College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

 

AYURVEDIC FOODS

Coconut Water Benefits (According to Ayurveda)


How Does This Ayurvedic Food Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Recipes with Coconut Water: Coconut Water with Lime, Ginger & Cardamom
Recipes with Coconut Water: Coconut Water with Lime, Ginger & Cardamom

Replenish Electrolytes

At any corner market in sweltering India, Thailand or Bali, you can drink fresh coconut water out of the nut with a straw, and dig out the sweet meat with a spoon.

Coconut water quenches even the strongest thirst. Coconut's amazing ability to re-hydrate you was recognized in WWII, where coconut water was actually used for blood transfusions. Electrolyte rich drinks help replenish minerals and salts as well as fluid, helping your body absorb water for relief of cellular thirst. Coconut water contains a small amount of nutritive fat, giving it an creamy feeling on the tongue that leaving a parched palate feeling moist.

Soothing, Cooling Relief

Coconut water is also a coolant, meaning it is a soothing anti-inflammatory for your skin and in your gut. Drinking it provides immediate relief. Its creaminess soothes inflamed mucosal membranes in the entire digestive tract. If you are suffering from dryness or heat conditions of the GI, or even simple dehydration, coconut water will cool and soothe. Its cooling properties suppress the appetite.

Nourish Kindness

As a nutritive nutritive brain tonic coconut water calms and grounds anxious, heated thoughts that so easily flare on summer afternoon. By nature an ambitious organ, the liver falls victim to intense, hot blooded emotions and pitta internal heat conditions. Coconut water cools the blood, nourishing your exhausted liver. Its sweet, delicious water restores your affectionate side, making coconut water a popular aphrodisiac in the tropics.

Buying & Preparation

Never buy a coconut that's cracked. Coconuts have a tendency to spoil. When they spoil, pressure builds up inside until the coconut cracks.

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Is Coconut Water Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether 'Coconut Water' is a good fit. Complete the basic quiz in 1 minute, or go deeper with additional quizzes at your own leisure to learn more about your body.

AYURVEDA'S GUIDE TO VITALITY & WHOLESOME NOURISHMENT

Your Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body and your specific imbalances. With an Ayurvedic diet you feel joy and satisfaction because what you are eating truly nourishes and balances you. Disease results from diets and lifestyles that are incompatible with your nature. By eating a personalized diet matched to your body, you experience optimal health. See How it Works.

Metabolic Nature of Coconut Water

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

METABOLIC NATURE

Metabolic Nature

Ayurveda assesses metabolic imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating them weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which biocharacteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct metabolic imbalances before you get sick. Every biocharacteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite biocharacteristic.

Find Out More

COLD

ABOUT COLD BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold refers to anything that reduces body temperature, metabolism, and blood flow.

LEARN MORE ABOUT COLD

EASY

ABOUT EASY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Easy refers to anything easy to digest, or digests quickly.

LEARN MORE ABOUT EASY

TASTES

The 6 Tastes

Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?

Find Out More

SWEET

ABOUT SWEET BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SWEET

DOSHAS

The Three Doshas / Body Types

Ayurveda is a metabolic theory of medicine that explains individual health, tendencies, and disease patterns through the concept of doshas, which can be understood as your metabolic patterns and tendencies.

Each dosha reflects a distinct metabolic nature and describes strengths & weaknesses in bodily function, and how these affect energy levels, digestion, susceptibility to disease, and many other tendencies.

Your metabolic nature not only affects your physical characteristics, but also influences your mental thought patterns, confidence, and enthusiasm.

Ayurveda balances these metabolic strengths & weaknesses to support your body's vitality and prevent recurrent disease cycles. This support is a critical aid, especially in chronic or incurable disease conditions.

The 3 metabolic body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).

Through dosha, Ayurveda empowers people to identify metabolic imbalances early, break repetitive patterns of disease, and cultivate habits that support long-term vitality and well-being.

Ultimately, these metabolic patterns also provide a framework for understanding yourself, including body, mind, and spiritual tendencies.

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PACIFIES
Pitta pacifying Vata pacifying
AGGRAVATES
Kapha aggravating

GREEK MEDICINE / TEMPERAMENTS

The Four Temperaments / Humors

Ayurveda & Greek Medicine were the dominant form of medicine along the Silk Road from England to China and South Asia. They work by assessing your metabolic type, patterns, and nature. Greek medicine recognizes 4 metabolic temperaments, Melancholic, Choleric, Sanguine, and Phlegmatic.

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PACIFIES
CHOLERIC

ABOUT CHOLERIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Has a hot and dry metabolic nature. Enthusiastic, vibrant and bright. In excess burns up fluids and ojas, irritable. Corresponds to high bilirubin in the blood that irritates and heats up the body and liver.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHOLERIC

MELANCHOLIC

ABOUT MELANCHOLIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold and dry with a slow, variable or erratic metabolism. Colicky, tense. Withdrawn, pensive, anxious, and hesitant. Analytical, intelligent, detail oriented and creative. Prone to ojas depletion, dehydration, an overactive nervous system, and depression.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MELANCHOLIC

SANGUINE

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot and oily with a moderate metabolism and a well nourished body. Vigorous, vivacious, outgoing and generous, and prone to impulsivity and self indulgence. Bullish and intense when out of balance.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SANGUINE

AGGRAVATES
PHLEGMATIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Wet & cold. When out of balance becomes congested, stagnant, and overweight. Loving, trusting, and patient.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PHLEGMATIC

Other

Downward

DOWNWARD

Downward-moving (Adho Gati Marga) substances move food downward in the GI tract, settle the nervous system, and relax muscles.

SEE ALL 'DOWNWARD' FOODS / HERBS

,
Inward

INWARD

Inward moving substances promote introspection, self reflection, stillness, or slow the system down.

SEE ALL 'INWARD' FOODS / HERBS

Blood Plasma Lymph

BLOOD-PLASMA-LYMPH

Plasma (Rasa Dhatu) includes plasma, white blood cells, and lymph.

SEE ALL 'BLOOD-PLASMA-LYMPH' FOODS / HERBS

,
Fat

FAT

Fat tissue (Meda Dhatu) includes adipose tissue and sebum (skin oil).

SEE ALL 'FAT' FOODS / HERBS

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Coconut Water
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

(see all)
Appetite Suppressant

APPETITE-SUPPRESSANT

Suppresses hunger without causing weight gain.

SEE ALL 'APPETITE-SUPPRESSANT' FOODS / HERBS

,
Quenches Thirst

QUENCHES-THIRST

An herb or substance that relieves thirst.

SEE ALL 'QUENCHES-THIRST' FOODS / HERBS

,
Antacid

ANTACID

Herbs that neutralize acidity in the gastrointestinal tract, the stomach in particular.

SEE ALL 'ANTACID' FOODS / HERBS

Brain Tonic

BRAIN-TONIC

An herb that strengthens the brain and thereby enhances memory or other cognitive functions and improves mental stamina or stability.

SEE ALL 'BRAIN-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Nutritive

NUTRITIVE

An herb that is strengthening and nourishing.

SEE ALL 'NUTRITIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Rebuild Electrolytes

STRONG REBUILD-ELECTROLYTES

Substances that increase your electrolyte balance. Electrolytes help you retain water, keep your palate moist, and truly quench your thirst.

SEE ALL 'REBUILD-ELECTROLYTES' FOODS / HERBS

,
Refrigerant

STRONG REFRIGERANT

An herb or substance that strongly cools the body. Can be helpful in cases of heat conditions.

SEE ALL 'REFRIGERANT' FOODS / HERBS

,
Rebuilds Fluids

REBUILDS-FLUIDS

Herbs or substances that create moisture in the body and increase fluids.

SEE ALL 'REBUILDS-FLUIDS' FOODS / HERBS

Livotonic

LIVOTONIC

An herb that strengthens the liver. It is helpful for people with a history of substance abuse, chronic liver issues from hepatitis and hemolytic anemias. Generally, liver tonics are oily, cool, sweet, mildly sour, or contain beta-carotene.

SEE ALL 'LIVOTONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Constituents:

Foods with a Similar Nature to Coconut Water

  • Honey Dew

    Honey Dew has these Actions in Common

    Livotonic, Rebuilds-fluids, Nutritive, Refrigerant, Appetite-suppressant, Quenches-thirst

    LEARN MORE

  • Acai

    Acai has these Actions in Common

    Appetite-suppressant, Nutritive, Brain-tonic, Quenches-thirst, Livotonic, Refrigerant

    LEARN MORE

  • Coconut Flakes

    Coconut Flakes has these Actions in Common

    Livotonic, Antacid, Nutritive, Brain-tonic, Refrigerant

    LEARN MORE

  • Coconut Butter

    Coconut Butter has these Actions in Common

    Antacid, Nutritive, Brain-tonic, Refrigerant, Livotonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Coconut Cream

    Coconut Cream has these Actions in Common

    Brain-tonic, Refrigerant, Livotonic, Antacid, Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

  • Jackfruit

    Jackfruit has these Actions in Common

    Nutritive, Rebuilds-fluids, Quenches-thirst, Refrigerant, Rebuild-electrolytes

    LEARN MORE

  • Grape

    Grape has these Actions in Common

    Nutritive, Brain-tonic, Quenches-thirst, Livotonic, Rebuilds-fluids

    LEARN MORE

  • Jaggery

    Jaggery has these Actions in Common

    Rebuild-electrolytes, Nutritive, Rebuilds-fluids, Quenches-thirst

    LEARN MORE

  • Banana

    Banana has these Actions in Common

    Antacid, Rebuild-electrolytes, Nutritive, Quenches-thirst

    LEARN MORE

  • Persimmons

    Persimmons has these Actions in Common

    Nutritive, Rebuilds-fluids, Livotonic, Refrigerant

    LEARN MORE

Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Nature to Coconut Water

  • Amalaki

    Amalaki has these Actions in Common

    Rebuilds-fluids, Refrigerant, Antacid, Brain-tonic, Nutritive, Quenches-thirst

    LEARN MORE

  • Licorice Ghee (9oz)

    Licorice Ghee (9oz) has these Actions in Common

    Refrigerant, Antacid, Livotonic, Nutritive, Rebuilds-fluids

    LEARN MORE

  • Licorice Root (Yastimadhu)

    Licorice Root (Yastimadhu) has these Actions in Common

    Rebuilds-fluids, Refrigerant, Antacid, Livotonic, Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

  • Pitta Massage Oil

    Pitta Massage Oil has these Actions in Common

    Refrigerant, Nutritive, Rebuilds-fluids

    LEARN MORE

  • Schisandra

    Schisandra has these Actions in Common

    Brain-tonic, Livotonic, Rebuilds-fluids

    LEARN MORE

  • Shatavari

    Shatavari has these Actions in Common

    Antacid, Nutritive, Refrigerant

    LEARN MORE

  • Potassium Salt (Salt Substitute)

    Potassium Salt (Salt Substitute) has these Actions in Common

    Rebuild-electrolytes, Rebuilds-fluids

    LEARN MORE

  • Brahmi Oil (4oz)

    Brahmi Oil (4oz) has these Actions in Common

    Brain-tonic, Refrigerant

    LEARN MORE

  • Slippery Elm

    Slippery Elm has these Actions in Common

    Nutritive, Refrigerant

    LEARN MORE

  • Mahatikata Ghrta

    Mahatikata Ghrta has these Actions in Common

    Livotonic, Refrigerant

    LEARN MORE

  • Bitter Ghee - Tikta Ghrta (9 fl oz)

    Bitter Ghee - Tikta Ghrta (9 fl oz) has these Actions in Common

    Livotonic, Refrigerant

    LEARN MORE


Joyful Belly is a recognized college of biocharacteristics medicine.

TRADITIONALLY INDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS

Coconut Water may be beneficial for these symptoms. The suitability of any food for a condition is highly dependent on the individual. Please see your doctor before using this food to treat a medical condition.

CONTRAINDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS

Coconut Water may be harmful or contraindicated for these symptoms. Note this is not a complete list of all possible contraindications. Please see your doctor before using this food to treat a medical condition.

Herb Drug Interaction Risk

Here are some potential herb drug interactions with Coconut Water. Please see your health care provider for more information.

View other ingredients
for Summer

Coconut Water is recommended for Summer. Check out these other Summer foods here.
VIEW ALL SUMMER FOODS MORE FOODS FOR VATA / PITTA MAIN INGREDIENT PAGE

HOW DOES EATING AYURVEDICALLY MAKE YOU FEEL?

Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. Food digests with ease when right for your body type (dosha). Healthy digestion is seen as the cornerstone of well-being in Ayurveda. Healthy digestion generally prevents illness. If you do get sick, a strong digestive fire reduces the severity of illness and increases your resilience. It also improves your mood. Once you begin eating Ayurvedically, you will feel refreshed, vital and strong.
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Clinical Tools & Resources

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About the Author

John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda. His approach to Ayurveda is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful. John also directs the Joyful Belly College of Ayurveda, offering professional clinical training in Ayurveda for over 15 years.

John's hobbies & specialties include advanced digestive disorders, medieval Catholic philosophy, & botany. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. His wife and family of 7 kids live in Asheville, NC.

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