"Coconut water does contain electrolytes like potassium and magnesium that are quite good if you have been sweating," says Sophie Claessens, registered dietitian and spokesman for the British Dietetic Association."But you could achieve the same thing or better with a banana or piece of peanut butter toast and a glass of water, milk or juice. Coconut water is expensive and unnecessary, so I don't recommend using it."
One question mark hanging over the coconut craze is: can coconut supplies keep up? Possibly not, as tree numbers are falling due to old age, disease and bad weather. "Governments of coconut-producing countries would need to step up the support provided to growers to ensure that the booming demand does not have irreversible consequences on the environment and place unrealistic and risky demands on family-based farms," says Tim Aldred, the Fairtrade Foundation's head of policy and research. Consumers should buy Fairtrade so farmers can reinvest the extra money they earn on sustainable farming practices, he says.
Lucy Bee, co-founder of the Lucy Bee coconut oil brand and author of new cookbook Coconut Oil, Nature's Perfect Ingredient, agrees. "I've come to realise that the question is not so much 'What does Fairtrade do?' but more 'Do you know how products are produced if you don't buy Fairtrade?'", she says. "Our products are certified by the Fair Trade Sustainability Alliance and they ensure that those that produce our coconut oil directly benefit. For only a few pence more in cost to us, we can all make a huge difference to the lives of those in our producer communities." It's something worth considering in the supermarket aisle. Or we might find the wheels fall off the coconut bandwagon.
