Key findings
- 1BodyArmor does not list artificial colors or artificial flavors, unlike many mainstream sports drinks, but it still contains significant added sugar and industrial ingredients
- 2Coconut water concentrate is not the same as fresh coconut water; concentration and reconstitution are industrial processes
- 3At 21g of sugar per 12oz, BodyArmor contains about two-thirds the sugar of Gatorade (34g per 20oz)
Why is BodyArmor Level 3 on average?
BodyArmor uses coconut water concentrate as a base and cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. The ingredient list also includes citric acid, natural flavors, dipotassium phosphate, magnesium oxide, calcium d-pantothenate, and various added vitamins. It does not list artificial colors or artificial flavors, a genuine distinction from many mainstream sports drinks. However, the coconut water is concentrated (removing and re-adding water is an industrial process), the sugar content remains high (21g per 12oz), and the vitamin fortification involves synthetic nutrient additions. BodyArmor Lyte uses erythritol and stevia instead of full sugar, which adds different processing considerations. In our analysis, BodyArmor products average a Processing Score of 5.7, which is Level 3.
How 24 bodyarmor products break down
Share of products at each processing level, in our analysis.
BodyArmor brand comparison
From least to most processed in our database.
How to read a BodyArmor label
- 1
BodyArmor contains 21g of sugar per 12oz; less than Gatorade but still significant
- 2
"Coconut water concentrate" means the coconut water was dehydrated and reconstituted and not fresh
- 3
No artificial colors or artificial flavors is a genuine improvement over mainstream sports drinks
- 4
BodyArmor Lyte uses erythritol (a sugar alcohol) and stevia, different processing trade-offs
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Frequently asked questions
Is BodyArmor better than Gatorade?
From a processing standpoint, BodyArmor uses simpler ingredients than Gatorade: it does not list artificial colors or artificial flavors and uses cane sugar where Gatorade lists sugar and dextrose. However, both are significantly processed and contain substantial added sugar. In our analysis, BodyArmor products average Level 3; search Gatorade to see its own average.
Is BodyArmor actually made from coconut water?
BodyArmor uses coconut water concentrate; coconut water that has been dehydrated and reconstituted with water. This is an industrial process, not fresh coconut water poured into a bottle.
Is BodyArmor Lyte less processed?
BodyArmor Lyte replaces most sugar with erythritol (a sugar alcohol) and stevia (a plant-derived sweetener). It has fewer calories but similar overall processing; swapping the sweetener does not change the rest of the formula.