So Natural Coconut Water

A TINA.org reader said she purchased So Natural coconut water with mango juice (pictured above) “expecting the nutritional benefits of coconut water.” But when she read the Nutrition Facts panel and ingredients list on the back of the package, she was surprised by what she found.

Coconut water is known for being rich in potassium, an electrolyte the body needs for a variety of key functions but loses through sweat, urine and illness. However, So Natural coconut water with mango juice contains zero milligrams of potassium, according to the Nutrition Facts. What it does contain is 20 grams of sugar, including 19 grams of added sugar, per serving.

And despite “COCONUT WATER” appearing prominently in all-caps on the front of packaging, coconut water is listed as the third ingredient, after water and – you guessed it – sugar. Mango juice from concentrate is the fifth ingredient, following natural flavors. (The FDA requires that ingredients be listed in descending order of predominance by weight.)

After finding out what was actually in the coconut water, our reader said she “immediately stopped drinking it and poured the remaining beverage out.”

This isn’t the only variety of So Natural coconut water that is marketed with this misleading packaging. As shown below, the company’s pineapple and passion fruit-flavored coconut waters raise many of the same issues.

All of the photos above were taken by TINA.org from inside a Dollar Tree store, where our reader said she made her regrettable purchase.

So Natural did not respond to a request for comment.

The bottom line

If you want to know what is in a packaged food or beverage product, make sure to check the Nutrition Facts panel and ingredients list on the back, and take front-of-package claims with a grain of salt.

Find more of our coverage on ingredient claims.