One of the biggest challenges of keto is the restrictive nature of food choices you find yourself being limited with. With a focus on high-fat foods like meats, cheese, and oils, a lot poeple may find themselves feeling prisoned within their food options
If you’ve been doing keto, for as short as a couple of days, you have probably already noticed and hated how drastically one has to reduce their carbohydrate intake and increase fat consumption, to get (and stay) into ketosis, where we burn fat for energy instead of glucose.
Before you get to start enjoying the success and weight loss with keto, it can seem like a difficult lifestyle to maintain. And you begin to wonder about everything you have ever eaten and liked before and try to figure out if it’s “keto-friendly“.
Coconut water was one of those things for me. I like the taste and freshness of it and prefer it to things like sprinkled water, especially since it’s more natural and, for me, tastes better.
Is Coconut water Keto?
One cup of coconut water contains around 9.4 grams of net carbs. This can make it challenging to fit into your diet. However, if your carb limit on keto is higher than 20g per day, you might be able to enjoy coconut water in moderation.
In my personal experience, I decided to eliminate coconut water at the beginning of my keto journey when I was still trying to get into ketosis. As I advanced in the diet, and especially when I reached the maintenance phase, I opted to add it back and enjoy it in moderation.
That strategy is also what I usually recommend to people. To add the higher-carb foods when one is comfortable with the diet, and avoid them at the beginning and while trying to lose weight.
The good news is there are so many other beverages that one can enjoy on keto guilty-free, like coffee, tea and so many sugar-free drinks that you can add sugar-free sweetners too as well, and enjoy something that will satisfy your sweet tooth without messing with your weight loss progress.
How Much Coconut Water Should I Drink on Keto?
It’s recommended to stick to no more than 4-6 ounces (120-180 ml) per day and adjust your daily carbohydrate intake accordingly. It’s also important to choose pure coconut water without added sugars or flavors to ensure that you’re not consuming any hidden carbs.
The problem with drinking beverages that are even moderately high in carbs, is that they can easily and quickly add up and potentially kick you out of ketosis if you consume too much. Therefore, it’s best to limit your intake of coconut water while on a ketogenic diet and prioritize other sources of hydration, such as water, herbal tea, and electrolyte supplements.
9 Things You Need to Know About Coconut Water On Keto
1- Coconut water is one of the best natural beverages for hydration.
Coconut water contains natural electrolytes, including potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus. These three electrolytes are crucial for maintaining proper fluid balance and hydration levels in the body.
During, diets, in general, and keto, in specific, our bodies need a lot more hydration than usual. On keto, we lose much of the water we have in our bodies in the beginning of the diet while we’re getting rid of our glycogen stores. This means we must make sure we actively try to rehydrate our bodies.
2- Coconut water is not the best option for hydration on a strict keto diet.
So we need hydration. But is coconut water one of the good ways to do it? No. Especially not in the beginning. We are much better off relying on zero-sugar drinks and water to rehydrate. This ensures that we get the water our body needs without the risk of getting kicked out of ketosis.
3- Coconut water is high micronutrients.
Coconut water contains a variety of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin B6, iron and potassium. These nutrients can help support overall health and well-being and offer aid in weight loss.
If coconut water can fit in your keto macros, you’ll be enjoying these healthy benefits. If not, make sure you’re getting enough of these micronutrients by eating vegetables regularly.
4- Adjusting your daily carbohydrate intake is a must when adding coconut water.
When adding as little as one cup of coconut water to your diet, it can constitute more 25% of your net carb intake.
That means you have to rethink your daily intake and the foods and beverages that you’re consuming to make sure coconut water is not interfering in your state of ketosis.
5- Beware of the Hidden Carbs.
Nowadays, most products in the market are labeled with words like, “healthy”, “natural”, “keto-friendly”, and “low-carb”. But when you actually read the label and nutrition facts, you realize it is nothing like what it’s labeled as.
The moral of the story is that you can’t believe the marketing words written all over the face of the product, and you have to take a look at the back and check for yourself.
6- Pure coconut water without added sugars or flavors is your best bet on Keto.
It’s not easy recommending to people to add coconut water to their lives while on keto. However, it’s a very easy call to say no to a product with added sugars.
You see, anything with artificial flavors and added sugars is a no-no on keto.
The only way you can enjoy some coconut water on keto is by opting for pure coconut water and consuming it in moderation.
7- The best time to drink it is before your workout.
When I’m asked about the best times to consume a meal that is somewhat rich in carbs on keto, I usually ask “when do you workout?”.
Coconut water, like other foods and beverages that are relatively high in carbs, is best consumed before you go for a walk, run, the gym or any other sports you’re doing.
It can be a great replacement to sports drinks or other sugary beverages you might have been used to before keto. This gives your body its best shot at using these carbs the best way possible by burning them for energy.
I take my own advice most days, except if I were to exercise in the morning. Instead, I almost always prefer fasted workouts in the mornings.
8- Don’t overdrink your calories.
One of the biggest mistakes people do on keto is overdrinking shakes and smoothies.
When you do, you’re making it much easier for your body to overconsume calories. Drinking high-calorie smoothies is a great way to build muscle and help your body be at a caloric surplas. However, if you’re main aim is to lose weight, drinking calorie-heavy smoothies will work against your goals.
9- Coconut water is a Guilty-Pleasure on keto.
Although coconut water has some really good micronutrients underneath its belt, can help you better rehydrate, and is for sure healthier than sugar-free soda, for instance, it still is something you should mainly consume only if you enjoy it.
Don’t think of it as part of your diet. Think of it as a treat, that if you choose wisely and consume moderately you can do so guilt-free.
Is Fresh Coconut Meat Keto-friendly?
Fresh coconut meat is on of the keto-friendly foods as it is low in carbohydrates and high in healthy fats. It contains only 6 grams of net carbs per 100 grams and is a good source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are easily converted into ketones by the liver and can help support ketosis.
Additionally, coconut meat is a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making it a nutritious addition to a ketogenic diet. However, as I say regarding all foods, it’s important to consume it in moderation and to consider the overall macronutrient balance of your meals.
I have seen many cases of people who say keto is not working for them, and as I look into their diet I realize they’re overeating the “keto-friendly” foods ot the point where it’s more than their bodies can handle.
So even if a food is keto-friendly, you still need to use your mind to determine how it will fit into your keto journey.
Is Vita Coco Coconut Water Keto?
The amount of sugar in Vita Coco coconut water is typically around 6-8 grams of carbohydrates per 100ml serving and it can vary depending on the specific product and flavor. While this is not generally a significant amount of carbs, it can still impact ketosis if consumed in large quantities.
It’s important to note that some flavored versions of Vita Coco coconut water may contain additional sweeteners or fruit juice, which can significantly increase the carbohydrate content of the beverage.
Therefore, if you’re following a strict keto diet, and staying below 20g of carbs, as I would recommend to those who want to lose as much weight as possible with keto, it’s better to stay away from anything that contains added sugars.