Hydration - And Possible Migraine Relief? Vita Coco Coconut Water

The first time I ever had coconut water was on a tropical Brazilian beach. The vendor brandished his machete, hacked a coconut off of one of the branches he had in his stall, gouged a hole in the top and handed it over with a straw in it. Because it had been sitting on ice, the liquid inside was cool and refreshing. Not to be confused with coconut milk, coconut water has the consistency of water, is clear in color, with a slightly sweet flavor and a cucumber-like cool aftertaste. Throughout the trip I enjoyed "Coco" on many occasions and learned from the locals that it is their recommended cure for stomach ailments, hangovers, or just as a treat on a hot day. I shudder to think of the number of coconut shells that I left behind, still with their delicious coconut jelly inside, which I could not get at unless I bothered the vendor to hack it open for me.

In anycase, coconut water is now being marketed in a box as a drink (you can pick it up in 1L boxes as well as single serving packages at Whole Foods), and the taste is almost as perfect as that which you would find on a Brazilian beach. Of course drinking from a box isn't quite as romantic as drinking from the coconut itself, but it is nice that the flavor hasn't suffered. I've been drinking a lot of it lately -a glass after exercise - and because of the high levels of potassium and electrolytes in it, it has been doing wonders for my hydration (yes, I'm guilty of failing to drink my RDA of water). Many people claim to have gained migraine relief from drinking it as well, since dehydration can sometimes cause migraines. I don't know if that is really the case, but since I've been downing it lately I haven't had any migraines in the past few weeks. It is much better for you than those sugared and artificial sports drinks and only has 45 calories per serving. There are two brands available at Whole Foods and I haven't really noticed a difference between either. What can I say - I'm a fan. Of course I'd rather be in Brazil, but in this case, you can let Brazil come to you!