Tapping into the maple water craze

Not long ago, coconut water was all the rage, but now it's facing some fresh competition. Maple water is the latest product hoping to quench America's thirst for something tasty, natural and new.

Maple water is produced by tapping maple trees and extracting the watery sap. Instead of boiling the sap down to make syrup, companies are starting to sell it as a beverage in its raw form.

"We bottle that sap as it comes out of the tree," explains Valentina Cugnasca, CEO of Vertical Water. Her company, launched just last year, now sells its maple water in 3,000 stores, at a price of almost $3 a bottle.

What does she think explains its appeal? "People are looking for natural, real simple foods and beverages and maple water is a single ingredient beverage with nothing added or taken away," she said.

Other companies in the maple water market include DRINKmaple, SEVA, and Trader Joe's

Maple water companies say the drink is full of electrolytes and nutrients including iron and magnesium. But Lisa Cimperman, a clinical dietitian at University Hospitals Case Medical Center, says there's no evidence it's any better for you than plain water.

"You know, if you want to try maple water, see how it tastes, that's fine. But if you're using this as your main source of hydration you're likely wasting your money," she told CBS News.

How does it taste? Maple water gets a slight natural sweetness from the tree. Vertical Water says it only has about 15 calories per serving.