Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION

Rationale of the Study

Across the globe today, more and more people are becoming drawn to living healthy lifestyles, and practicing healthy eating habits. With the proliferation of diseases previously unheard of and the progression of already identified ones into more life-threatening strains, the adage “prevention is better than cure” has become a mantra among individuals wishing to preserve the well-being of their bodies.

The natural products health industry is a very lucrative one. In 2008, it expanded by 8% to $270B despite the economic downturn that rocked many industries. The industry is still on the rise throughout the world. As seen in the table below, it is expected to experience
Ancient peoples knew this, and sometimes used it as an emergency intravenous fluid. Drinking coconut water rewards the body 15 times as much potassium as a typical sports drink, along with potent antioxidants. And unlike sugary sports drinks or coconut milk, coconut water is low in calories and fat free. (Adams, 2012)

Coconut water is now touted as a low-calorie, low-sugar hangover cure, natural energy drink, and even “identical to human blood plasma. With the coconut water claims stacking up, it is important to find out what's healthy and what's just hype. According to Dr. Sourav Poddar, a CU Sports Medicine Specialist, said that coconut water is indeed beneficial. He remembered when stomach issues left him dehydrated while visiting India as a child, coconut water was used to cure him. He also said that it can be used intravenously relatively safely, in small amounts, proving reports of the sterile liquid being used as IV fluid during World War II to be true.

Coconut water is high in nutritional value. On the average, 1 cup of coconut water contains about 46 calories and 2 grams of protein. Its sodium content is surprisingly high with 252 mg and so is the fiber at 3 grams. The total fat is exceptionally low at 0.5 grams with 0.4 grams saturated. It contains a full range of B vitamins with the exception of vitamin B6 and B12. There are 6.00 mcg of folic acid and 5.8 mg of vitamin C. Rating the minerals, 1 cup contains 57.6 mg of