Zico Pure Premium Coconut Water, Natural Flavor, 11.2-Ounce Containers (Pack of 12) Review. ZICO Natural is 100% pure water from young coconuts. We hand-harvest our coconuts when the water inside reaches a peak level of potassium and the perfect balance of electrolytes. Captured 100% pure in this convenient, environmentally friendly package, ZICO is simply the best tasting and most nutritious coconut water this side of the tropics. ZICO Natural has more potassium than a banana, four other naturally occurring electrolytes, only 60 calories, and no fat or added sugar. It is low in acidity and high in potent antioxidants....
"O.N.E vs. Vita vs. Zico coconut water" 2009-10-11
By MedIT
Each of these three products has a number of reviews. I don't have much to add to any of the individual reviews. Coconut water is great, if you are in the market for a case of it you already know this. But which of these three is the best?
I went around town and found 5 boxes of each of the three brands (15 total) each, with no two boxes of a the same brand coming from the same supplier. The goal was to get a wide range of product batches. This I am happy to report was pointless. All three brands produce an internally consistent product.
I then ordered a 12 pack of all three brands from Amazon. The only significant difference in packaging is that O.N.E. glues a little telescoping straw to each individual box, the other two brands do not. If you are a straw person this is a feature if not this is just more trash, you decide. The amount per container varies slightly by brand but given the price fluctuation on Amazon I don't consider the 0.1 Oz differences an important factor.
All three are made in Brazil, O.N.E. mentions that it is pasteurized the other two do not (nevertheless, I suspect all three are).
On pure taste, at refrigerator temperature, I found Zico to be the best (say 5/5), but only nominally better than O.N.E. (4.5/5), Vita was a distant third (3/5). Both Zico and O.N.E. taste almost exactly like drinking right from a fresh green coconut. Vita, on the other hand, has a grape aftertaste which I did not like. At room temperature the order remained the same; however, the differences in taste became more obvious: Zico (5/5), O.N.E. (4/5), Vita (2/5). Obviously all of this is subjective.
I observed the price of three on Amazon over the course of a month. Zico (~$24) was consistently more expensive than the other two (~$18-21) which traded places as the least expensive.
Considering the price and quality, O.N.E. is my choice and the brand to which I now subscribe. I consider Zico an excellent, but over priced, product and Vita an inferior product. If, however, I preferred my coconut water at room temperature I would give strong consideration to paying the extra money for Zico. If I used my coconut water as a mixer I would buy which ever one is cheapest at the time.
All three products are better than nothing (the previous option) and I am happy to see them on the market.
"Delicious!" 2006-06-16
By Homemaker (Greenfield, WI United States)
This is the best way to get coconut water unless you have direct access to fresh, green coconuts. Tastes great. I prefer to use a straw to drink from the box. There's no jelly included, only the liquid coconut water. They are not cheap, but I buy from Amazon since our grocery stores don't sell coconut water. Some people don't like the taste of coconut water, but this brand is great if you do.
"Great for Athletes, Hangovers, Post-Partum, etc." 2007-08-31
By TravelMom (Clifton, NJ United States)
My husband runs and we'd read that coconut water is a much better replenishment drink than all the artificial sports drinks, so we began our search for a good brand. He is Latin American and I'm West Indian, so we're quite familiar with how this is supposed to taste. The canned drinks were awful - they picked up the taste of the can and many companies chose to add in coconut pieces which didn't do anything pleasant in terms of taste. This is by far the best brand we've tasted. It is expensive but so is Gatorade and similar drinks, so if you work out and use those, this is much better. It is higher in potassium by far, very important for post-workouts. It is also great for hangovers (hah!) and for women who've recently given birth. Essentially it does a great job of helping the body to recover and replenish essential electrolytes, so whether you go with this brand or another, coconut water is a great drink. To us, this is the best tasting and most authentic tasting brand out there. We do wish it was cheaper, but unfortunately we live in a society where it's easier to eat crap and get obese and unhealthy than it is to eat well and stay fit. (We have NOT tasted vitacoco yet...hoping to try soon. Will review again if our opinion differs after tasting!)
"We love this drink!" 2007-01-14
By Anonymous (Charleston, IL USA)
Everyone in my family loves this drink! We use it in smoothies and health drinks. We use it as it is and we use it as a base in other blendered drinks. We think it is fantastic any way we've used it. Its flavor is very subtle and nice - not sweet, not salty, unique to itself and not at all overpowering when used with other flavors. We have only used it in "natural flavor" and really like it a lot. If the health claims for it are at all true, then it is a wonderful product. We like to use it with a little fruit juice, too, with kids so you get the health benefits but not so much of the sugar from fruit juice. It's delicious on its own but with juice or whey powder or yogurt and fruit - whatever you like - added. To those few reviewers who made such negative statements: what in the world were YOU drinking? Not this, that's for sure! It's great stuff....we're glad Zico makes this available.
"Zico refreshes" 2006-07-22
By Adrienne Zuendt (Bergen County, New Jersey)
My doctor recommended that I up my potassium intake a number of years ago. I first tried Zico when I was in Costco and there were representatives of the company giving out samples and selling it. Zico water is tasty, refreshing and most of all contains more potassium than a medium sized banana! I've tried all the flavors, but prefer the original / plain the best! I just wish the price would come down. $1.75 per container when purchased in quantity (3 cases) is VERY high compared to other beverages on the market.
By MedIT
Each of these three products has a number of reviews. I don't have much to add to any of the individual reviews. Coconut water is great, if you are in the market for a case of it you already know this. But which of these three is the best?
I went around town and found 5 boxes of each of the three brands (15 total) each, with no two boxes of a the same brand coming from the same supplier. The goal was to get a wide range of product batches. This I am happy to report was pointless. All three brands produce an internally consistent product.
I then ordered a 12 pack of all three brands from Amazon. The only significant difference in packaging is that O.N.E. glues a little telescoping straw to each individual box, the other two brands do not. If you are a straw person this is a feature if not this is just more trash, you decide. The amount per container varies slightly by brand but given the price fluctuation on Amazon I don't consider the 0.1 Oz differences an important factor.
All three are made in Brazil, O.N.E. mentions that it is pasteurized the other two do not (nevertheless, I suspect all three are).
On pure taste, at refrigerator temperature, I found Zico to be the best (say 5/5), but only nominally better than O.N.E. (4.5/5), Vita was a distant third (3/5). Both Zico and O.N.E. taste almost exactly like drinking right from a fresh green coconut. Vita, on the other hand, has a grape aftertaste which I did not like. At room temperature the order remained the same; however, the differences in taste became more obvious: Zico (5/5), O.N.E. (4/5), Vita (2/5). Obviously all of this is subjective.
I observed the price of three on Amazon over the course of a month. Zico (~$24) was consistently more expensive than the other two (~$18-21) which traded places as the least expensive.
Considering the price and quality, O.N.E. is my choice and the brand to which I now subscribe. I consider Zico an excellent, but over priced, product and Vita an inferior product. If, however, I preferred my coconut water at room temperature I would give strong consideration to paying the extra money for Zico. If I used my coconut water as a mixer I would buy which ever one is cheapest at the time.
All three products are better than nothing (the previous option) and I am happy to see them on the market.
By Homemaker (Greenfield, WI United States)
This is the best way to get coconut water unless you have direct access to fresh, green coconuts. Tastes great. I prefer to use a straw to drink from the box. There's no jelly included, only the liquid coconut water. They are not cheap, but I buy from Amazon since our grocery stores don't sell coconut water. Some people don't like the taste of coconut water, but this brand is great if you do.
By TravelMom (Clifton, NJ United States)
My husband runs and we'd read that coconut water is a much better replenishment drink than all the artificial sports drinks, so we began our search for a good brand. He is Latin American and I'm West Indian, so we're quite familiar with how this is supposed to taste. The canned drinks were awful - they picked up the taste of the can and many companies chose to add in coconut pieces which didn't do anything pleasant in terms of taste. This is by far the best brand we've tasted. It is expensive but so is Gatorade and similar drinks, so if you work out and use those, this is much better. It is higher in potassium by far, very important for post-workouts. It is also great for hangovers (hah!) and for women who've recently given birth. Essentially it does a great job of helping the body to recover and replenish essential electrolytes, so whether you go with this brand or another, coconut water is a great drink. To us, this is the best tasting and most authentic tasting brand out there. We do wish it was cheaper, but unfortunately we live in a society where it's easier to eat crap and get obese and unhealthy than it is to eat well and stay fit. (We have NOT tasted vitacoco yet...hoping to try soon. Will review again if our opinion differs after tasting!)
By Anonymous (Charleston, IL USA)
Everyone in my family loves this drink! We use it in smoothies and health drinks. We use it as it is and we use it as a base in other blendered drinks. We think it is fantastic any way we've used it. Its flavor is very subtle and nice - not sweet, not salty, unique to itself and not at all overpowering when used with other flavors. We have only used it in "natural flavor" and really like it a lot. If the health claims for it are at all true, then it is a wonderful product. We like to use it with a little fruit juice, too, with kids so you get the health benefits but not so much of the sugar from fruit juice. It's delicious on its own but with juice or whey powder or yogurt and fruit - whatever you like - added. To those few reviewers who made such negative statements: what in the world were YOU drinking? Not this, that's for sure! It's great stuff....we're glad Zico makes this available.
By Adrienne Zuendt (Bergen County, New Jersey)
My doctor recommended that I up my potassium intake a number of years ago. I first tried Zico when I was in Costco and there were representatives of the company giving out samples and selling it. Zico water is tasty, refreshing and most of all contains more potassium than a medium sized banana! I've tried all the flavors, but prefer the original / plain the best! I just wish the price would come down. $1.75 per container when purchased in quantity (3 cases) is VERY high compared to other beverages on the market.
