Drinks

Coconut water nutrition, in full.

1 cup of coconut water lands at 46 calories and brings 1.7 g of protein with it. In USDA’s database this is “Nuts, coconut water (liquid from coconuts)”. Choose how much you are eating and the panel does the arithmetic from there.

By Alen Yaco · Updated 20 September 2026

Drawn from USDA FoodData Central, FDC 170174. No account, no upload, percentages against FDA Daily Values.

How many calories are in coconut water?

1 cup of coconut water is 46 calories. Per 100 g it is 19. USDA publishes the serving weights below, so these are measured portions rather than rounded guesses.

Coconut water and its protein content

Protein in 1 cup of coconut water comes to 1.7 g. Against the 50 g Daily Value, that covers 3 percent. Protein is close to absent in coconut water. Its calories come from carbohydrate instead.

Of every 100 calories, 15 come from protein, 9 from fat and 76 from carbohydrate.

What to know before you buy coconut water

Select raw liquid extracted from young green coconuts, not the thick milk pressed from mature brown flesh. Look for cartons or cans containing pure juice without added cane sugar or fruit purées. The colour should be nearly clear. Avoid brands with chemical preservatives or artificial flavourings, as these mask the natural, slightly salty sweetness.

This liquid behaves differently to heavy coconut milk because it lacks pressed nut oils. High heat ruins its delicate flavour, turning the liquid sour and unappealing. The common mistake is boiling it vigorously in curries or soups. Add it only at the very end of cooking, off the stove, to preserve the fresh, woody aroma.

Serve this liquid chilled as a refreshing beverage, or use it to poach mild white fish and chicken. In Brazilian kitchens, cooks use it to thin out rich seafood stews. It also replaces water when steaming jasmine rice in Southeast Asian recipes, infusing the grains with a mild, nutty sweetness.

Vitamins and minerals in coconut water

The table follows the selector above, so change the serving or the method and every row updates. Values are per serving, not per 100 g, unless you pick 100 g.

How far coconut water goes in a day

Against the standard 2,000 calorie reference, 1 cup of coconut water takes up 2 percent of the energy and supplies 3 percent of the protein. For a figure that fits you, start with the TDEE calculator, then set grams with the macro calculator.

Coconut water recipes, with the numbers

From the Calorie Counter Team: three dishes built around coconut water, with per-serving nutrition calculated from the USDA data for every ingredient that goes in.

Breakfast · British

Coconut Water Porridge

A morning porridge cooked in coconut water and milk, served with sliced banana.

15 min · serves 2

317kcal

11gprotein

6.2gfat

57gcarbs

Ingredients

• 100g rolled oats 100 g
• 300g coconut water 300 g
• 150g whole milk 150 g
• 120g banana 120 g
• 1g salt 1 g

Method

1. Combine the rolled oats, coconut water, milk, and salt in a small saucepan.
2. Heat the saucepan over medium heat until the liquid simmers.
3. Cook the mixture for 8 minutes, stirring constantly, until the oats are soft.
4. Divide the hot porridge equally between two bowls.
5. Top each portion with the sliced banana.

Built from 5 USDA ingredient records. A cooked dish never matches its raw sum exactly, but it stays close.

Dinner · Asian

Coconut Water Poached Chicken

Chicken breast gently poached in a seasoned coconut water broth with ginger and spring onions.

25 min · serves 2

245kcal

37gprotein

4.6gfat

12gcarbs

Ingredients

• 300g boneless, skinless chicken breast 300 g
• 500g coconut water 500 g
• 30g light soy sauce 30 g
• 15g fresh ginger root 15 g
• 20g spring onions 20 g
• 2g salt 2 g

Method

1. Slice the ginger into thin rounds and the spring onions into 5-centimetre lengths.
2. Combine the coconut water, soy sauce, ginger, spring onions, and salt in a medium saucepan.
3. Simmer the liquid over medium heat.
4. Submerge the chicken breasts fully in the simmering liquid.
5. Cover the pan and poach the chicken on low heat for 15 minutes.
6. Slice the cooked chicken into 1-centimetre pieces before serving.

Per serving, from 6 USDA FoodData Central records. Cooking changes weight and some nutrients; treat these as close rather than exact.

Side · Thai

Coconut Water Jasmine Rice

Jasmine rice steamed in a mixture of coconut water and water for a mild, sweet flavour.

25 min · serves 4

310kcal

5.9gprotein

3.1gfat

63gcarbs

Ingredients

• 300g jasmine rice 300 g
• 300g coconut water 300 g
• 200g water 200 g
• 10g coconut oil 10 g
• 3g salt 3 g

Method

1. Rinse the jasmine rice in cold water until the water runs clear.
2. Drain the rinsed rice thoroughly in a fine sieve.
3. Combine the rice, coconut water, water, coconut oil, and salt in a medium saucepan.
4. Boil the mixture over high heat.
5. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Fluff the rice gently with a fork before serving.

Figures are per serving and come from 5 USDA FoodData Central entries; cooking will shift them slightly.

Calorie Counter Team, food critic

What a meal with coconut water adds up to

Here is coconut water as part of a plate, with each component taken from its own USDA record and the total added up.

Coconut water beside its neighbours

Per 100 g, each in the form its own page leads with; the second column says which.

Questions about coconut water

How many calories does 1 cup of coconut water have?

The USDA figure is 46 calories, or 19 per 100 g. It is taken from the record “Nuts, coconut water (liquid from coconuts)”, FDC 170174.

How much protein does coconut water have?

0.7 g per 100 g, so 1 cup of coconut water supplies 1.7 g. Against the Daily Value that is 3 percent.

Is coconut water good for weight loss?

Weight change comes from the whole week’s intake. 1 cup of coconut water contributes 46 calories and 1.7 g of protein (15 percent of its energy), so pair it with something that carries more protein.

Can you freeze coconut water for later use?

Yes, freeze it in ice cube trays. Transfer the frozen cubes to a sealed bag for storage. This preserves the flavour well, and you can drop the frozen cubes straight into cold drinks or blender recipes.

Why does some coconut water turn pink in the bottle?

This colour change occurs when natural compounds in the liquid react with light and air. It is a harmless chemical process. The water remains safe to drink and retains its usual sweet, slightly nutty taste.

Sources

• Nuts, coconut water (liquid from coconuts) — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 170174
• Daily Values for nutrition labelling, 21 CFR 101.9