How to tell if young coconut is "good"

[choleblack]

Hoping that someone here will be able to set me straight.

Last week we got a young coconut (first time I've ever seen them in stores here!). It was beyond fantastic!

This week I grabbed two. Just opened one & it doesn't look like the last one.

• The water is tan is in color, not clear like the first was
• The smell is a bit fruitier, not as clean "coconut" scent like the first.
• The meat on the inside has a pink tint to it, especially at the very bottom. The first was all white.

So is this within the normal range of "good" for a young coconut or is this one bad? Will it still be OK to eat or should it go straight to the composter? Is there a way to tell if a young coconut is good while at the store or is it a crap shoot?

Thanks for the help everyone.

Chole

[MelissaO]

If it smells off I would not chance it. I normally do not eat or drink them if the water is not clear, I have also opened some that were pink or purple on the inside and did not eat those either.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPvhxeg_PUA


When I pick my coconuts I test the bottom to make sure they are not too smooshie, I pick ones that do not have any pink or purple markings on the outside (that is mold)

[Aleesha Sattva]

if the outside is even a little soft... it's no longer good! this is my "test" as i drink these a LOT!

*hi chole... i love you*

[jacsam]

Thanks for the tips guys.....I've wondered this myself.

[choleblack]

Ahh bummer! Well at least I have another to try again.

Thanks for the selecting tips. I still haven't gotten over the shock of my grocery even having them on the shelves. I nearly tossed them all into my cart the first time I saw them.

((Aleesha))

Chole

[COmama]

I read in Matthew Kenney's book raw Food Real World that there can be some variation in appearance, and that the meat in some very young coconuts will have a purplish tint to it. I think you would be able to smell/taste a bad coconut, but if the color is different it isn't necessarily rancid.

[freshlight]

the white ones are the best but s-es the pink ones are all right too........you could try how it tastes first and then decide whether it's yummy or not :)

[steveoregon]

I buy Thai coconuts regularly and use the water and meat for smoothies. Some of them indeed have purple tinted water and meat. Whenever the meat has a light purple tint, it is always a thinner/softer meat and harder to spoon out in large chunks. I always thought this meant the coconut wasn't ripe. I have never sensed/tasted that they were bad.

However, what I'm wondering is . . . .

If I had let the coconut sit another week before opening, would this have allowed the meat to become mature and white? And if that's the case, how would I know by looking at the outside whether it was ripe or not?

BTW, at the local grocery store where I buy my Thai coconuts, I've had two people ask me what those "things" are.


.

[cbpilot]

I have opened literally hundreds of Thai coconuts (sometimes called young coconuts, or carved coconuts). We use them in smoothies and they are absolutely delicious. Even my wife who does not like coconut loves these smoothies.

So how do you know if you have a good one? It is disappointing that in my area (Southern California) about 15% of the coconuts I get are bad. When opened the meat should be white and thick, and the liquid clear. As they start to go bad everything goes brown. I have not used one unless everything is white and clear. After really making a study of this from personal experience I have found that often it is impossible to tell for certain about the condition inside...although there are tell tale signs of ones going bad that can be seen from the outside. What you are looking for are Thai coconuts that look the whitest from the outside. You are also looking for firmness. Pick them up and look at the bottom as that is where they go bad first. It should not feel soft, and you should not see any brownness on the outside. The hardest whitest ones are what you want. If you buy one that's a little brown or soft you are pretty well guaranteed that it's going to be bad when you get home. Save your receipts.

The freshest Thai coconuts will have a tick layer of firm meat on the inside which is more difficult to remove. As they age that layer becomes thinner and softer until it is practically gone.

If you are unfamiliar with how to open one, or how to easily remove the meat inside watch one of the many videos available on Youtube for some excellent help. The whole process is really quite easy with a little practice, and I usually have one open and completely cleaned out within 3-4 minutes max.

I hope this helps.

[Gianni]

You might also try shaking the coconut and listening for any juice splashing about. You want a coconut that is completely full of juice so that you cannot hear the juice sloshing around. On the other hand, if you can hear it sloshing around, then it means that it has lost quite a bit of moisture inside and that it is probably not very fresh.

The coconuts they sell here in Brazil are in their natural green skin (they also sell dried coconuts). It makes it easier to tell if they are fresh or not because the skin starts changing from green to brown as they age.

[Raw Angel Mom]

Water can change from brownish to clear and the coconut will be good. The color of the water depend if the coconut is young to soft meat.

The only time that i won't keep it, if the coconut meat is purple.

If pink, it is ok apparently.

When you choose a coconut, check underneath. If this is pink, chance is are the coconut won't be good and the inside will be purple. If it is abnormally heavier then usual, it might not be good either.

Enjoy your coconut!

[walnutty]

Just taste the water! You will KNOW when it is BAD!!!