Coconut Water Craze All It's Cracked Up To Be?

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- We've seen more and more coconut water popping up on store shelves. Some consumers tout its health benefits, but is the coconut craze all it's cracked up to be?

Those who swear by it won't start their day without it.

"It's very magnetic water," said coconut water lover Abisola Raison. "It's the best kind of water you can have in your body."

The salty and sweet drink is packed with electrolytes and potassium and is known to be a good hydrator and a natural hangover cure.

While coconut water has been around for a while, the new trend is having it fresh. Don't be surprised if you start seeing people walking along city streets enjoying the fruit with a straw.

But is the fresh new take on the water just another fad? Nutritionist Lauren Slayton cracks the code.

"I think of it as a liquid snack, so in the same category as green juices, Kombucha or things of that nature," she told CBS2's Alex Denis.

Proficient at replenishing your body after a good workout, coconut water has less sugar, less sodium and more potassium than sports drinks.

A 12 ounce Coco-To-Go has 50 calories, 5 grams of fat, 252 milligrams of sodium, 600 milligrams of potassium, almost 9 carbs and 6 grams of sugar so drink with caution.

"You can gain weight because it does have calories, it does have sugar, although it has a quarter of the sugar of a soda or sports drink," said Slayton.

She also says your body needs regular water, but as far as coconut water, she said it a "nice addition, but not a necessity."

For others, it's a mainstay and known as a good source of potassium, a glass a day may keep muscle cramps at bay.