Coconut Water

I love coconut water. As well as being absolutely packed with health benefits it's so refreshing & versatile in the ways you can use it. Earlier on in the summer the lovely people at Vita Coco sent us a coconut treasure chest filled with all their varieties of coconut water. It was possibly one of the best parcels I've received this year & I got ridiculously excited thinking up all the ways I could use the yummy drinks.

(Incase you're unfamiliar with coconut water & its array of benefits, to summarise; it prevents dehydration, the electrolyte rich content fuels your brain & muscles, it's anti-aging, a digestive aid & supports the immune system!)

After sipping away on Vita Coco all summer these are what I have found to be my favourite ways to enjoy coconut water & maximise its benefits.

Number one- Coconut water on its own.
Great for hydration, it's packed full of electrolytes & potassium to replenish minerals lost whether you've just done a sweaty workout or had a few too many drinks the night before. It makes the perfect post-workout/ hangover drink.

Number two- Smoothies.
I would say this is the best tip for people who don't love the taste of coconut water. Use it as the base  for your smoothie instead of milk/juice/yoghurt/water. Once its blended up with all the fruit & ice you won't be able to taste it at all, but all the health benefits will be hidden inside.

Number three- Protein shakes. 

Like smoothies, coconut water makes a great base for protein shakes instead of using milk/water. If you use protein powders, blending them with coconut water makes the prefect post-workout drink, containing everything you need to replenish tired muscles & replace lost salt & fluids from sweat. My favourite way to drink this is to use the pineapple flavour Vita Coco with a vanilla protein powder, it tastes absolutely delicious, like a fluffy vanilla milkshake. 

Number four- Ice lollies. 

I first got the idea for these after seeing really pretty recipes on Pinterest. Lots of people simply pop sliced fruit in an ice lolly mould & top up with coconut water, the finished effect once frozen is stunning but doesn't really taste of much. I prefer to make up a fruity smoothie using the coconut water & freeze it in the moulds to make a guilt free frozen treat. Not as aesthetically pleasing as these but much more yummy. If you wanted to make them with more of an ice cream consistency, blend together ripe bananas, a few dates, coconut water & a few drops of vanilla essence. They taste unbelievably naughty for something that's fat & dairy free!

Number five- Iced coffee. 

This is my take on Coco Cafe, a delicious drink consisting of espresso, milk & coconut water. Whilst it's really yummy it's quite hard to find in the UK (you can pick it up in Wholefoods & some branches of Waitrose), so it's normally easier for me to make my own. Simply blend up a handful of ice, coconut water, a shot (or two) of espresso & milk. If you like coconuts & coffee you will LOVE this! I like to have this as a pre-workout drink to make the most of the caffeine from the espresso & hydration from the coconut water.

I hope you found some of these ideas interesting. I would love to see some of your coconutty creations if you give any of these a go! Tweet me/ Instagram @twoloveslondon 

Harriet x