Coconut water is a liquid taken from the coconut; the fruit of the Coconut Palm. The Coconut Palm is native to Southern Asia, South America, the Pacific Islands and Florida. For the native people to these regions the coconut has long been a valuable food source. These people consider the coconut a complete food source. They not only eat the meat of the coconut and drink its juice, but they also use the shell of the coconut for containers and utensils. The coconut has long been a valuable component of these native peoples diet.

Locals and venders in areas where the Coconut Palm grows naturally pick the coconuts in the early morning, peel them of their tough outer skin and sell them at local markets and on the streets. The end is trimmed to allow easy access to the coconuts water within. Coconut water in these parts of the world has long been a popular drink enjoyed fresh from the tree each day.

Coconut Water is a product of the coconut but should not be confused with coconut milk. Coconut Water is the product of a young green coconut. While the outside peel of the fruit is still green the meat of the coconut is less abundant and soft, almost gel like. During this stage of the coconuts life the liquid within is opaque; almost clear. This liquid is referred to as Coconut Water. Coconut water is sweet with the faint flavor of almond. However, coconuts harvested from different regions can sometimes have a slightly different flavor ranging from sweeter to slightly salty; generally though all coconut water tastes very similar.

Coconuts take up to a year to mature but the Coconut Palm is unique. The tree continually produces fruit throughout the year. This means a coconut palm tree will have fruit in many different stages guarantying a continuous supply of young coconuts that contain coconut water.

Coconut water is sometimes shipped fresh to other areas of the region. This is a simply process. The coconuts are hand harvested at an early stage of development. These fruits are then carefully peeled of their green skin. Once the skin is removed, a hard outer shell still remains and protects the liquid within. They are wrapped in plastic and quickly shipped for fresh consumption.

Coconut water is also available in bottles, cans and disposable cartons. This allows manufacturers to ship coconut water to customers world wide. These bottled products usually contain pulp and coconut gel from the young coconut. Many people prefer the bottled coconut water for this reason and consider it an added reason to buy the product.

Coconut water has become a popular drink. It is enjoyed in many different forms in much of the world. The liquid is tasty and refreshing and more and more people are adding coconut water to their daily diets.