Coconut Water

[Suzanimal]

My mom wants to start having smoothies for breakfast and decided on a recipe that has coconut water. Has anyone tried coconut water? Is it good? Is there a particular brand you recommend?

Her recipe is

Kale
carrots
blueberries
beets
coconut water
chia seeds
ice

[georgiaboy]

Love it. It's like drinking pure health.

Use it in smoothies all the time.

We try to get the ones that are coconut water only, no other flavors or additives.

Zico is our favorite, although if other brands are on sale, we'll get them too.

O.N.E. is very coconut tasting, which I also like.

Add some fresh mint leaves to that smoothie for a nice flavor zing.

[CPUd]

Take it in small doses. Taste is OK, but it's not the kind of thing you want to be drinking all the time, it is a natural laxative.

LOL someone above said he drink it all the time. It must not be the same as raw coconut milk.

[jj-]

If you want to experiment with consuming more magnesium, coconut water is one of the best sources, and some brands have more magnesium than others, so one should check the label and look at the magnesium content. Examples of good brands are cocozia and purity

[georgiaboy]

Take it in small doses. Taste is OK, but it's not the kind of thing you want to be drinking all the time, it is a natural laxative.

LOL someone above said he drink it all the time. It must not be the same as raw coconut milk.

Ha - never noticed any real laxative properties. By all the time, I'm talking 1/3 liter once every two or three days. It's pricey, so I don't drink it like, say, Franzia. ;-)

[Suzanimal]

I know coconut oil has a laxative effect. Does the water?

[Suzanimal]

Ha - never noticed any real laxative properties. By all the time, I'm talking 1/3 liter once every two or three days. It's pricey, so I don't drink it like, say, Franzia. ;-)

Okay, that answered my question. It is more expensive than Franzia.

[Kotin]

its incredibly refreshing... not too sweet but slightly.. I really like it. but some brands are pretty disgusting so be careful to not get one of those and think it all tastes bad.

[Dr.3D]

Wouldn't getting it right from the coconut, be the best?

[Suzanimal]

The Vita Coco is $13.50 for 12 11.1 oz cartons. Is that a good price? Is Vita Coco good? It got good reviews on Amazon.

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B...f_rd_i=desktop

[Suzanimal]

Zico also got good reviews and it's the same price per oz. I think I'm going to go to the store and buy a bunch of different brands to sample.

[Root]

I drink it too. I get mine at Trader Joes

[dannno]

Coconut water is said to have been used as a replacement for IV fluid in emergency situations. That means it's very good for you.

I would also take jj-'s advice and look for the high magnesium stuff, it can vary pretty widely. Although if you're doing a lot of epsom salt baths and supplementing magnesium other ways it might not be crucial especially if you can't find it or is significantly more expensive.

[Created4]

Wouldn't getting it right from the coconut, be the best?

Yep. Anything you buy on a shelf has been pasteurized with high heat and possibly preserved as well. Nothing like "buko juice" - the water from fresh young coconuts just off the tree. But you won't find that in the mainland U.S. You need to go south of the border or fly to the tropics.

[dannno]

Wouldn't getting it right from the coconut, be the best?

Yep, especially cause it is raw. You can buy raw coconut milk, it's a lot more expensive though.

[Dr.3D]

Yep. Anything you buy on a shelf has been pasteurized with high heat and possibly preserved as well. Nothing like "buko juice" - the water from fresh young coconuts just off the tree. But you won't find that in the mainland U.S. You need to go south of the border or fly to the tropics.

So what we find in those hairy coconuts at the store is only coconut milk and that isn't coconut water?

[dannno]

Zico also got good reviews and it's the same price per oz. I think I'm going to go to the store and buy a bunch of different brands to sample.

I like both of those, C2O also tastes great.

[osan]

My mom wants to start having smoothies for breakfast and decided on a recipe that has coconut water. Has anyone tried coconut water? Is it good? Is there a particular brand you recommend?

Her recipe is

Kale
carrots
blueberries
beets
coconut water
chia seeds
ice

Being married to a jungle savage from S. America, we drink a fair amount of coconut water here. It is very good. The best comes directly from fresh young coconuts. You lop the top off, drink the water, then scoop out the gelatinous flesh with a spoon. It is very tasty.

If you purchase packaged coconut water, I would avoid the ones with added sugar.

[puppetmaster]

I like the one that is in a glass bottle and say "taste nirvana" on label. It uses young coconuts and to mee is smoother in taste.

[Created4]

So what we find in those hairy coconuts at the store is only coconut milk and that isn't coconut water?

No, those will have coconut water in them, but to get them to the store shelves require that they pasteurize/irradiate them. A freshly picked coconut is only good for about 2-3 days before it starts molding. So unless it was picked recently in Mexico, it is probably treated for a longer shelf life. Most coconuts in stores come from Thailand, and are definitely treated. Also, they are usually not young coconuts, but mature coconuts, and the water is not as nutritious.

[phill4paul]

Hate it. Drank it fresh as a kid from the trees in the yard. I'll take well water any day over it. In a survival situation then yes. Otherwise, no.

[osan]

Take it in small doses. Taste is OK, but it's not the kind of thing you want to be drinking all the time, it is a natural laxative.

LOL someone above said he drink it all the time. It must not be the same as raw coconut milk.

Coconut milk must be made, which is very easily done. You need good, fresh coconuts, which are then grated finely. Add some water, but not too much. You then proceed to squeeze the liquid from the pulp. It can be done by hand; you could place it into a press, also. What will come out is a whitish, fatty liquid that should reek of coconut. You can then go for a second pressing by adding more water and repeating. This will not be as rich and fatty as the first pressing. You can try a third, but the result is usually disappointing, though it can be OK if you intend on using it in a dish that requires just a little bit of coconut milk. I will often chew on some of the pulp after we are done pressing. Coconut milk freezes very well and it an absolutely divine ingredient in many dishes whether it be Thai soups such as tom-ka-gai or curries and masalas. The coconut milk in the latter, besides imparting the flavor, can also moderate the boldness of some curries and masalas. A good masala is extremely flavorful and can actually be a little overwhelming for some. The addition of the coconut milk can take the edge of the masala for those not used to the more flavor-intense kitchens.

Here is how I put masala together

Thinly slice half a large onion and sauté in perhaps 4 oz of oil... maybe a little more. I just eyeball it. At this point I also add whatever hot peppers I intend on using, which is usually between half and a whole habanero. But other peppers such as wiri-wiri are also good. Wiris are my favorite. While quite hot, they are not as thermonuclear as ghosts and reapers. But unlike others, they have this intensely fruity flavor that you have to experience to appreciate. When the onions go glassy, add 4 to 6 fegs (cloves) of thinly sliced garlic. Sauté until garlic is just turning golden... medium heat is prob. best. Don't forget to salt to taste. Do it early, but be conservative. You can add more later. Usually for us about a tsp. or a bit less is good for starters.

Add about 1 tbsp masala, or to taste; the precise amount will become clearer to you as you develop your tastes for this dish. Some like more, others less. You need a GOOD masala powder, which you will not get at the local supermarket in a McCormick jar. Go to an Indian grocery and ask them for some real masala. Open one of those supermarket non-masalas and a bag of real masala and compare their bouquets and you will immediately know what I mean. There is a depth to the righteous masala that is simply divine. You may also add curry if it pleases you, whether red, yellow, or green, pastes usually being the best course. They all work well and I suggest adding to taste, but be VERY careful not to over-season as that may ruin it and may leave it coming back to visit for many hours. Lots of Indian restaurants GROSSLY over-season their foods. My wife makes some of the best curries on the planet... at least I think she does.

At this point, if you have some and prefer it, you may also add a bit of toasted, ground cumin to taste. It is very easy to make. Simply toast the cumin in a hot frying pan until the seeds turn dark, but be careful not to over-roast as they may turn bitter. Then grind the seed into dust. Trés magnifique.

Sauté the masala-onion-garlic-whatever mixture a short while, then add your meat - say 1 pound of chicken or GOOD quality stew beef (you can make your crappy beef turn out great if you use a pressure cooker). Generally, you cook the meat until it bunjals, which is when most of the water is cooked out of it, Then add about 1/2 a can of coconut milk and the rest boiling water. I usually add potatoes and will often poach eggs into it. If you like, you can add the seeds of 3 eliachi (green cardamom) pods, which adds a lot of depth. Carrots and other veggies work well, but are not required. Lemon grass is also a nice addition, if you are so disposed.

Cook until the meat, potatoes, eggs, etc. are all done, then add about 1/4 cup of fresh, chopped cilantro, stir in, and you are ready to serve. We usually serve it over jasmine or basmati rice, though when wifenheimer goes full-jungle on me, she just eats the masala alone with roti (similar to naan, only better ) by hand and with no eating utensils. Ah, my jungle queen.

One last note regarding chicken: make certain you use whole meat, i.e. including the bones. I chop the chicken into parts with a butcher ax so that the bones are cracked open. This is very important to the flavor of the dish. Do not use boneless breast as it will taste very flat in comparison such that the spices cannot really carry the dish. This is something you will learn as you eat more and your palate starts to develop a sense of the plate. Try making with breast after you develop your likes and you will see what I mean.

Finally, you can curry/masala many different meats. Duck, goat, lamb, shrimp, chicken, beef, venison, and fish all serve as great bases for masalas and curries.

Oh, and tomorrow I'm going to be getting some seedlings for yellow and orange Devil's Tongue's, a pepper I have not yet tried. Also, there is a lemon drop pepper which is absolutely beautiful in its lemony-hot goodness.

If anyone tries this, I'd love to hear how it turned out.

[osan]

Yep. Anything you buy on a shelf has been pasteurized with high heat and possibly preserved as well. Nothing like "buko juice" - the water from fresh young coconuts just off the tree. But you won't find that in the mainland U.S. You need to go south of the border or fly to the tropics.

Sure you can. A good asian market will have fresh young coconuts. We get them in South Charleston. Don't expect to find them at the mainstream supermarket, however. Don't recall whether places like Trader Joes, Whole Food, Giant, etc. carry them, but I suspect they generally do not unless they are in a community that consumes a lot of that sort of thing.

[opal]

My mom wants to start having smoothies for breakfast and decided on a recipe that has coconut water. Has anyone tried coconut water? Is it good? Is there a particular brand you recommend?

Her recipe is

Kale
carrots
blueberries
beets
coconut water
chia seeds
ice

I haven't found a brand that makes my taste buds happy but ya might wanna warn mom that going heavy on the beets in either the juicer or blender could cause the color to last all the way through the body.. doesn't happen to everyone but no body needs to panic in the bathroom from beet juice on the way out.

[Suzanimal]

I haven't found a brand that makes my taste buds happy but ya might wanna warn mom that going heavy on the beets in either the juicer or blender could cause the color to last all the way through the body.. doesn't happen to everyone but no body needs to panic in the bathroom from beet juice on the way out.

We know that but thanks. My mom loves beets and we used to grow them an can them when I was a kid.

[Created4]

Sure you can. A good asian market will have fresh young coconuts. We get them in South Charleston. Don't expect to find them at the mainstream supermarket, however. Don't recall whether places like Trader Joes, Whole Food, Giant, etc. carry them, but I suspect they generally do not unless they are in a community that consumes a lot of that sort of thing.

"Fresh young coconuts" spoil quite quickly. If you find them in the U.S. mainland, particularly if they came from Asia, they are heat treated for sure. They are not "fresh."

You might find Mexican coconuts in some specialty shops that were flown in overnight or very quickly, but if they are not in the refrigerated section, count on them being treated somehow also to prevent mold growth which starts quite quickly.

Now, that said, if one wants to pay a high price for truly high quality coconut water, look for frozen coconut water bottled from young fresh coconut at the source, usually from Thailand. I am starting to see these show up in certain markets, but the cost is so high not many will purchase, so it is not a huge market.

Second option is fermented coconut water, where a fermenting culture with probiotics are added to the water of young coconuts at the source (again, usually Thailand.) I am seeing this show up also in some markets, but always in the refrigerated section.

If it is not refrigerated and you are anywhere in the lower 48, chances are pretty good that coconut or coconut water is not fresh, but heat treated (irradiated). I did see one place in South Florida a couple years back selling fresh coconuts shipped overnight, but I would not consume coconuts from Florida as they have never really recovered from lethal yellowing disease, which also has infected most of the coconuts in eastern Mexico, in the Yucatan Peninsula. Coconuts from western Mexico are far superior.

[Zippyjuan]

Take it in small doses. Taste is OK, but it's not the kind of thing you want to be drinking all the time, it is a natural laxative.

LOL someone above said he drink it all the time. It must not be the same as raw coconut milk.

According to Bear Grylls, it is also a diuretic- meaning that while it contains electrolytes, it may not be the best choice if you are getting dehydrated because it removes water from your body- causing you to piss them out.