You may have thought to yourself before, why does coconut water taste bad? Celebrities and fitness influencers have told us about the health benefits of coconut water.
People have said that it is super hydrating, it has a lot of nutrients, it can lower blood pressure. Not all of these claims have been vetted, and it would be unwise to put all of your faith in one cure all drink.
But why does it taste bad? I am here to tell you that the reason that PACKAGED coconut water tastes so bad is because it is pasteurized. It doesn’t matter where you buy it, or what brand it is, the reason it tastes funny is because of the pasteurization.
This is unfortunate because if you have ever had fresh coconut water, it is one of the tastiest drinks that you could have. Did I mention that it is all natural?
Why does pasteurization ruin the flavor
We first must understand how pasteurization works. It is a process that takes products that traditionally wouldn’t be packaged for later use, and extends their shelf life.
This is done by heating up the product, in this case coconut water to 212 degrees fahrenheit. This ensures all enzymes that may cause future spoilage will be eliminated.
This sounds great, but now we have a problem. The flavor has been completely altered. It no longer tastes like the fresh coconut water that is delicious.
Have you ever tasted the difference between store bought orange juice, and fresh squeezed orange juice? The ingredients are the same. 100% orange juice. The only problem is that pasteurization ruins the flavor.
You experience the same thing with milk. I have personally never tasted fresh milk, but I would imagine that it tastes better than the pasteurized milk that is common throughout the world.
With all this being said, why does coconut water taste bad? Your answer is pasteurization.
Lies told by manufacturers
We have been told that coconut water is a super hydration drink. Studies have shown that coconut water is no different than regular water when it comes to its hydrating effects.
Another thing to consider is that when you look at the label of any packaged coconut water, the ingredients will say 100% coconut water.
Unfortunately, this is slightly misleading, because once coconut water has been pasteurized, important ingredients are eliminated.
The enzymes that are now gone once fueled flavor and texture. Also, you are now drinking a slightly more condensed version of coconut water because a small amount of water vapor always escapes during the pasteurization process.
One last thing to consider when it comes to sketchy commercial claims about coconut water, is the use of “may” before any claim. We have heard it all, “may cure heart disease,” “may help with inflammation.” “may have antioxidants.” etc….
Advertisers can use these terms because there is no actual evidence of these issues being fixed, just speculation. This takes away the burden of proof from manufacturers and marketers.
Where to buy fresh coconuts
Depending on where you live, you might be able to get your hands on some fresh coconut water fairly easily. You can order a fresh young coconut on Amazon. I also recommend this coconut opener as well.
If you live in southern states in the US, you can probably find a fresh young coconut at your local farmers market. Look for green coconuts that don’t have air pockets when you shake them.
You want the pressure to be tight. You know it’s a good coconut when you see a pressure release when you open one.
If you don’t have access to coconuts where you live, the next best thing to do is go on vacation to a place with a tropical climate. How does Costa Rica or Bali sound? In both places, you can get a fresh coconut on the side of the road for under $1. Don’t forget about Mexico and Thailand!
The absolute best place to buy fresh coconuts in the world is Sri Lanka. They are known for their king coconuts! A special variety of coconut that is known for its sweet flavor and is easy to open.
Does coconut water help with working out?
By now, you probably understand that coconut water is not a magic pill for being good for everything. In fact, there is no such thing as a magic pill that helps us become in perfect shape.
The secret to getting in shape is learning good exercise habits and compounding those over long periods of time.
What I always recommend to people is learn how to calculate your maintenance calories. Once you learn how to calculate your maintenance calories, you can then choose your path where to go from there.
No matter what path you choose, building muscle, losing weight, etc.., you will need to exercise in order to make your goals happen. I recommend working out at least 3-4 days per week.
If you need assistance, I highly recommend downloading our app All Workouts: Personal Trainer (iOS | Google Play). We have FREE workout plans for muscle building. If you want to burn fat, we have 10+ HIIT workouts built-in!
Main Point: Why does coconut water taste bad
By now, we know that packaged coconut water tastes bad because of pasteurization. Pasteurization heats up the coconut water to the point that it eliminates a lot of enzymes. While this is good for long term shelf life, it’s not good for flavor.
You can work around this by only purchasing fresh young coconuts. Always go for the green ones that don’t have much air in them when you shake them. The brown ones are old and usually have air pockets.
Don’t forget to check out your local farmers market and see if anybody sells them.
Let’s not forget an important issue that needs to be addressed constantly. There is no magic pill for health and fitness. Don’t believe in the hype. Just create good exercise habits, and eat a balanced calorie intake, and you accelerate your goals.
If you want to get in epic shape, learn how to calculate your maintenance calories, and workout 3-4 days per week. It is that simple.
So, why does coconut water taste bad? We want to hear about your experience with coconut water. I wanted to like bottled coconut water desperately. But after experiencing fresh coconut water, I cannot go back.
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