Assessment of Quality Parameters of Coconut Water from Six Distinct Coconut Varieties in Sri Lanka

Coconut water is a naturally occurring isotonic drink that has gained popularity owing to its refreshing and health-promoting effects. This study was conducted as an in-depth study of the water quality of six coconut varieties: Green Dwarf, Red Dwarf, Ran Thambili, Gon Thambili, CRIC 60, and CRIC 65. The physicochemical, nutritional and functional properties of coconut water from the nuts were determined at 11 months of maturity. One-way ANOVA was used to statistically analyse the obtained data. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed among varieties for most physicochemical parameters, except for colour and titratable acidity. The pH ranged from 5.15 ± 0.04 to 6.95 ± 0.03, while the Brix value ranged from 3.20 ± 0.44 to 4.53 ± 0.11 °Bx. All varieties were identified as rich sources of potassium (344.26 ± 43.5 to 854.51 ± 21.7 mg/L). Nutritional analysis revealed significant variations in ash (0.65–1.30%), protein (0.20–0.78%), and total sugar contents (2.01–3.54 g/100 mL), whereas fat content remained minimal across all varieties (0.03–0.18%). Gon Thambili exhibited higher total phenolic (7.85 ± 2.58 mg GAE/100 mL) and flavonoid contents (0.26 ± 0.06 mg QE/mL), while CRIC 65 demonstrated the highest antioxidant capacity (10.51 ± 1.10 mg Trolox/g). Altogether, tested coconut varieties exhibited significant differences in physicochemical, nutritional and functional attributes, which support their nutraceutical value as an excellent natural source of potassium and sodium.