I had previously considered nam oi (sugar cane juice) the undisputed title holder of “World’s Least Healthy Juice”, so it came as a shock to find out there was another contender snapping at its heels.

Spying this stall in a Rayong market, I asked our Thai host what it was. “Palm sugar juice,” she replied.

The brownish liquid bore a depressing resemblance to monsoon flood waters. I stared at it for a while, trying to work up some enthusiasm to sample a bottle.

Palm sugar is lovely, so I thought “what the heck!” and bought one. The juice was poured into a glass with some ice, and I strolled off so I could sample it out of sight of the stall holder (in case a violent reaction occurred).

Luckily it tasted much better than it looked. Not as sweet as nam oi, but still sugary with a hint of mealy chestnut.