Harmless Harvest is a popular brand of bottled coconut water made from young green Nam Ham coconuts sourced from Thailand.
Unlike heavily processed brands, Harmless Harvest does not use heat to pasteurize or concentrate their coconut water. Plus, there is no use of added sugar and preservatives.
This makes it one of the most cherished brands of coconut water.
It comes in various varieties such as flavored, with pulp and energizing.
And while Harmless Harvest coconut water tastes really delicious, is it healthy?
Short answer: Harmless Harvest coconut water is healthy as it is made from organic coconut water without any added sugar. Additionally, it’s a good source of electrolytes like potassium and phosphorus and is free from artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
Read on to find out more about Harmless Harvest coconut water, including it’s ingredients, sugar, protein, fiber, sodium content, and more.
I’ll also compare it to other coconut water brands like Vita Coco, Zico, and Goya.
So, let’s start.
Read also: Is Vita Coco Healthy? Everything You Need To Know
What Is Harmless Harvest coconut water made up of?
Harmless Harvest coconut water comes in various flavors, such as:
- Organic coconut water
- Pink lady apple (flavored coconut water)
- Watermelon (flavored coconut water)
- Apple (flavored coconut water)
- Organic coconut water with pulp
- Organic coconut water with aloe
- Yerba mate tea (Energizing organic coconut water)
- Single-origin coffee (Energizing organic coconut water)
Therefore, the exact ingredients can vary depending on the flavor.
In general, Harmless Harvest coconut water is made from organic coconut water as the main ingredient.
Other ingredients that you may find based on flavors include organic watermelon juice, apple juice, mango puree, water, organic coconut meat, etc.
Everything is USDA organic. Plus, none of the ingredients are produced with GMOs.
Additionally, there is no added sugar, flavors, colors, or preservatives that you need to be concerned about.
So, ingredients-wise, Harvest coconut water is healthy.
Is Harmless Harvest coconut water high in sugar?
Harmless Harvest coconut water is high in sugar, containing 12 to 24g per bottle, depending on the flavor.
That’s about 33 to 66% of the daily sugar limit for men and 48 to 96% for women.
Even though all of the sugar in Harmless Harvest coconut water is naturally coming from coconut, consuming too much natural sugar can have a negative impact.
If you are looking to cut down on sugar, Harmless Harvest coconut water may not be the best option.
But because it’s free from added sugar, you can consume it in moderation.
Furthermore, despite containing a high amount of natural sugar, it’s a much better hydration choice than sweetened sports drinks or sodas.
Here’s the table showing the sugar content of all flavors.
| Flavor | Sugar(g) |
|---|---|
| Organic coconut water | 20 |
| Pink lady apple | 18 |
| Watermelon | 20 |
| Apple | 19 |
| With pulp | 24 |
| With aloe | 24 |
| Yerba mate tea | 12 |
| Single origin coffee | 12 |
How much protein is in Harmless Harvest coconut water?
Harmless Harvest coconut water is not a source of protein as most of it’s flavors contain zero protein.
The only flavor with 1g of protein is coconut water with pulp.
Why such low protein?
That’s because coconuts are naturally not a good source of protein.
Can you include Harmless Harvest coconut water in workouts?
Well, if you look at the protein, the answer is pretty simple NO.
But Harmless Harvest coconut water is a good source of potassium
containing 10 to 20% of daily value.
Potassium is an electrolyte known for playing an essential role in muscle contractions & relaxations and preventing cramps.
So, while Harmless Harvest coconut water is not a source of protein, it can still be a part of a muscle-building diet or workout.
How much fiber is in Harmless Harvest coconut water?
Just like protein, Harmless Harvest coconut water is also not a source of fiber.
The only flavor that contains 1g of fiber is coconut water with pulp.
How much sodium is in Harmless Harvest coconut water?
Harmless Harvest coconut water contains 35 to 70mg of sodium per bottle, depending on the flavor.
That’s not even 5% of the daily ideal recommended sodium limit(1500mg) set by the American Heart Association.
Even if you drank 2 bottles(which is not recommended), you’d only consume around 140mg of sodium, which is just 9% of the daily value.
Sodium is an important part of the diet, but too much can result in heart-related issues.
But, when you drink coconut water, sodium becomes essential as it serves vital functions like maintaining fluid balance and supporting muscle contraction and hydration.
If you’re watching your sodium intake, Harmless Harvest coconut water is a good option to hydrate.
Here’s the table showing the sodium content of all flavors.
| Flavor | Sodium(mg) |
|---|---|
| Organic coconut water | 55 |
| Pink lady apple | 50 |
| Watermelon | 45 |
| Apple | 50 |
| With pulp | 70 |
| With aloe | 70 |
| Yerba mate tea | 35 |
| Single origin coffee | 40 |
Is Harmless Harvest coconut water good for weight loss?
Harmless Harvest coconut water is not an ideal choice for weight loss as it contains a significant amount of natural sugar.
However, it is low in calories, with 60-120 per serving, depending on the flavor, making it a low-calorie choice.
However, note that the majority of these calories come from natural sugar, which are empty calories.
Occasionally consuming one serving of Harmless Harvest is acceptable when trying to lose weight.
But for fast, lasting weight loss, I would recommend plain water as your go-to hydrator.
Note that weight loss depends not only on one food but overall diet and lifestyle.
Is Harmless Harvest coconut water pasteurized?
Pasteurization is the process of heating/boiling a food or beverage to eliminate the harmful bacteria in it.
While the Pasteurization process helps in preserving the food or beverage, it also destroys the flavor and essential nutrients from the food or beverage.
Harmless Harvest coconut water is not pasteurized or boiled.
Instead, Harmless Harvest coconut water takes a different approach.
It uses a proprietary multi-step micro-filtration process to gently filter out bacteria and extend refrigerated shelf life.
This process allows them to skip the high heat of traditional pasteurization. So their coconut water preserves the flavor, nutrients, and enzymes you’d find if drinking straight from a fresh coconut.
Why is Harmless Harvest coconut water pink?
Harmless Harvest coconut water is pink because of the presence of the enzyme polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in the coconuts.
It’s the same enzyme that is involved in the fruit browning.
This beneficial compound provides a pinkish-purple pigment in coconut water that can intensify over time after bottling.
Some bottles remain clear white, while others transform into a light pink blush. Rather than try to control this natural process (using preservatives like citric acid), Harmless Harvest embraces it.
The pink color has nothing to do with the quality of the coconut water.
So next time you see rosy-hued bottles on the shelf, know it’s simply a sign of the antioxidants at play.
Is Harmless Harvest coconut water raw?
Harmless Harvest does come close to capturing the essence of raw coconut water. However, it isn’t the same as real coconut water.
That’s because Harmless Harvest uses a gentle micro-filtration process.
Even though this cold-press method does not destroy the flavor and nutrients in coconut water, any type of processing and bottling means it isn’t truly raw.
As soon as coconut water gets packaged and sits on shelves, natural changes will definitely occur.
Is Harmless Harvest coconut water better than other coconut water brands?
Let’s compare Harmless Harvest coconut water to some of the most popular options in the market.
1. Harmless Harvest coconut water vs Goya coconut water
Harmless Harvest coconut water is healthier than Goya coconut water.
Here’s why:
- Harmless Harvest coconut water does not contain any added sugar, while Goya coconut water does.
- Harmless Harvest contains higher levels of sodium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium, making it a better electrolyte option.
- Harmless Harvest coconut water does not contain any preservatives, while Goya coconut water does.
- Harmless Harvest uses a better pasteurization method than Goya coconut water, which uses heat pasteurization.
2. Harmless Harvest coconut water vs Vita Coco
Harmless Harvest coconut water is healthier than Vita Coco.
Here’s why:
- Harmless Harvest does not contain added sugar, while most of the flavors of Vita Coco do.
- Harmless Harvest contains higher sodium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium levels, making it a better electrolyte option.
However, Vita Coco is a good source of vitamin C, which is missing in Harmless Harvest.
3. Harmless Harvest coconut water vs 100% Zico coconut water
Zico coconut water is lower in sugar and has better levels of sodium and potassium.
Still, it is a less healthy option than Harmless Harvest coconut water.
That’s because Zico uses Ultra High-Temperature Pasteurization, exposing coconut water to scorching heat up to 300°F for seconds.
While this process effectively kills bacteria, the intense temperatures destroy beneficial enzymes and antioxidants.
So, you may get electrolytes but miss out on other vital nutrients.
Moreover, Harmless Harvest coconut water also provides phosphorus, an electrolyte missing from Zico.
Is Harmless Harvest coconut water gluten-free?
Harmless Harvest coconut water is gluten-free as it does not contain any gluten-based ingredients.
Is Harmless Harvest coconut water vegan?
Harmless Harvest coconut water is vegan as it does not contain any animal or dairy-based ingredients.
Final words
After looking at the ingredients and nutritional value, Harmless Harvest coconut water deserves its reputation as a healthy hydration choice.
There are many reasons for this, such as:
- It is made from organic coconut water.
- No added sugar.
- No aggressive heat pasteurization process.
- It’s a good source of electrolytes, especially potassium and phosphorus.
- It’s gluten-free, vegan, USDA organic, and non-GMO.
- It has no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.
- It’s healthier than many other coconut water brands.
Of course, it does not match the wholesomeness of drinking real coconut water.
But when you’re looking for a grab-and-go option, Harmless Harvest coconut water is an excellent option to go with.
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