is bound to have will likely depend on its packaging and price. Companies have been grooming it as a natural, healthier alternative to sports drinks such as Gatorade, selling the water in handy 11-oz. eco-friendly boxes. Unlike Noni juice, another Hawaiian export which became popular primarily in health food stores and was distributed through direct marketing affiliates, coconut water has "cross-over" appeal. Because it doesn't need to be consumed on an empty stomach and can become part of a daily work-out regimen, it's a plausible challenger to soft drinks. While taking on the lucrative sport and energy drinks market, the water has also swooped up a few celebrity endorsements, most notably from Madonna, who put her money where her mouth is and announced plans to invest in the top brand.
Vita Coco is still the most popular brand with a 70% market share. Founded in 2004, the brand retails its coconut water for about $2. As its competitors line up to claim their fair share of the market, along with the multi-national corporations that are vying to take over the private brands, the hardy and health conscious hope commercialized coconut water remains pure, unadulterated and as good for the body as it always has been. NewsSip
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