Viral banana water wants to be ‘coconut water 2.0’ but dieticians say otherwise

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Banagua, a refreshing drink made from organic Thai bananas, is aiming to become the next popular health beverage like coconut water. The company recently received funding and is now available in thousands of stores.

This drink fits into a trend of beverages made from plant-based water sources, like coconut, maple, and cactus, which are marketed as healthier hydration options. Banagua keeps it simple: it’s made with just one ingredient – banana water – and contains no added sugar, preservatives, concentrates, or extra water.

Banagua’s drink starts with organic, traditional Thai bananas. These bananas are steamed and mashed, and then the watery liquid is strained from the thicker pulp. This process creates a light, long-lasting drink – not a smoothie – which is then packaged in aluminum cans.

Banagua also says the drink’s natural pink hue comes from the banana’s antioxidant-rich skin.

Why Banagua is being compared to coconut water

Banagua was started in Nashville by Rob Smithson and Jose Carlos Herrera, who met while both were getting their Executive MBAs at Vanderbilt University.

Vanderbilt University’s business school discovered the product originates from a Thai technology that extracts water from bananas. What remains after the water is removed is plant material that can be used to create bioplastics.

Sustainability is now central to the Banagua brand. They highlight that their process produces natural banana water without any added sugar, artificial preservatives, or concentrates. Plus, they avoid waste by finding ways to reuse leftover fruit pulp.

The brand quickly became popular. Just six months after its launch, in January 2026, Beverage Digest named Banagua “Best New Brand,” as announced by Business Wire, and the drink was already being sold in stores across the country.

FoodTech Weekly reported that Banagua secured $5.5 million in funding from Hingham Growth Partners and is now available in over 3,500 stores nationwide, such as Sprouts, Kroger, and Albertsons.

Banagua currently sells four different flavors of its banana-based product online: Original Banana, Strawberry Banana, Blueberry Banana, and Cocoa Vanilla Banana.

The Original flavor is simply bananas, and Kroger highlights that their version is USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, and includes electrolytes, antioxidants, plus essential vitamins and minerals to help keep you hydrated.

While banana water is gaining popularity, health experts aren’t sure it’s a complete substitute for sports drinks. The Los Angeles Times reports it’s being promoted as an improved version of coconut water, but dietitians point out it lacks the sodium lost through sweat, which traditional sports drinks replace.

Men’s Health also noted that nutritionists agree there’s a benefit to staying hydrated this way, but suggest that eating a banana with water might be even better because it offers more fiber and a wider range of nutrients.

Despite being a bright pink and made only of bananas, Banagua is quickly appearing in more stores, suggesting it could become the next quirky drink people try out of curiosity.

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2026-05-27 21:49