Zhou Nutrition’s Hydro-Fuel Advanced Electrolyte Complex isn’t like the electrolyte powders you’re used to. Featuring a 72-trace mineral complex to replenish lost minerals and vitamin D3 to support healthy recovery, many people read the supplement facts and wonder where the electrolytes are. Here’s the secret to our supplement’s success: it's coconut water that gives you the electrolyte boost you’re looking for.
We used coconut water for electrolyte support instead of boosting the formula with mineral additives to give your body a more natural source of electrolytes. Coconut water is sometimes called “nature’s sports drink” because it’s naturally rich in electrolytes, especially potassium—but we can’t list them on the supplement facts because the amounts can have minor variations.
So how does it work? Let’s take a deeper dive into coconut water and how it helps to replenish electrolytes naturally, and how you can use it to help you recover from your next workout.
What is coconut water?
Chances are you’re already familiar with this sweet but mild tropical drink, but just in case, here are the basics. Coconut water is the liquid found inside of young coconuts, which are around six or seven months old. It’s not the milk—rather, it’s a clear liquid that’s low in sugar and calories, and it tastes amazing (assuming you like the flavor of coconut, of course). If you’re lucky, you can drink it straight from the coconut itself (and scoop out the meat with a spoon—yum!), but it’s also available bottled or in powder or supplement form, like in our Hydro-Fuel Advanced Electrolyte Complex.
Why is electrolyte replacement important?
We often think about food as being fuel for our bodies, and while that’s true, electrolytes are part of that equation. Electrolytes are minerals that can help regulate fluids in the body and keep it running at peak performance, even going so far as to regulate blood pressure already at normal levels. You need electrolytes to keep you functioning properly. Not having enough electrolytes in your system can lead to health complications.
It’s natural to lose electrolytes while you’re working out—you’re sweating, after all—but you can also lose electrolytes when you’re sick. Have you ever had food poisoning and felt totally drained after it passed? That’s because you lost a ton of electrolytes—and that’s why it’s always recommended to drink something that helps replenish them. Otherwise, you run the risk of dehydration, and your body might respond with headaches, nausea, dizziness, cramping and more.
Below are the key electrolytes we need, and what they do for the body:
Of these seven electrolytes, you can find potassium, sodium and magnesium in coconut water.
What makes coconut an electrolyte powerhouse?
Coconut water is the source of five important electrolytes, but the stand-out is potassium—it offers more potassium than a banana. This is a key electrolyte, especially for people who go hard in their workouts, because potassium replaces intracellular water after your workout, which helps with rehydration. Potassium also helps during your workout by helping with muscle contractions and alleviates cramping after your workout is over.
You can also find sodium in coconut water, which is important because you lose sodium throughout the course of your workout while you sweat. Ever get a white crust on your skin or clothes after a tough summer run? That’s salt that has left your body via sweat. Coconut water is also a source of magnesium, calcium and phosphorous, which also assist with rehydration—and aren’t always found in traditional sports drinks, despite the support they offer in workout recovery.
Coconut water has other health benefits, too.
While the electrolyte profile is the star of coconut water’s show, it’s not the only health benefit that comes from consuming this tropical treat. In addition to superior rehydration properties (it’s 95% water, after all), coconut water also offers carbohydrates, and it’s lower in calories than traditional sports drinks. The natural sugars found in coconut water are also helpful for supporting blood sugar levels and can help satiate hunger if you’re ravenous after busting a sweat, but you don’t have a post-workout snack within reach. Coconut water also offers beneficial antioxidants, which can help reduce oxidative stress and free radicals. Did we mention it’s also fat-free and cholesterol-free?
The Hydro-Fuel Hydration experience.
Let’s go back to Hydro-Fuel and the part coconut water plays in the formulation. We use coconut water concentrate to help replenish electrolytes and nutrients without the extra sugar often found in traditional sports drinks, so you can support your body’s efforts and help it recover after your sweat session is done. It’s also formulated with a 72-trace mineral complex, and malic acid to help refuel so you can go the distance in any workout. The mineral complex is backed up with vitamin D3 and organic fermented cordyceps are added to support muscle recovery. So even if you’re busting out your toughest, sweatiest workout, Hydro-Fuel—and the coconut water inside it—has your back.
