Young coconut water good for cooling down body

CAN'T stand the heat? Try young coconut water.
This is the recommendation of the Kuala Lumpur Hospital's Department of Dietetics and Food Services head Ridzoni Sulaiman.
He said young coconut water was good for normalising body temperature as it contained electrolytes that could help replenish ions lost due to dehydration during hot weather.
He noted that the juice was rich in potassium, chlorides, magnesium, calcium, sodium and Vitamin B (riboflavin) which control blood pressure, alleviate cramps and improve appetite, more so during extreme hot weather.
"Better still, avoid consuming coconut juice with sugar added, buy a fruit that has not been cut and drink the juice fresh," he told Bernama.
He said besides coconut juice, consuming fresh juice other fruits was also a wise choice to maintain energy and stay healthy throughout the day.
Ridzoni said fruit juice was rich in a variety of nutrients like vitamins, potassium and fructose (natural fruit sugar), thus supplying needed energy.
He also suggested that water intake be at least 2.5 litres daily, equivalent to 10 to 12 glasses.
Stabilising fluids in the body was important more so during the current hot and dry spell, he said, warning that dehyrdation could lead to heat exhaustion or even heatstroke, which can be fatal.
He also said the people should continue with their diets as normal as regular meals were equally important as these too contributed to hydration and recommended more soft meals like porridge besides increasing vegetable intake.
This would replenish micro nutrients which would help replace macro nutrients lost due to perspitation, he said.
Ridzoni advises to stay away from coffee, carbonated or alchoholic drinks as thes were diuretics (expel water from the body) and also spicy food as this raises body temperature.
As for those with kidney and heart problems where water intake has to be limited or on medication for the same, he shared the following tips:

>> The quantity of water allowed to be consumed be measured and kept in a designated bottle.
> When drinking, pour from the said bottle.
>> The total amount of water must be drunk in sips in stages and not in one go.
>> Sponge body with a wet towel hourly to prevent dryness and peeling of the skin. — Bernama