Fresh pressed water is a common drink when it comes to healthy beverage choices, but the question remains which one tastes better. This article will explore the differences in taste and nutrition between regular coconut water and fresh squeezed coconut juice.
Introduction: Green tea has so many health benefits that it’s not surprising people want to find out more about this popular choice for drinking hot or iced beverages. In general, green teas are rich sources of antioxidants like Vitamin C, EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), lignans/silymarin (natural compounds), minerals such as copper, chromium picolinate ions , zinc, magnesium etc., polyphenols that have antioxidant activity including catechins and epicatechins- among other plant extracts with multiple health implications.
There are major differences between “pressed coconut water” and regular coconut water. The first difference is that pressed coconut water has no preservatives, while the latter has a lot of them. Another difference is that pressed coconut water has been filtered to remove any impurities from it, while the regular version does not have this filtration process.
On a hot summer day, Coconut Juice is a refreshing tropical beverage that may replace electrolytes, hydrate the body, and give much-needed refreshment. Coconut Juice, like other commodities, comes in a variety of tastes and types, and as a result, the taste and nutritional value may vary significantly. In this article, we’ll focus on squeezed Coconut Juice specifically. The main difference between pressed Coconut Juice and ordinary Coconut Juice seems to be fat content, although there are other minor changes that might influence your selection.
Coconut Juice
Coconut Juice is the clear liquid found inside a coconut that has been broken open.
Fresh Coconut Juice can be consumed directly from the fruit.
Fresh Coconut Juice can be drank directly from the fruit with a straw by breaking it open, but it’s most commonly consumed as a packaged product. The most common brand of Coconut Juice would be the Vita Coco variety.
Packaged Coconut Juice products can include added ingredients, like coconut puree, added sugars, Gellan gum, and ascorbic acid.
Its Function
Because of its high potassium content, Coconut Juice is often consumed by athletes and fitness enthusiasts who are seeking to replenish their electrolytes.
A single 16 ounce serving of Coconut Juice packs a whopping 979 mg of potassium! This is 20% of the RDA.
Potassium is an important mineral and an electrolyte that regulates the electrical pulses in the body that control blood pressure, water balance, and other bodily functions (in conjunction with other electrolytes). Potassium functions as a kind of sodium balancing. Potassium allows the body to excrete water whereas sodium causes it to retain water.
What makes Coconut Juice so valuable in Western civilization is that our diets tend to contain far too much sodium and not nearly enough potassium. This electrolyte imbalance can have negative impacts on our health. The high potassium content of Coconut Juice can aid in reaching our daily nutritional requirements.
Coconut Juice also has a modest amount of other electrolytes, like Calcium (6% of RDA per 16 ounce serving) and Magnesium (8% of RDA per 16 ounce serving.) However, as you’ll see momentarily, the nutrition contents can differ in pressed Coconut Juice vs regular.
Varieties
Much like nearly every other beverage that exists, Coconut Juice comes in a variety of flavors:
- Plain
- Pineapple
- Mango with Peach
- Banana strawberry
- Passionfruit
- Watermelon
- & More
Coconut Juice has a very mild flavor on its own, so when it’s combined with other flavors it can change its taste drastically.
Despite the difference in flavor, the difference in nutritional content isn’t as vast. The flavored varieties do tend to be higher in calories, which appears to be mostly because of added sugars. And when it comes to pressed Coconut Juice, added fat as well.
Pressed Coconut Juice
One of Coconut Juice’s many varieties that stands out the most, because of how different it is in so many ways, would be pressed Coconut Juice — particularly the Vita Coco brand.
The pressed Coconut Juice variety comes in a white carton rather than the standard blue cartons the other flavors come in.
On the surface, the pressed variety of Coconut Juice may not appear much different than regular Coconut Juice. However, there are some significant differences that set the two apart.
The primary difference between pressed Coconut Juice vs regular Coconut Juice is that the pressed variety contains the entire fruit of the coconut — with tiny bits of coconut flesh included — whereas regular Coconut Juice contains only the clear, filtered water within the fruit.
Pressed Coconut Juice VS Regular Coconut Juice
Naturally, you may assume that there isn’t much of a difference between the two varieties of Coconut Juice, considering that the only meaningful difference seems to be that one product includes fruit matter and the other doesn’t.
Despite the seemingly subtle difference though, pressed Coconut Juice is different from regular Coconut Juice in nearly every way. Let’s examine further.
Appearance Differences
The most noticeable difference between pressed Coconut Juice vs regular is its appearance.
Traditional Coconut Juice products are typically clear and colorless, although they occasionally may have a hint of yellow — especially for the flavored varieties. However, pressed Coconut Juice isn’t clear at all. In fact, it has more of a cloudy, milk-like consistency. This is believed to be due to the fat content of the coconut flesh that is normally excluded from regular Coconut Juice.
The Appearance Differences in pressed Coconut Juice vs regular Coconut Juice is so pronounced that they look like different beverages entirely. One looks like something you’d drink to hydrate yourself when thirsty, and the other looks like something you’d put in your cereal.
Taste Distinction
Another notable distinction between the two tropical beverage variants is how they taste.
Regular Coconut Juice has more of a neutral, bland, and sometimes bitter taste. Pressed Coconut Juice, on the other hand, tastes more like an actual coconut. The closest thing it can be likened to is coconut oil. If you’ve ever eaten a bit of coconut oil, it’s not too unlike what pressed Coconut Juice tastes like.
As one coconut enthusiast noted, pressed Coconut Juice tastes more like the fresh Coconut Juice that you would drink directly from the fruit.
Differences in Nutrition
Let’s take a look at how the differences between each variety of Coconut Juice impact its nutritional content. This is an area where the difference isn’t so stark, but it’s enough to take note.
The table below compares the nutrition facts labels of both the Vita Coco brand of pressed Coconut Juice and its regular counterpart.
| Pressed Coconut Juice VS Regular Coconut Juice | ||
| Item | Pressed | Regular |
| Size of Serving | 8 FL OZ. | 8 FL OZ. |
| Calories | 60 | 45 |
| Total Fat | 1g | 0g |
| Saturated Fatty Acids | 1g | 0g |
| Sodium | 60mg | 25mg |
| Potassium | 470mg | 470mg |
| Carbohydrates in Total | 12g | 11g |
| Sugars | 10g | 11g |
| Protein | 0g | 0g |
As you may have noticed, pressed Coconut Juice has significantly more calories than regular Coconut Juice does. It’s understandable that a 15 calorie difference doesn’t seem like much, but in terms of percentages, pressed Coconut Juice has 25% more calories than its traditional counterpart. This can be significant when scaled up to several servings of the beverage.
The fat content is another significant difference.
Pressed Coconut Juice contains 1 gram of fat per serving, whereas plain Coconut Juice has none. What’s more, the fat grams comes from Saturated Fatty Acids, which is believed to be because of the presence of the coconut’s fruity flesh. Coconuts are one of few fruit species that contain Saturated Fatty Acids.
If sodium content is of concern to you, then you may be disappointed to see that pressed Coconut Juice has 75% more sodium than plain Coconut Juice does. Regardless, it is still minimal (in terms of RDA,) and the abundance of potassium present in both beverages is more than enough to counteract it.
Aside from those minor differences, both pressed and regular Coconut Juice are relatively similar in terms of nutrition.
Pros And Cons Of Pressed Coconut Juice
Let’s break down some of the pros and cons of pressed Coconut Juice vs regular Coconut Juice. The variety you should choose ultimately depends on your own personal needs, so having a breakdown of the two can be beneficial in helping you decide.
Pros
- It has a coconut flavor.
- Tastes sweeter and more appealing.
- Slightly less sugar than regular Coconut Juice
- Coconut Juice in general is relatively high in potassium
- Other vital minerals and electrolytes are present in little levels.
Cons
- It contains more calories than regular Coconut Juice
- Increased fat content, particularly saturated fatty Acids
- Coconut Juice in general is relatively high in sugar
- Lack of fiber to reduce the sugar’s insulinogenic reaction
- In people with chronic renal disease, a high potassium consumption may be linked to a reduction in kidney function. [source]
Conclusion
The differences between pressed Coconut Juice vs regular Coconut Juice are plentiful when it comes to things like appearance, taste, and smell. However, the differences are a little more subdued when it comes to its nutritional content.
Pressed Coconut Juice would be ideal for someone who prioritizes taste over nutrition. The pressed variety of Coconut Juice is more palatable, making it the better option for mixed drinks and recipes. However, it should be noted that the addition of fat calories may have an impact if used as an ingredient.
Regular Coconut Juice is better suited for athletes and fitness enthusiasts who prioritize hydration and electrolyte replenishment over taste. It would also be the wiser choice for anyone seeking to manage their weight, due to the reduced caloric and fat contents when compared to pressed Coconut Juice. However, as previously discussed, the nutritional disparities between the two are minimal, and the added fat calories are relatively insignificant within the context of the RDA.
Despite their differences, both varieties of Coconut Juice have plenty to offer in terms of taste and nutrition. This is a decision where there is no wrong choice. Make your pick and enjoy!
The “how is pressed coconut water made” is a question that has been asked many times. The answer is that it is not pressed, but rather the water from a fresh coconut is extracted using centrifugation and then filtered to remove any impurities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Tags
- is pressed coconut water healthy
- what does pressed coconut water mean
- vita coco pressed coconut water vs original
- is vita coco pressed coconut water good for you
- pressed coconut water vs coconut milk
