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ZICO, coo coo for coconuts. A natural for your tennis game.

Born in yoga studios and long consumed by the health conscious, ZICO coconut water has been discovered by athletes worldwide. Tennis players including John Isner, Bethanie Mattek-Sands (pictured below) and Magdalena Rybarikova drink the stuff. According to the company Isner requested the beverage during his U.S. Open 5th set vs. Andy Roddick to help with cramping. He went on to win the match in a tie-breaker.

They call it nature's sports drink. If you've ever had coconut milk out of a fresh coconut, that's the taste, a bit watery with light coconut flavor, exactly what the natural ZICO tastes like. I liked the mango and passion fruit flavored versions best. You must drink it cold in my opinion. It took a while to get used to because I am a diluted Gatorade devotee BUT the from-nature concoction definitely does the trick. I'll be adding these to my court side cooler. They feel really healthy.

Coconut milk is in fact packed with potassium, low in acidity and helps to rebuild blood volume.* One 11 oz. all-natural ZICO offers more potassium than a banana, zero fat, zero sugar and four essential electrolytes (plus the potassium). Drink it before, during and after your workout as a good-for-you sports drink alternative, just 60 calories.

Buy ZICO in natural food stores like Whole Foods or online at amazon . You can also learn more or find a complete retailer listing at ZICO. $25 USD for a pack of 12.

*Interesting fact: During WWII coconut water was used as a natural saline drip saving the lives of many allied soldiers. Sounds like a good fit for a court soldier in need of hydration.

Nutritional Supplements that Promote a Healthier Game.

Check out my most recent nutrition related article published today over at On the Baseline. Included are a range of products designed to help your body stay healthy and ready for your tennis game. Included are: Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega, Joint Juice, Cherry Flex and Oxylent.

The Best Body Fuel for Your Tennis Game.

Sally Parsonage B.SC, Ph.D., R. Nutr., C.I.S.S.N., Nutrition Division Head at IMG Academies International Performance Institute offers her tips to tennis players looking for the best nutrition for their game. Check out the complete article by Karin Burgess, editor of Tennisidentity.com at OntheBaseline.

2008 Hydration Round-Up -- New For Today's Player Thinking Performance and Recovery

For today’s athlete, hydration involves far more than a drink of water. 2008 saw the release of some great new offerings:

  CherryPharm. An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Forget about it. How about 50 cherries? This tart cherry juice drink is downright delicious. Drinking one 8 fl. oz. bottle of CherryPharm natural fresh is the equivalent of eating 50 fresh ones loaded with phyto-nutrients. According to test results CherryPharm has more antioxidants than any other beverage on the market. It has been clinically proven to lessen pain and speed recovery from exercise induced aches and pains  $49.99 USD for a case of 24 8 oz bottles. Visit CherryPharm to buy or learn more.

PureSport. PureSport offers athletes two pre-packaged drink mixes, one for during and one for after your workout. Both feature whey protein isolate, anti-oxidants, electrolytes and natural sugars in their formulation. We liked the taste (we tried fruit punch) and found it not too heavy. Olympic gold-medalist Michael Phelps uses and endorses the product, saying that he’s “noticed a huge difference in [his] productivity and energy level using PureSport.” That’s a decent endorsement seeing as the guy won 8 golds and broke 7 world records. Visit PureSport for more information or to buy. The starter kit pictured here is $19.99 (8 servings).

 Zym. This drink mix is a breeze to concoct -- absolutely no mess. Available in a tube of 10 tablets, toss one in a 16-20 oz water bottle and shake it up to fight off dehydration, fatigue, muscle pain and lactic acid build up while you play. Zym contains guarana caffeine for those who want the extra boost, plus sodium, magnesium, calcium, potassium and essential B12 vitamins. Visit Zym to learn more or buy. Also available at Tennis-Warehouse. Three tubes (30 tablets total) is $26.97.

Are You on Roctane? Energy Gel for Fight Time

Just out this month, GU's Roctane ultra endurance energy gel, is being billed as the most advanced energy gel ever made. This particular formulation provides high concentrations of branched chain amino acids and other performance critical ingredients. Roctane is designed especially for serious endurance athletes like ironmen and triathletes. It might be a just a tad more than the recreational player needs but then again, you be the judge. It's available in Blueberry Pomegranate and Vanilla Orange and retails for $2.50 per packet.

We HAVE seen quite a few on-tour pros sneaking extra energy between games from little packets like these however. Djokovic recently grabbed one AFTER a win, presumably for recovery.  We suspect the players are using one of Gu's other products, Gu energy gel which supplies sustained energy through its maltodextrin based carbohydrate formula. We've tried it ourselves and love the quick lift and clarity it gives when that slow, heavy feeling begins to dog you. We like chocolate outrage and vanilla bean best; they taste like frosting -- seriously. There are six other flavors to choose from, $1.25 each. This stuff really works.

Go to GU to learn more, see ingredients and find out where to buy.

GU2O for hydration and stamina in the heat of battle

We've been drinking Gatorade for a while now, often cutting it with water, because it feels a little heavy, especially in the heat. We saw this sports drink mix at a bike shop and decided to give it a try. GU2O is "engineered" for cyclists and other endurance athletes. How about three long sets in 90 degree heat?

Here's what's in it: Sodium (to replace what you sweat out), Potassium (to help regulate your body's electrical system), and Carbs (for sustained energy, "to stave off a bonk"). The flavoring, and it is VERY light, is an all natural blend of ingredients. Each serving delivers 140 very calculated calories. Mix the powder with water and you've got your hydration set. Flavors include: orange, raspberry, tango mango and lemon lime. Raspberry was a favorite.  Suggested retail for the individual packets is $1.10 USD and for the larger container $17.00. Find a retailer near you at www.gusports.com

Energize your game with tasty, nutritious body fuel

You wouldn't put bad gas in a Porsche, so why put junk in your body? These energy bars are a team favorite because they do the job and taste good; that's pretty tough in this category. Made with whole, all natural (70 percent organic) ingredients and 23 vitamins and minerals CLIF bars are actually quite healthy for you if you are exercising. When it comes to fueling your body nothing beats real food for energy. These offer a perfect mix of protein, fiber, carbs and essential nutrients that keep you going through extended periods of activity. Our favorites are pictured here -- plus chocolate brownie. Our teens even like them.  Around 250 calories per bar, eat one an hour before play or have a few bites between sets as a pick me up. Available in most supermarkets and convenience stores. You can also order or learn more online at clifbar.com. This is body fuel that is good for your game and good for the planet.