Coconut juice, also called coconut water, is the clear, slightly sweet liquid found inside young, green coconuts.
The juice is tapped directly from young coconuts, most often in Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and parts of Central and South America. As the coconut matures, the liquid gradually thickens and turns into the solid coconut meat, so juice is harvested from unripe fruit.
Coconut juice is drunk on its own, chilled or over ice, and used in Southeast Asian and Caribbean cuisines to add moisture to rice dishes, curries, stews, and marinades, as well as in tropical drinks, sorbets, and popsicles.
Its flavor is light, subtly sweet, and slightly nutty, with natural electrolytes such as potassium and sodium.