Coconut water: production, nutritional properties and health benefits

Abstract

Coconut water (Cocos nucifera L.) is an undiluted, non-fermented beverage obtained from the liquid part of the coconut fruit. It is a versatile product in the industry and has been growing economically due to its functional character. The objective is to identify in the scientific literature different aspects of coconut water production and its nutritional characteristics applied to health. A narrative review of the literature was carried out, using the databases Scielo, Scopus, Repositório Alice da EMBRAPA, Periódicos CAPES and Google academic, applying the descriptors, coconut water, nutrition, composition, health, health benefits, economy, pasteurization, ultrapressure, ultrasound, ozone and their respective names in English, considering the Boolean operators “OR” and “AND”. Titles and abstracts were screened, considering the eligibility criteria: full text available in English and/or Portuguese; paid and/or free access; dissertations and theses, narrative, systematic review, observational and longitudinal studies, including clinical trials. Non-thermal processing methods were effective in maintaining the shelf life of the beverage, however ultrapressure showed alterations in the physical functionality and/or changes in the color of protein-rich foods. The presence of phytohormones, vitamins and amino acids was detected, which are responsible for the antioxidant property of the product, as well as the beneficial effects on health. New studies are proposed to evaluate the effects of coconut water on human health, as it is a drink with market potential and accessible to consumers.