Vita Coco Coconut Water with Peach and Mango

Made by: Paraipaba Agroindustrial Ltda. (for All Market Inc.)

Origin: Brazil

Imported into the UK by: All Market Europe Ltd

Vita Coco with Peach and Mango is a matt yellow colour. The drink is cloudy and still, and contains a fine puree of fruit floating in suspension. The colour fades to clear at the rim of the glass.

An odd lactic aroma on the nose reminds us of a calpis (fermented milk) drink. It manages to shake this off eventually and here you have peaches running the show, with a sliver of green mango skin in the background.

A different story on the palate, where the elements integrate and the coconut is allowed to breathe, just, between layers of peach. There is plenty of that soft, round texture that typifies these drinks, together with the sappy green freshness that prevents them from becoming too cloying. The whereabouts of the elusive Mango is hard to pin down here but is hardly missed. Short, clean finish.

Another useful addition to the Vita Coco stable. For those who like their coconut water on the fruitier side...

Packaging claims: Hydrate naturally, more electrolytes than leading sports drinks with 15 times the potassium, has more potassium than two bananas, 100% natural

Ingredients: Natural coconut water, mango puree, peach puree, ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)

Price: Should be about £1.70 for a 330ml Tetra Pack carton, available from Selfridges & Co and health food stores, and also online (eg www.aqua-amore.com)

Vita Coco Coconut Water with Pineapple

Made by: Paraipaba Agroindustrial Ltda. (for All Market Inc.)

Origin: Brazil

Imported into the UK by: All Market Europe Ltd

The rising tide of interest in coconut water, the natural juice of young (green) coconuts, has become something of a media phenomenon in the USA of late, with Europe set to follow. Coconut water is already a well-established health and hydration drink in Asia, Central and South America. We decided to extend our research into the growing number of coconut water variants now available...

Vita Coco with Pineapple is a pale, off white colour with a matt orange hue. The drink is cloudy and still, and contains a fine puree of fruit floating in suspension. The colour fades to clear at the rim of the glass.

Now on the nose this really works. Scents of coconut and pineapple are complimentary and combine perfectly. Lazy ripe pineapple is given an edge here with the green sap of the coconut.

Hard to fault this on the palate also, there is none of the 'low tide' vegetative flavour encountered in the plain variant (bit.ly/bAYg7U). What you have is fresh, green, salty sweet young coconut and milky pineapple, in a soft, roundly textured duet. Short, clean finish.

A satisfying drink from Vita Coco, and a lesson in understatement.

Packaging claims: Hydrate naturally, more electrolytes than leading sports drinks with 15 times the potassium, has more potassium than two bananas, 100% natural, hydrate and feel good

Ingredients: Natural coconut water, pineapple puree, coconut puree, ascorbic acid (vitamin C)

Price: Should be about £1.70 for a 330ml Tetra Pack carton, available from Selfridges & Co and health food stores, and also online (eg www.aqua-amore.com)

Vitamin Water Essential Orange (c+calcium)

Made by: Coca Cola Enterprises Ltd

Origin: UK








This Vitamin Water variant is a pale, matt orange colour. The colour fades out to a watery rim at the edge of the glass.

On the nose familiar, powdery aromas of effervescent Vitamin C tablets (Hailborange). More nostalgia follows with dilute orange squash, and we detected a lactic, milky scent that had us discussing calpis (fermented milk) drinks.

Light body and flavours on the palate with ripe citrus and an understated sourness, again with the delivery taking the direction of a calpis drink. There is a subtle chalkiness contributing a little texture to the experience, before the drink ends in a short finish.

Packaging claims: Still orange flavour spring water drink with vitamins and minerals

Ingredients: Spring water, fructose, sugar, mineral salts (potassium phosphate, calcium lactate), citric acid, vitamins (C, niacin, E, pantothenic acid, A (beta carotene), B6, folic acid, B12), stabilisers (acacia gum, glycerol esters of wood rosins), colour (beta carotene), flavourings

Price: Should be about £1.30-£1.50 for a 500ml PET bottle, widely available including online (eg www.aquaamore.com)

Zico Coconut Water with Mango

Made by: Zico Beverages LLC

Origin: USA

Imported into the UK by: Zico UK Ltd

Zico coconut water is a pale, off white colour. The drink is slightly cloudy and contains a small amount of fine coconut particles floating in suspension.

Ripe mango aromas on the nose, this is fruity with custard apple and creamy vanilla to follow. The aroma develops more tropical notes as it settles: Pineapple rings and tinned fruit salad, with a warm husky, nutty note.

This is much lighter on the palate than the nose would suggest, providing a delicate coconut flavour and salty-sweet balance. There is a faintly creamy texture, a little sweet fruit, and the suggestion of soft young coconut meat, before the drink ends in a short finish.

Packaging claims: Gluten free, only 60 calories, nature's sports drink, more potassium than a banana, zero fat, no added sugar, 5 essential electrolytes, low acidity

Ingredients: 100% natural coconut water, citric acid, natural mango flavour

Price: Should be about £1.70-£1.80 for a 330ml Tetrapak carton, available online (eg www.aquaamore.com) and at independent health food stores nationwide

Attitude Natural Energy Drink

Made by: Energizer Brands Ltd

Origin: UK








This energy drink is a pale brown colour, slightly cloudy, translucent and with a warm pinkish hue to the colour. The colour fades to clear at the rim of the glass. When opened, the drink produces a creamy froth on the sufrace of the liquid caused by the small bubbles, and contains a fine sediment when poured out.

On the nose juicy aromas of barley sugar, soft strawberry candies (think of Chewit sweets) with plenty of vanilla. We also uncovered a fruit dessert theme: Ripe bananas, cream and brown sugar, with a top note of lemon citrus.

Light and fresh, the palate opens with fruity lemon flavours, moves through malty and grassy tones, followed by dried apple and vanilla. There are some spices giving a gentle pepper twist, a little citrus acidity and an unusual earthy flavour (reminds me of tea leaves).

This manages to take you on an interesting journey before the short finish...


Packaging claims: Turns you on naturally, rich in antioxidants, suitable for vegans, diebetic friendly, sweetened with low G.I. fruit, full of natural energy from active adaptogen (rhodiola rosea root 500mg), no caffeine, no taurine, no synthetic ingredients, no artificial flavours, sweeteners or preservatives, 50% of your vitamins RDA (Vitamin C, B1, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12)

Ingredients: Sparkling spring water, natural sweetness from fruits, lemon juice partially concentrated, natural fruit and yerba mate flavours, barley malt, ginger, lemongrass (all natural extracts)

Price: Should be about £1.00-£1.20 for a 330ml can, available from health food store chains and independents, and specialist food outlets nationwide

Simply Hibi- Hibiscus drink

Made by: Ibis Organics

Origin: UK

The Roselle plant (Hibiscus Sabdariffa) is a variety of Hibiscus grown for its nutrient properties. It is consumed in a variety of different ways, however variants of a soft drink are most popular in the Caribbean, Mexico & Central America, Africa and Malaysia. Contrary to popular belief it's not the actual flowers or petals that are used to make drinks, but the calyces (flower casings) of the plant. When the calyx is ripe it turns a deep, bright red colour and is ready for use. The calyces are cored and then infused, and the colour, flavour and nutrients leach out. Hibiscus has started to generate increasing interest as part of a new group of 'superfoods', prized for their nutritional and especially antioxodant properties.

This drink is a deep maroon colour. The colour is intense, with plenty of purple highlights and becoming opaque at the core, like a young red wine.

Nosing this it is rich, sweet, earthy and with a distinct vegetable note. Here we have freshly crushed blackcurrants, leafy and with beetroot overtones, and steamed artichoke. There is also a little freshly turned earth (reminds me of a cabernet franc wine), and a twist of black pepper...

The palate is light, and dominated by sweet, juicy blackcurrants. In contrast with the aroma it contains few of those vegetable notes, with only a little leafy character and a rhubarb stem detected in the background. A gentle tartness develops, which has a pleasant 'mouthwatering' effect, before the drink ends in a short finish.

Packaging claims: Rich in Antioxidants

Ingredients: Hibiscus infusion 85% (Hibiscus and water), glucose-fructose syrup (15%)

Price: Should be about £1.40 for a 250ml PET bottle, available from Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Booths, Holland & Barrett and other health food and independent specialist outlets

the Berry Company Goji juice drink

Made by: the berry juice company

Origin: UK

The Goji berry is the red berry fruit of the boxthorn shrub. It is also known as the Wolfberry, derived from the Greek origin for the plant Genus. The plant is a relative of the chili pepper, tobacco and deadly nightshade plants, and most commercial plantings are to be found in Northern China. In the past ten years Goji berries have started to generate increasing interest as part of a new group of 'superfruits', prized for their nutritional and especially antioxidant properties.

This Goji drink is pale burnt orange in colour, showing good intensity. It is cloudy/translucent and contains some fine fruit pulp in suspension.

On the nose rich, thick apricot puree, followed by more stone fruits: Mangoes this time. The sweet, fleshy aroma is given a 'lift' with a heady note of passionfruit.

The palate is lighter than the nose would suggest, with satisfying flavours that combine soft orange stone fruits (apricots and peaches) with their tropical cousins (mangoes and passionfruit).

The drink develops from an initial sweetness, akin to white grape juice, to turn pleasantly sour on the finish. The use of passionfruit comes into its own here, providing a tangy freshness and balancing out those sweeter notes. Another interesting release from the berry company.

Packaging claims: No artificial colours, no artificial preservatives, no sweeteners, in partnership with Heart Research UK

Ingredients: Water, pressed Wolfberry/Goji fruit (20%), fruit extract concentrate, pressed passion fruit juice (10%), natural flavour malic acid, antioxidant ascorbic acid

Price: Should be about £1.50-£1.60 for a 330ml PET bottle, available from Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Department stores and health retailers nationwide