In our search to find you the ideal beach beverage, we stumbled upon a tropical secret: Coconut water. Never mind the Gatorade, the Vitamin Water, or the myriad of sugary energy drinks crowding the shelves. If you want to stay hydrated the 100 percent natural way as you roast like a rotisserie chicken on the sand, all you need is a coconut.

Citizens of tropical regions like Thailand, Brazil, and India have long relished the thirst quenching, hydrating elixir of the coconut. Naturally sweet and low in calories, coconut water optimally hydrates with five essential electrolytes, including more potassium than a banana. It is what is known as an isotonic beverage, which means that it contains electrolyte levels similar to those found in human blood. Talk about a real sports drink! This stuff will have you back on your feet in no time, whether you're taking a breather from volleyball or nursing a mid-day mojito hangover.

NEAT-O FACT: Coconut water saved soldiers' lives in World War II, where it was used as a substitute IV fluid and a hydration injection.

Did I mention it's 100 percent natural? No chemicals, no sugars, no preservatives. Just the juice of young, green coconuts. The water is extracted before the meat of the coconut grows. So, all of those nutrients and all of that water that would be otherwise used to grow the coconut...all that good stuff goes directly into your belly!

The best part is you don't have to fly to the tropics and scramble up a palm tree to get your hands on this stuff. O.N.E. Coconut Water has done the work for you. All you have to do is stop by the store on your way to the sand and fill up your cooler, with their handy little, eco-friendly boxes. Even better, just order a million cases directly from their site - where you just may be tempted to try some of their other awesome offerings like Amazon Acai, Cashew, and Coffee Berry.

THE NEW WAY TO HYDRATE... 100% NATURAL FAT FREE 5 Essential Electrolytes More potassium than a banana! NO chemicals or preservatives

You can't go wrong. The stuff is delicious. You live under a smoldering So-Cal sun. Why not go coco-nuts?

Story by: Alyssa Lloyd