Rating Pomegranate Açai Vita Coco
The Set-Up: Coconut water is nature's energy drink in superfood form: low in calories, jam-packed with potassium and electrolytes, and all-natural. As the Vita Coco label says, it's "like sticking a straw in a coconut," and, as an added perk, it's actually delicious. Unless of course you insist on improving nature by adding whatever trendy ingredients come to mind... say, oh, açai and pomegranate.
The Hype: These superfoods are pretty healthy on their own, so it only makes sense to combine all three into the most super food that ever was! If less is good, more is better, right? Wrong.
The Downside: You can't get those antioxidants and other power boosters from a beverage infusion, so while it may seem like the best juicebox money can buy, you're actually doling out those extra cents for a squirt of sugary pomegranate and açai juices (20 grams of sugar, to be precise). That's the same as half a can of Coke. Plus those top notes of Dimetapp and raisin don't exactly do it for us.
The Upside: If you were into Dimetapp and raisins as a kid, this is right up your alley.
The Verdict: Stick with plain coconut water and save about 20 calories per serving. You'll be enjoying nature's thirst-quencher as nature intended — au natural.
Pomegranate Açai Vita Coco. $1.99 for 11.2 oz.