
This means that this product isn’t artificially sweetened unlike the others available on the market today. Harmless Coconut Water is not made with added sugar or other harmful chemicals which are present in most other brands, including sugars, preservatives and flavors. It is very useful for athletes, pregnant women and diabetics who need to avoid insulin. Harmless Coconut Water offers an extra source of potassium to people who have a hard time gaining it from other sources. The company uses traditional ways to produce organic coconut water using organic coconuts which is a more expensive process than employing harmful fertilizers and pesticides on the plantations. No distinction was made between organic and non-organic products during testing.Harmless Coconut Water is made of organic young green coconuts grown in locations like Thailand, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Indonesia. Samples were then tasted in random order by a panel of Epicurious editors and other staff in a blind tasting. As stated above, color wasn't always an indication of quality, but it did affect overall perception.

How We TestedĪll coconut waters were stored in the same refrigerator and then decanted into clear quart containers so we could more accurately judge the variations in color. While we did find that cans and tetra-paks of one brand could have variances in flavor, we found no correlation between packaging material and ranking on our own list. Some other coconut water taste tests mention the effect various types of packaging can have on the flavor of coconut water.

She then demonstrated this to the group by combining the two and passing it around the room. Emily Johnson wished it had "a little more tang" though, and admitted her absolute "ideal coconut water would be an equal mix of Harmless Harvest and Pure Brazilian"-the other pink contender on the roster, which had a fruitier, tarter, less nutty profile. The reason for this is the same reason for its delicate pink hue-this coconut water is minimally processed and kept in refrigeration, resulting in a drink that, according to the brand, tastes "the closest you can come to drinking straight from a coconut." It's also noticeably sweet, but the sweetness tastes natural, as opposed to a few other contenders which had an artificial quality. Off the bat you'll notice that Harmless Harvest, which is also made exclusively with Thai coconuts, has a nuttier aroma than most other brands-some tasters compared it to the milk at the bottom of a cereal bowl. The first pink coconut water to hit store shelves in the U.S., Harmless Harvest is our pick for the best organic coconut water. Consider it an all-purpose coconut water: great for drinking after a workout, mixing into your favorite smoothie, or using to braise a Vietnamese pork dinner.īUY IT: Zola Original Coconut Water, $55 for 12 (1-liter) tetra-paks at Amazon Our Favorite Organic Coconut Water: Harmless Harvest Zola, however, has a wonderful tropical aroma-smelling as if someone in the next room had just ripped open a bag of dried coconut.

Don't take that to heart though, since the clearest coconut water we tasted was also the most foul smelling-the biggest turnoff of all. The color is clear with a slight cloudiness, which is important to note since many of our samples were a swampy yellow color (not necessarily a bad thing nutritionally, but not particularly appetizing either). Made with coconuts from Thailand, Zola hits the tongue with a faint vanilla malt flavor and then finishes with a lemony zing. Zola, however, hit all three points in harmony. Others veered too far into sour territory-not refreshing.

Some of the coconut waters we tasted were too sweet, giving them an artificial vibe. It's naturally salty, naturally sweet, and also naturally sour. The Latest Add-In We're Stirring Into Iced Coffee The Best Coconut Water Brand: ZolaĬoconut water needs to strike a delicate balance.
