Coconut Milk: Brands to Choose, Brands to Avoid
If you’re a coconut milk fan, you’ll definitely want to read on!
Coconut milk isn’t just for Pina Coladas and Thai curries anymore but has become one of the most popular alternatives to cow’s milk.
Especially since it has been fully embraced by those on the Paleo diet who love everything coconut including coconut oil and coconut water.
However, there are so many brands in our grocery stores that it can be hard to choose a brand/variety that is healthy.
We’ve Identified the best brands of coconut milk with the label “healthy choice”.
- So Delicious (unsweetened)
- Trader Joe’s (unsweetened)
- Trader Joe’s canned organic coconut milk (reduced fat)
- Native Forest canned organic coconut milk
- Natural Value canned organic lite coconut milk
The brands to avoid have questionable ingredients like carrageenan, preservatives, and BPA lined cans.
Below we go into more detail with each popular brand to compare their nutrition and their ingredients.
Carton Coconut Milk
Silk Unsweetened Coconut Milk
Silk is one of the most popular and the best variety to choose is the unsweetened.
- Unsweetened has 45 calories, < 1 gram of sugar, 4 grams of fat, 0 grams of protein per one-cup serving.
- Original has 80 calories, 7 grams of sugar, 5 grams of fat, and 0 grams of protein per one-cup serving.
- Vanilla has 90 calories, 9 grams of sugar, 5 grams fat, and 0 grams of protein per one-cup serving.
Coconutmilk (Filtered Water, Coconut Cream), Contains 2% or less of: Vitamin & Mineral Blend (Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D2), Sea Salt, Natural Flavor, Sunflower Lecithin, Locust Bean Gum, Gellan Gum.
Learn more at Silk.com
So Delicious
Healthy Choice
The unsweetened is the best variety of the So Delicious brand of coconut milk.
- Unsweetened has 45 calories, < 1 gram of sugar, 4.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of protein, and 0 grams of fiber per serving.
- Original has 70 calories, 7 grams of sugar, 4.5 grams of fat, < 1 gram of protein and 1 gram of fiber per serving.
- Vanilla has 80 calories, 8 grams of sugar, 4.5 grams of fat, <1 gram of protein and 0 grams of fiber per serving.
- Chocolate has 90 calories, 15 grams of sugar, 2.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of protein, and <1 gram of fiber per serving.
Ingredients: Organic Coconut Milk (water, organic coconut Cream), calcium phosphate, magnesium phosphate, selenium, vitamin A acetate, vitamin D2, zinc oxide, vitamin B12, sea salt, organic sunflower lecithin, organic locust bean gum, gellan gum.
Learn more at SoDeliciousDairyFree.com
Trader Joe’s Coconut Milk Beverage
Their old coconut milk was a healthy choice, but their new version, not so much…
Unsweetened Original is the way to go at Trader Joe’s.
- Unsweetened Original has 50 calories, 5 grams of fat,
- Vanilla has 90 calories, 5 grams of fat, 7 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein per 1 cup serving.
Old Ingredients: organic coconut base (water, organic coconut cream), calcium phosphate, magnesium phosphate, guar gum, xanthan gum, vitamin A acetate, vitamin d2, l-selenomethionine (selenium), zinc oxide, folic acid, vitamin b12.
New Ingredients: Filtered water, coconut cream, tricalcium phosphate, carrageenan, gellan gum, sea salt, natural flavors, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D, vitamin B12
Questionable Ingredient(s)? Old version: None | New version: carrageenan
Coconut Dream
Enriched Unsweetened is the way to go with Coconut Dream Coconut Drink.
- Unsweetened has 60 calories, 5 grams of fat, < 1 gram of sugar, and 0 grams of protein per 1 cup serving.
- Original has 80 calories, 5 grams of fat, 7 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein per 1 cup serving.
- Vanilla has 90 calories, 5 grams of fat, 8 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein per 1 cup serving.
Ingredients: filtered water, coconut cream, tricalcium phosphate, carrageenan, gellan gum, sea salt, natural flavors, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamine).
Questionable Ingredient(s)? Carrageenan
To learn more visit www.dreamplantbased.com.
What about Vitamin A Palmitate?
This ingredient is essentially a way to supplement vitamin A and is generally considered safe. UNLESS you already consume adequate vitamin A in your diet. (People who consume a lot of fruits and vegetables are probably getting an adequate supply.)
Vitamin A can build up in the body to toxic levels (especially synthetic forms like Vitamin A Palmitate), which can damage the liver and other organs. You may wish to avoid products with added vitamin A if you already eat a healthy diet or take a multivitamin supplement.
Canned Coconut Milk
Canned coconut milk varieties abound and the single most important thing to watch out for is BPA lined cans.
Also, canned coconut milk isn’t usually fortified with vitamins and minerals since it’s not made to mimic cow’s milk like the carton varieties are.
These coconut milks are for use in cooking, and a closer inspection of “light” versus “normal” shows that Light versions have more water content and less coconut content. Depending on the price paid, buying a light version can be uneconomic — more water can be added during cooking (depending on what you are making).
Trader Joe’s Canned Coconut Milk
Healthy Choice
Trader Joe’s organic canned coconut milk is the brand to choose.
- Reduced-Fat has 70 calories, 7 grams of fat, 1 gram of sugar, and 1 gram of protein in a 1/4 cup serving.
- Organic has 110 calories, 11 grams of fat, 1 gram of sugar, and 1 gram of protein per 1/4 cup serving.
- TJ’s Coconut Cream has 90 calories, 9 grams of fat, <1 gram of sugar, and 1 gram of protein per 2 tablespoons serving
Ingredients: Organic Coconut and water in a BPA-free can
Questionable Ingredient(s)? None.
Native Forest Organic
Healthy Choice
Choose the SIMPLE organic coconut milk.
There is also Light and Classic (both of which contain Guar Gum).
- Light has per 1/4 cup serving has 45 calories, 4 grams of fat, <1 gram of sugar, and <1 gram of protein.
- Classic has per 1/3 cup serving has 140 calories, 15 grams of fat, 0 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.
Ingredients: Organic Coconut Milk (organic coconut, purified water). BPA Free.
Questionable Ingredient(s)? None.
Learn more at Edwardandsons.com.
Available at Amazon.
Thai Kitchen
- Lite has 50 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein per 1/3 cup serving.
- Regular has 120 calories, 12 grams of fat, 1 gram of sugar and <1 gram of protein per 1/3 cup serving.
Ingredients: Water, coconut milk, Guar gum
Questionable Ingredient(s)? BPA lined cans
Natural Value
Healthy Choice
Natural Value is free of any emulsifiers.
- Lite has 92 calories, 6 grams of fat, 3 grams of sugar, 2 grams of protein, and 1 gram of fiber per 1/2 cup serving.
- Natural’s regular has 200 calories, 18 grams of fat, 2 grams of sugar, 2 grams of protein, and 1 gram of fiber per 1/2 cup serving.
Lite’s Ingredients: Coconut extract and water in a BPA-free can
Questionable Ingredient(s)? None.
Chaokoh Coconut Milk
This brand is not recommended because of the preservative used.
Chaokoh has 150 calories, 14 grams of fat, < 1 gram of sugar and 2 grams of protein per 1/3 cup serving.
Ingredients: Coconut extract, water, citric acid, and sodium metabisulfite
Questionable Ingredient(s)? Sodium Metabisulfite and BPA line cans
Goya Coconut Milk
This brand is not recommended because of the preservative used.
Goya has 93 calories, 9 grams of fat, < 2 grams of sugar and 2 grams of protein per 2 fl oz serving.
Ingredients: Coconut extract, water, citric acid, and sodium metabisulfite
Questionable Ingredient(s)? Sodium Metabisulfite and BPA line cans
Useful Fact: Did you know that coconut milk is the only cow’s milk alternative that works great for use in cooked “Jello” type puddings?
Nutrition of Coconut Milk
Nutritionally, coconut milk on its own doesn’t offer much besides fat.
Generally, a cup of reduced-fat plain canned coconut milk is:
- 28 grams of fat
- 4 grams of carbs
- 4 grams of protein
(We used Trader Joe’s as an example)
The coconut milk beverage-type brands water this down even further macro-wise but throw in some vitamins, minerals, and thickeners. Others add sugar and flavor for better taste.
Store Brands?
There are many store brands as well as less popular brands of both the carton and canned varieties of coconut milk, so use the following guidelines when choosing one of these brands.
- Choose brands with no added sugar.
- Choose brands without carrageenan.
- Choose brands made with organic coconut when possible.
- Avoid brands with BPA lined cans.
- Avoid brands that use preservatives like sulfites.
- Be wary of vitamin A palmitate based on your total vitamin A intake.
Final Thoughts
Coconut milk can be a healthy cow’s milk alternative for people who don’t like almond milk, soy milk, or rice milk. Also, coconut milk seems to do a better job of whitening coffee or tea than the others but with slight coconut flavor.
It’s also a great way to add flavor and good fats to recipes.
Just use the above guidance to choose the brand that will be the healthiest for you and your family.
Which brand of coconut milk do you like the best?
Ted Kallmyer BA, M.Ed., is an ISSA certified Specialist in Fitness Nutrition, Certified Trainer, the author or Healthy Eater, and a professional nutritional coach. If you need help reaching your weight loss/fitness goals see his personal coaching options.158 Comments
Nearly a year after PETA first alerted coconut companies and the Thai government to the practice, monkey schools are still in operation, “training” monkeys for this abusive industry. In addition, an investigator attended a coconut-picking competition that publicly displayed monkeys forced to climb poles to entertain guests. The coconut industry and the government are doing virtually nothing to address this problem, even as retailers around the world cut ties with Thai coconut brands.
Investigators found monkeys still being kept in wretched conditions:
They are reportedly taken from their natural homes as babies and forced to learn how to pick coconuts.
They are tethered by their necks and face a lifetime of confinement, loneliness, and forced labor.
Some handlers even have monkeys’ teeth pulled out if the frightened animals try to defend themselves.
PETA Asia’s most recent investigation calls into question the audit commissioned by Theppandungporn Coconut Co Ltd., owner of the Chaokoh brand of coconut milk, which claimed that no monkeys were found in its supply chain. The audit is inadequate and misleading because inspections were announced to farmers ahead of time, it lacked sufficient evidence that monkeys are not simply kept off-site and brought in during harvest time, and it covered less than 8% of Theppandungporn’s farms. The industry and the Thai government are using this audit to mislead retailers and consumers about the existence of monkey labor in the industry.
Check out the new investigation and urge Chaokoh to stamp out monkey labor from its supply chain.
Thank you for your compassion for animals.
Yes, please do research ethical sourcing and update this article 😕
thanks for the helpful tips. just starting my 3 day gut cleanse (fasted from last night to this morning) and wanted to research coconut milk. especially appreciate the info regarding Vitamin A palmitate since I was unaware. bookmarked this site.
Wow…had no idea..damn 😫 thanks
I like Simple Truth is a Kroger Organic Brand.
Yes! That’s my fave too but I’d like to know how good/bad is it and can’t find answers
Fantastic info, thanks for the detailed comps on these!! This is very helpful!!
Since coconuts have such a thick shell, what are your thoughts on organic vs. conventional? Also, what about ethical harvesting?
Sustainable farming and fair-trade principles should also be considered
Do not cook “So Delicious” coconut milk with sona masoori Rice, we purchased both products from costoco. The reason is the rice is not getting cooked even after 20 whistle count in pressure cooker. I guess the chemicals ( Vitamin Blend selenium) is preventing the rice from getting boiled. I may be wrong this is my findings.
What about Nuoc Cot Dua Coconut Milk with: Coconut Milk, Water, potassium metabisulfate (E224).
BPA Lined? I am not sure.
I like the taste of it.
The problem with Nuoc Cot Dua is the potassium metabisulfate chemical added to it.
I notice that alpro coconut milk wasn’t in your information I can’t drink cows milk and therefore replace it with plant milks usually coconut but my usual brand is alpro as I find many organic brands just a little expensive.
For a ” thicker one to substitute soy milk” try
Real Coco
Original Oragnic Coconut Milk, made by Life Reffreshed,
Absolutely the best product I ever tasted, No GMO, No Added Sugar!, and No Gluten.
http://www.enjoyrealcoconut,com
This product is hard to find at stores. Shop at Costco online intsacart.com
Good Luck,
Which one do you think is good for skin and hair? I do a lot of DIY and couldn’t figure out which one isn’t harmful.
Hi, Do you know if there’s a difference in thickness between the brands of the coconut beverages. I’m looking for a thicker one to substitute soy milk, which is thicker. Thank you
Once open the canned coconut milk is it still best to use after a week just refrigerated?
I have a question about the organic Trader Joe’s coconut milk. How are you able to discern if it’s in a BPA free can? I was happy to see that this one was on the list since that is the one I usually purchase. But after closer inspection on the can I don’t see that it says BPA free anywhere. You have it listed as a BPA free can, however. I’m hoping you’re right, and I’m just missing it. Thanks!
Hi Alex, at one time it was listed on the can. Perhaps it’s industry standard now. If you’re in doubt, reach out to Trader Joes.
Because I follow the FODMAP diet, do you know if any of these coconut mills contain inulin?
Hi KJ, Most canned coconut milks do not contain added fiber. As for the Coconut beverages, you should check the label for the words inulin or Chicory.