Coconut water seems to be the big craze with celebrities these days, and it’s not without merit. It’s a natural isotonic beverage with a comparable level of electrolytes as our blood. In fact, during World War II, coconut water was administered intravenously as a replacement for dextrose on the battlefield. Think of it as nature’s Gatorade, but better: it’s got 2 to 3 times as much potassium as sports drinks while having less than half the amount of sodium and a fraction of the sugar (and these sugars are completely natural no less!).

According to ABC’s Good Morning America:

It’s low in calories, fat-free, natural and serves a purpose: hydration. Some consumers are likely to choose it over sugar-laden sports drinks, so it’s no wonder big name beverage companies are vying for their piece of the coconut pie.

Right now, coconut water represents a perhaps $50 million niche industry. Given the maturity of the sports beverage market and recent controversy surrounding energy drinks, could coconut water be the next big thing? Here’s the segment from GMA:

Cracking the Coconut Water Craze

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