What’s The Best Coconut Water?

Top Rated Coconut Water Brands Reviewed:

There are over a dozen different brands of coconut water available in stores today. To help you find one you’ll enjoy, I bought as many unflavored pulp-free brands that I could find, and ranked them based on taste. You might also be interested in their price and nutrient profile, so I’ve included that information as well.

#7) Vita Coco ($19.17 for 12-pack) – I thought this would be one of the best since it could be found in so many different stores. But after tasting a variety of different brands, VitaCoco ultimately ranked last. Unlike the other coconut waters which come in metal canisters, VitaCoco is stored in aseptic boxes and packaged in the Philippines. It had a sour tang to it, as well as a slight odor. I may have gotten a bad batch, but for the purposes of this review, it scored very poorly.

Nutrients: 11g sugar, 11g carbs, 470mg potassium, 45 calories

#6) Zico ($16.54 for 12-pack) – Zico’s plastic resealable container is most conducive to taking it on-the-go. They also offer an assortment of additional flavors if plain coconut water isn’t your style. Taste wise, it too had a distinct tang, although not as potent as Vita Coco. While it didn’t possess an overbearingly sweet taste, it does have a bit higher sugar/carb content. I also noticed that while other brands are bottled with pure coconut water, Zico is from concentrate. It also has “natural flavors” included in the ingredients, which means this is the least pure coconut water I tested. In other words, this is the Americanized version of coconut water.

Nutrients: 15g sugar, 16g carbs, 610mg potassium, 70 calories

#5) Amy & Brian Coconut Juice ($22.48 for 12-pack) – “Coconut juice” is just marketing spin; this is still coconut water. What stands out most about this brand is how much sweeter it is than the others. It seems thicker and almost syrup-like because of the sweetness. For this reason, if you’re wanting to try coconut water for the first time, this would be a good starter brand. But if you’re not a fan of sugary drinks, you probably won’t enjoy this very much.

Nutrients: 14g sugar, 15g carbs, 60 calories

#4) Nature Factor Organic ($23.88 for 12-pack) – This brand comes in a 10-ounce can, which I prefer (minus the BPA of course). Many of the other premium coconut waters come in 17.5-ounce canisters which force you to either leave half a can open in your fridge, or drink two full servings in one sitting to avoid wasting it. The negative aspect of this is you’re only getting 120 ounces versus 210 ounces (per 12-pack), which equates to a 5-can difference! As for taste, I considered this to be the most watered-down. It wasn’t bad, just much weaker than others, which makes it a less desirable option.

Nutrients: 12g sugar, 12g carbs, 410mg potassium, 50 calories

#3) Blue Monkey ($40.74 for 24-pack) – This is a top tier brand in terms of taste. Thicker consistency than others, acceptable amount of sweetness, but not syrup-like. The downside is the higher carb content and calories relative to other brands.

Nutrients: 10g sugar, 19g carbs, 290mg potassium, 76 calories

#2) Taste Nirvana ($25.12 for 12-pack) – There truly is something distinct and pleasurable about drinking Taste Nirvana over the others. It has the best aroma by far, giving me the impression of drinking straight out of a green coconut. There’s a heavier consistency, but it’s not overwhelming. It’s also available in non-reactive glass bottles if you don’t like metal containers. Very rich taste. Instead of listing ingredients based on two servings per can, this brand lists the entire 16.2 ounce can as one serving. For comparison purposes, I’ve cut the nutrient values in half.

Nutrients: 9.5g sugar, 13g carbs, 350mg potassium, 50 calories

#1) C2O ($23.45 for 12-pack) – Between this and Taste Nirvana, it was difficult to pick a clearcut winner. They are both fantastic and could easily tie for first place. Ultimately I chose C2O because it was the most smooth and balanced among all of the brands tasted. It’s light, consistent, and has a refreshing quality to it that other coconut waters didn’t quite possess. I’d classify it as “sweet enough” and not overpowering. As an added bonus, it’s sold in tin cans that are BPA-free. The most versatile in terms of use – it can be enjoyed as a stand alone beverage with any meal of the day, or blended to make protein shakes and fruit smoothies. You can even use this as a mixer in cocktails!

Nutrients: 12g sugar, 13g carbs, 300mg potassium, 50 calories

UPDATE:

Since publishing this review, additional brands of coconut water have entered the market. One of these brands particularly stands out, so I wanted to share it with you. It’s called Rising Sun Thai Coconut Water. This brand is canned at the source in Thailand under strict supervision of the company’s founders. It’s completely pure; absolutely nothing is added to it in the process. Taste wise, it’s better than C2O, and has less sugar (10g). It does, however, have 19g of carbs. So keep that in mind if you’d prefer a lower-carb coconut water. It’s definitely in my “Top 3” list of options, vying for number one overall.