Coconut Water Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Coconut water is the liquid that pours out when you crack open a coconut. Older coconuts (the ones that are brown and hairy) generally provide better coconut milk, which is made from the flesh of the coconut. Younger, green coconuts produce better coconut water.

This beverage has a salty-sweet taste that can be divisive, but it does provide fewer calories than most fruit juices. It also provides vitamin C plus carbs and electrolytes that can be helpful for recovery after exercise.

Coconut Water Nutrition Facts

One cup of 100% coconut water (245g) provides 44 calories, 0.5g of protein, 10.4g of carbohydrates, and 0g of fat. Coconut water is an excellent source of vitamin C. The following nutrition information is provided by the USDA.

Carbs

A one-cup serving of coconut water provides about 10 grams of carbohydrate; most of that (about 9 grams) is naturally occurring sugar. Some brands of coconut water are sweetened with added sugars, so check labels carefully if you are looking to limit sugar.

Fats

There is usually little to no fat (less than 1 gram) in coconut water, but some brands may contain a small amount of fat.

Protein

Coconut water contains a small amount of protein; the amount can vary by brand.

Vitamins and Minerals

Coconut water is an excellent source of vitamin C, with 24mg per one-cup serving. That's 32% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for women and 27% for men, based on a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet. Coconut water also contains the B vitamin thiamin (about 8% of RDA).

Minerals in coconut water include potassium (404mg or 16% of adequate intake for women and 12% for men), manganese (0.5mg or 28% of adequate intake for women and 22% for men). The drink also provides smaller amounts of magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, and copper.

Coconut Water Calories

One cup of 100% coconut water (240g) provides 44 calories, 75% of which come from carbs, 15% from protein, and 10% from fat. Coconut water is a low-calorie beverage.

Coconut water contains far fewer calories than other types of electrolyte sport drinks that contain sugar. For instance, a bottle of Gatorade (20 ounces) contains 140 calories, or 65 calories in a cup. Other vitamin-packed beverages like orange juice also contain more calories, with 110 calories in a cup. These differences in calories come primarily from the sugar content in sports drinks and juice, since coconut water does not contain a lot of sugar. If you need sugar

When it comes to other coconut products, coconut water has fewer calories than coconut milk as well (both canned and boxed) because it contains less fat. While coconut water cannot stand in for coconut milk in recipes, it's worth comparing calories for beverage purposes. Coconut milk in a can contains 445 calories in a cup. Boxed coconut milk made for drinking contains 70 calories per cup.

Health Benefits

Coconut water's health benefits have been overstated in the past, but it still contains several nutrients that can boost health, including the electrolytes potassium, magnesium, and sodium. Here are some more potential health benefits of coconut water.

Helps Protect Against Free Radicals

Coconut water contains antioxidants, which help protect against free radicals—unstable molecules that can cause damage to your body's cells and may lead to cancer. While coconut water on its own cannot prevent or treat cancer of any kind, the antioxidants it contains are helpful for fighting cellular damage.

May Help Reduce Blood Sugar

Animal studies have shown that coconut water may provide benefits such as improved blood sugar levels. However, this has not been adequately studied in humans.

May Reduce Blood Pressure

A small study in humans showed a reduction in blood pressure with increased coconut water consumption. This may be related to the potassium provided by coconut water; low potassium intake increases the risk of hypertension.

May Help Balance Electrolytes

Some coconut water fans like it as a sports drink. It provides electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium) and carbohydrates to help improve muscle function, with fewer calories than a typical sports drink, and is gluten-free.

However, you can get the same benefits from consuming whole foods, like a potassium-rich banana, with water. Whole foods have no hidden ingredients (like added sugar) and are generally cheaper than sports drinks or recovery bars.

May Reduce Diabetic Retinal Damage

Although only performed on rats, research has shown reduced retinal damage caused by diabetes in subjects given coconut water. More research is needed to say whether these effects are consistent or able to be reproduced in humans.

May Prevent Kidney Stones

A small study showed that coconut water helped flush out potassium, chloride, and citrate, thereby reducing the risk of developing kidney stones. More research is needed.

Allergies

Coconut is not a tree nut, and most people who are allergic to tree nuts can still consume coconut. Still, there are some cases of coconut allergy. If you are allergic to coconuts, you need to avoid coconut water, coconut milk, and other products made with coconut in addition to the coconut flesh itself.

Adverse Effects

Although potassium is an essential mineral, consuming too much of it can lead to hyperkalemia (an overabundance of potassium in the blood). Since coconut water contains potassium, drinking large quantities could cause this issue. This is unlikely to happen for most people, but those who have chronic kidney disease or take medications, including ACE inhibitors, should be cautious.

Coconut water is also high in FODMAPs, a group of carbohydrates that can cause or worsen digestive symptoms in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). People following a low-FODMAP diet may need to limit or avoid coconut water if it causes symptoms for them.

Varieties

You'll see lots of brands and options for coconut water on store shelves, including sweetened and unsweetened products along with blends that mix coconut water with other fruit juices. Some brands of coconut water also contain coconut flesh (which can mean they are higher in calories and fat). Read labels carefully if you want to avoid extra sweeteners or ingredients.

Storage and Food Safety

If you get coconut water straight from the fruit, it should be refrigerated right away. Fresh coconut water can also be frozen.

Likewise, once you open a container of coconut water, manufacturers usually recommend that you refrigerate it. Most people prefer the taste of cold coconut water. Keeping it chilled will help the drink stay fresh for 24 to 48 hours.

Some brands of coconut water use a pasteurization process so that the product is shelf-stable. That means you don't need to refrigerate the product after you buy it. As long as the package is not open, it should stay fresh for up to 12 months.

How to Prepare

There are many creative ways to use coconut water. You can put it in smoothies, cocktails, or even frozen fruit pops. Because coconut water is hydrating, some people use it to help buffer the effects of a hangover. While there is no scientific data to back up the practice, drinking non-alcoholic and hydrating fluids of any kind is likely to provide a benefit after you've had too much to drink.