I never cared much for coconut water, but then one day some friends had me try some Harmless Harvest 100% Raw Coconut Water. It was like drinking from a raw coconut, which, it turns out, is not too far from the truth.

The flavor, aroma, and nutrition found in the liquid inside young green coconuts, known as coconut water, is contained within volatile compounds. As in all raw ingredients, these delicate compounds are significantly altered when heated. With heat pasteurized coconut waters lining the shelves, we reinvented the supply chain to maintain the integrity from freshly cracked nut to freshly cracked bottle. We source unique 100% organic coconuts with a distinctly sweet and nutty flavor, and grown using traditional organic farming methods. We protect that flavor through a cutting-edge, proprietary manufacturing systems including straight coconut-to-bottle bottling and high pressure processing. The best ingredients should be enjoyed just as nature grew them.

I'm no doctor, so I don't know if all the health benefits of coconut water are real, but this Harmless Harvest stuff tastes damn good. Costco now carries four-packs, and I grabbed one my last visit. Even at Costco, it's not cheap at about $4 a bottle, but since I don't drink coffee, it's my temporary substitute indulgence.