What You Need To Know To Choose The Right Brand Of Coconut Water

The ideal way to get coconut water is to husk a green coconut, drill a hole, and then drink the water through a straw. Most of us can't do that for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that is not easy to open a coconut. However, there are certain things to look for in a good brand of coconut water.

• Coconut water should be made with green coconuts, not mature coconuts. Older coconuts are good for coconut flesh and coconut oil, but the coconut water has an off taste that has to be modified with chemicals. Look for brands that are made with young, green coconuts.
• The ingredients list should not include coconut syrup. Some manufacturers import partially dehydrated coconut syrup because the shipping costs are lower. They then add water to make a coconut drink. Not only are these drinks higher in sugar, they lack many of the beneficial plant compounds in coconut water that assist the immune system in fighting bacteria, and that give you a mental boost.
• You should buy coconut water out of a refrigerator case, not off the shelf. Many manufacturers pasteurize coconut water to give it a longer shelf life and to allow grocers to display their products without refrigeration. The taste just isn't the same. The best coconut water is fresh. This product will be more expensive, but it will also offer more coconut water health benefits.,
• Coconut water shouldn't have added flavoring agents. Companies that let coconut water spoil, which gives it an acrid, acid taste, sometimes add chemicals to cover the taste of spoilage. Listing even "natural flavorings" on the label suggests that the company doesn't use good manufacturing practices to keep the product fresh on the way from the plantation to the plant to the store where you buy it.

What are some problem brands?

• C2O uses pasteurization and packages their product in steel and aluminum cans.
• Coco Libre is organic, but rehydrates the water from concentrate.
• GOYA adds sugar.
• Naked Juice Coconut Water is made from cheaper, mature coconuts. 
• O.N.E. Coconut Water, bottled by the same people who make Pepsi, adds sugar and flavoring agents.
• Purity Organic Coconut Water is in fact organic, but it is manufactured with flash pasteurization.
• Vita Coco claims to be "100 percent pure," but adds flavorings and sweeteners.
• Zico, made by Coca Cola, is ultrapasteurized and has added flavorings.

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What does this leave? There are a couple of brands that are more expensive but that are the "real thing," Exotic Superfoods (OK, they exaggerate a little, but at least their product is pure) and Harmless Harvest. We don't make any money for recommending them to you, but they are the best choices for maximum flavor and health benefits. Any brand you choose should be packaged with "high pressure processing" rather than pasteurization, and should include just one ingredient: coconut water.