Coconut Water.

I love coconut water.  Not the coconut water craze that has hit the US, but the coconut water that I grew up with.  The picture above was taken from a recent trip to India and is a very normal sight on the streets there.  Fresh coconuts cut in front of your eyes, usually with a large machete, handed to you with a straw and you can savor its water directly from the source.  It is delicious.

A few years ago I noticed packaged coconut water start to pop up in grocery stores nationwide.  I was so excited to finally be able to have some of this childhood treat that I remember so well.

Until I actually tried one of them.

It did not taste like the sweet nectar I remember.  I tried a few different brands, and I was always left with the same feeling of disappointment.  So many people were in love with these and I couldn't understand why.  Perhaps they never had the chance to taste it straight from the coconut like I've had the privilege to, or perhaps I'm just extremely picky.  Either way it wasn't for me.

I had given up the whole idea of coconut water in the states until a few months ago.  A new coconut water caught my eye during a recent trip to Whole Foods.  The label claimed it was 100% Raw Coconut Water.  Surely 100% raw coconut water tastes like the real deal?  I had to give it a shot.

They were right.  It tasted just like fresh coconut water from India.  I got on the bandwagon.  Coconut water contains so many nutrients.  It is jam packed with electrolytes, which make it a great post workout drink.   I have been drinking it after my yoga and it is so refreshing and replaces the electrolytes I may have lost during Bikram…I'm sure of it.  Much better than the sugary Gatorades or any other sports drinks out there. This brand is different because they don't heat the coconut water to sterilize it.  They put thousands of pounds of pressure on it to keep any bacteria from growing.  There's more of a science involved here and you can read all about it on their website.

If you have never had coconut water directly from a coconut or if you have and miss that very distinct taste you should definitely check this out.