Zico Pure Coconut Water

www.zico.com

Fresh coconut water is one of my favorite drinks. Unfortunately, cracking the fruit is time-consuming and requires a great deal of skill as well as a large machete. So, imagine my joy when I discovered Zico drinks. As I have stated in these pages before, coconut water is considered by many as nature’s best sports drink. It is the most amazing thirst quencher that I know, rehydrating quickly without making one feel bloated. It has also been used as an intravenous fluid (it is the only natural substance that can be safely injected into the human blood stream). Sporty types claim all kinds of miraculous effects from drinking Zico instead of artificially colored and sweetened alternatives, and I can personally attest to its wonders as a hangover cure and pick-me-up after destroying myself during South by Southwest. Zico drinks have five essential electrolytes, including more potassium than a banana (and 15 times more than most sports drinks), no fat, no added sugar, and only 60 calories. The drinks are also low in acidity and high in antioxidants. The 11-ounce Tetra Paks of pure, unadulterated coconut water come in natural, mango, and orange-peel-passion-fruit flavors, all delicious. In addition to their restorative powers, I’ve discovered they make great little cocktail mixers as well! Try any Zico flavor with a shot of cachaça, rum, or vodka, topped with a squeeze of lime, or mix it with sparkling wine for a groovy take on mimosas. Zico Pure Coconut Water is available at the Whip In (where they mix it with Live Oak Pilz in their “Obama Shandy”), Thom’s Market, Live Oak Market, and many other Austin locations.

This article appears in April 3 • 2009.

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Mexico City native Claudia Alarcón has made Austin home since 1984. She worked her way through college in the local restaurant industry, graduating from the University of Texas in 1999. She has been a Chronicle contributor for 15 years and presents lectures and workshops on topics related to the foodways of Mexico, both locally and internationally.