Is coconut juice all it’s hyped up to be? Which is the best? Get the scoop from Dana McMahan in this piece at 75togo.com.

Coconut water has grown exponentially in the United States recently and is poised to continue growing, due to marketing pressure and growers catching up to demand.

Coconut water’s health powers include decreasing blood pressure, preventing heart attack, and smoothing skin, among others—but all these benefits rely on tiny amounts of compounds found in fresh juice that may not survive industrial processing.

Multiple sources show that coconut water is better (though marginally) than both traditional sports drinks and plain water for rehydration during and after exercise.

Fresh coconut water tastes way better than any packaged variety we tried, but a few brands were worth buying; only one was a complete throwaway.