Coconut Milk: Best and Worst Brands
Coconut milk is a common ingredient in Asian cuisine.
In recent years it has become a popular ingredient in non-dairy beverage blends (in a similar vein to almond milk).
The difference between coconut milk and coconut cream
Both coconut milk and cream are a mix of coconut flesh and water. The difference lies in the ratios.
- Canned coconut milk – typically one part coconut flesh to two parts water. Consistency is thinner. Used for cooking.
- Canned coconut cream – typically four parts coconut flesh to one part water. Consistency is thicker and creamier. Used for cooking.
- Cartoned coconut milk beverage – very small amounts of coconut flesh to water. Fortified with vitamins. Used for drinking (as a cow’s milk alternative).
What are the best coconut milk beverages (cartons)?
Determining the healthiest is not easy. Coconut is itself high in fat, so the beverages are heavily diluted. Some are slightly sweetened, and others are fortified with vitamins.
The best coconut milk beverages
- So Delicious (unsweetened)
- Best on a budget: Silk (unsweetened)
Brands to avoid is Coconut Dream (uses carrageenan).
Where do I get good coconut milks?
The best source for high-quality coconut milk is Thrive Market. They only carry the best products in each line.
What are the best canned coconut milks?
These cans are BPA-free, and have simple ingredients without additives.
- Native Forest
- Natures Greatest
- Trader Joe’s
- Natural Value
Coconut milk cans to avoid
Both these brands use sulfites and are in BPA-lined cans.
- Chaokoh
- Goya
List of cartoned coconut milk beverages
Vita Coco Coconut Milk
Simple ingredients, no vitamin fortification. Lower proportion of coconut cream.
- Original has 50 calories, 5 g sugar, 3 g fat, 0 g protein per one-cup serving.
Ingredients (original): Organic coconut water from concentrate, organic coconut cream, gellan gum.
- Organic
Silk Unsweetened Coconut Milk
Silk is one of the most popular, and the best variety to choose is the unsweetened.
- Unsweetened has 40 calories, 0 g sugar, 4 g fat, 0 g protein per one-cup serving.
- Original has 70 calories, 5 g sugar, 5 g fat, 0 g protein.
[Unsweet] Coconutmilk (Filtered Water, Coconut Cream), Vitamin and Mineral Blend (Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin E Acetate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D2, Vitamin B12), Dipotassium Phosphate, Sea Salt, Sunflower Lecithin, Gellan Gum, Ascorbic Acid (To Protect Freshness), Natural Flavor.
So Delicious
The unsweetened is the best variety of the So Delicious brand of coconut milk.
- Unsweetened has 45 calories, 0 g sugar, 4.5 g fat, 0 g protein per one-cup serving.
- Original has 70 calories, 7 g sugar, 4.5 g fat, 0 g protein.
- Vanilla has 80 calories, 8 g sugar, 4.5 g fat, 0 g protein.
- Unsweetened vanilla has 50 calories, 0 g sugar, 4.5 g fat, 0 g protein.
[Unsweetened] Organic Coconutmilk (Filtered Water, Organic Coconut Cream), Contains 2% or Less of: Vitamin and Mineral Blend (Calcium Phosphate, Magnesium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, L-Selenomethionine [Selenium], Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D2, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin B12), Organic Sunflower Lecithin, Gellan Gum, Organic Locust Bean Gum, Sea Salt.
- Organic
Pacific Foods coconut milk
Uses a small amount of coconut water to improve flavor.
- Unsweetened has 45 calories, 0 g sugar, 4 g fat, 0 g protein per one-cup serving.
- Original has 60 calories, 3 g sugar, 4 g fat, 0 g protein.
- Unsweetened vanilla has 50 calories, 0 g sugar, 4 g fat, 0 g protein.
[Unsweetened] Water, Coconut Cream*, Contains 1% Or Less Of: Coconut Water Concentrate*, Gellan Gum, Guar Gum*, Natural Flavor, Sodium Citrate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Vitamin D2, Xanthan Gum.
- Organic
365 by Whole Foods Market
Uses a small amount of coconut water to improve flavor.
- Unsweetened has 50 calories, 0 g sugar, 5 g fat, 0 g protein per one-cup serving.
[Unsweetened] Organic Coconutmilk (Filtered Water, Organic Coconut Cream), Calcium Carbonate, Natural Flavor, Organic Locust Bean Gum, Gellan Gum, Sea Salt, Vitamin A Palmitate, Ergocalciferol (Vitamin D2), Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)
- Organic
Coconut Dream
One of the few plant-based beverages to still use carageenan.
- Unsweetened has 60 calories, 0 g sugar, 5 g fat, 0 g protein per one-cup serving.
- Vanilla has 90 calories, 7 g sugar, 5 g fat, 0 g protein per one-cup serving.
[Unsweetened] Water, Coconut Cream, Tricalcium Phosphate, Carrageenan, Gellan Gum, Sea Salt, Natural Flavors, Vitamin D2, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin B12.
How do coconut milk beverages compare with other milks?
Coconut milks tend to be lower in calories and sugar, but higher in fat compared to other plant-based milks.
Questionable ingredients in coconut milk beverages
Vitamin A Palmitate
This is a way to supplement vitamin A and is generally considered safe. People who consume a diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables will already be getting an adequate supply.
Vitamin A can build up in the body to toxic levels, but this is very rare and you’d be need to drinking a lot of the beverage.
Carrageenan
Carrageenan is a texturizing additive derived from seaweed that used to be in most plant-based beverages. Regarded as safe by the FDA, but some people reported gastro-intestinal issues.
Very few beverages contain this now – most using guar gum or gellan gum to assist with texture.
Canned Coconut Milk vs Cream vs Light
Coconut milk in cans is for cooking. There are typically three variations.
- Light / lite / reduced fat – Coconut is (by nature) a fatty food, so to appease consumers – there is a light version. It just means less coconut (typically half of normal milk) and more water. In many cases it may be uneconomic to buy.
- Milk – More coconut than light, less coconut than cream. Suitable for soups and curries – and cheaper than coconut cream.
- Cream – Lots more coconut – less water. More expensive, more suitable for desserts.
Tinned coconut milk isn’t usually fortified with vitamins – as it’s not made to mimic cow’s milk (like the carton beverages).
What about coconut water? This is a drinking beverage that is the high-potassium water that comes out of the coconut. No coconut meat has been shredded into it – so is not a ‘milk’.
List of Canned Coconut Milks
Canned coconut milk varieties abound, and the most important thing to watch out for is BPA lined cans.
Bisphenol-A is absolutely a health concern. If you use half a can, make sure you put it into another container when refrigerating.
Trader Joe’s Canned Coconut Milk
- 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): Water and Organic Coconut.
-
- USDA organic
- BPA-free
Nature’s Greatest
Organic range with just two ingredients.
Ingredients: Coconut extract and water.
- USDA organic
- BPA-free
- No guar gum
Native Forest Organic Simple
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 & Simple 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.
- USDA organic
- BPA-free
- No Guar gum (Simple and Turmeric version)
Natural Value
Despite the generic brand name, this is a good product.
- Lite has 60 calories, 5 grams of fat, 1 grams of sugar, 1 grams of protein per 1/3 cup serving.
- Regular has 150 calories, 15 grams of fat, 3 grams of sugar, 2 grams of protein per 1/3 cup serving.
Ingredients (regular): Organic coconut meat extract (53%), water (47%).
- USDA organic
- BPA free
Thai Kitchen (unsweetened)
- 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 (regular): Coconut, Water, Guar gum.
- Organic version available
Questionable ingredient(s)? BPA lined cans (Thai Kitchen do have a non-BPA resealable carton – but check availability).
Chaokoh Coconut Milk
This brand is not recommended because of the preservative used (sulfite).
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
Goya Coconut Milk
This brand is not recommended because of the preservative (sulfite) 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, and sodium metabisulfite
Notable mentions
- Aroy-d coconut milk – Ingredients say 100% coconut – but some formulations may have the emulsifier E435 (noted on the EU labeling).
- Sungiven – coconut extract, water, and guar gum. BPA free.
- Roots circle – coconut extract, water, and xanthan gum. BPA free.
Is coconut milk the healthiest milk?
Compared to plant-based beverages, coconut milk doesn’t offer much, except it’s slightly higher in fat.
Coconut fat contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which benefit heart health.
The beverage cartons (not the canned milk) contain extra vitamins and minerals.
How to know which coconut milk can is the healthiest
There are many store brands of canned coconut milk, so use the following guidelines:
- 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.
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 a slight coconut flavor.
It’s also a great way to add flavor and good fats to recipes.
Useful Fact: Did you know coconut milk is the only cow’s milk alternative that works great for cooked “Jello” type puddings?
The Best and Worst series:
- Dark Chocolate: The Best and Worst Brands
- Plant-Based (Meatless) Burger Brands
- Almond Milk Brands
- Rice Milk Brands
- Snack Bar Brands
- Kombucha Brands
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176 Comments
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Califia has a few coconut blends that are good and they are Palm oil free.
https://www.califiafarms.com/collections/plant-milks/products/go-coconuts-coconutmilk-pack
Vitamin A Palmitate is Palm oil. It is a known carcinogen, it raises your bad cholesterol, and is toxic to dogs and cats. Palm oil is also responsible for the horrendous deaths of hundreds of thousands of animals and tens of thousands of people every year. That’s just in Indonesia and Malaysia alone because that’s where almost 90% of the world’s supply of Palm oil comes from.
Vitamin A Palmitate isn’t palm oil. Here’s the chemistry https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/retinyl_palmitate#section=Food-Additives-and-Ingredients here’s another good article https://www.drsinatra.com/the-straight-scoop-on-vitamin-a
I found a organic coconut milk from Calahua here in Mexico. Just coconut milk, water, but also a product called NOVA GUM SD. I have tried to figure out if this is safe, googled it but can’t find it. Someone knows? Thanks
I have the same question! I can’t find anything about NOVA GUM SD
The nearest thing I can find is Novaxan – which is a Xanthan Gum?
I don’t know about silk coconut milk but silk almond milk has dairy in it. I found this out because my 4 year old cannot do milk. If you look on the carton about middle ways down it says milk which just erks me because why should almond milk have regular milk that’s the reason you buy it or suppose to.
All Silk products are dairy-free, lactose-free and casein-free. There is nowhere on the label that states it has dairy.
I would like to see nutritional value. ie . what % is coconut flesh (meat) . what % is water . Would like to see price before I buy it. REGARDS. Cor
Actually, carrageenan, all the gums[guar, gellan, etc. are not good for you, so, all of the boxed milks are unsafe and questionable.
Yes, I recently had a bad reaction with the guar gum in canned coconut milk. Not good for people with auto immune diseases.
I just made a steamer with Native Forest’s organic “Simple” coconut milk for the first time (it doesn’t have guar gum), and I was amazed — because it tasted like coconut?? I still have cans of the “Light” variety, so I taste-compared. Apparently I’ve been using coconut milk that doesn’t even taste like coconut, because of the guar gum. No more guar gum for me! Because I loooove coconut! 🙂
It does have guar gum
No it doesn’t. http://www.edwardandsons.com/native_shop_coconut.itml
The “Simple” variety has no additives at all.
A taste of Thai has a bitter flavor that I’m not keen on. My local grocers all readily carry Thai Kitchen. I follow a keto lifestyle & that is a tasty brand in the full fat as well as reduced.
Everyone is talking about nothing bad in the coconut milk for us humans, all you vegans do your research, MONKEYS are being used and abused to pick 99% of your coconuts. If you’ve stopped eating animals to save them, do your research before picking alternative products, please!
What the hell are you going on about? I live in the Caribbean and have never seen a monkey pick coconuts…there are ppl skilled at climbing trees that are hired for that. Stop finding a problem with everything and maybe you can start to enjoy life.
check your facts about coconuts from most of Asia, especially Thailand. MOST coconut products come from those countries, never even SEEN coconut products made in the Caribbean and sold here in the US.
Since most folks in the US become vegan because of concern for animals, supposed vegan products and where and how they are made should also be researched. If you’re gonna try to ‘help’ the animals, do it right and do it all they way.
I agree Maria….. Never heard of anything so ridiculous as trained Monkeys picking coconuts!!! SW must have got that info in a cheap tabloid…. [SW did the article happen to mention that these Monkeys are infused with Alien DNA??]
Someone who eats animals is trying to give me advice on how to be good to animals *facepalm*.
I eat animals and coconuts. Love them both
Idk how they can say no questionable ingredients in this coconut milks. They use all synthetic vitamins especially Vit A palmitate which is not safe for consumption. Same w Vit D2 they are both chemical made synthetic vitamins. It’s the same as saying convential strawberries or any convential berries are safe to eat when studies have shown more then 20 different pesticides on berries at one time. Read up on how synthetic Vit A is harmful to your over all health as are most synthetic vitamins. They are not natural and not made for the body to consume. We need to stand up as the customers and refuse to put anymore chemicals in our bodies just so they can keep their shareholders happy and save a few pennies per carton. Email companies like Silk and SO and tell them use real sources of Vitamin A and use D3. Stuff are bodies need and can use instead of slowly killing us along w all the other toxins are body already has to combat every day. The only way the food industry will change is by us not buying processed foods chemical sprayed foods or items w chemically made vitamins. The FDA will not make the food industry change in fear they will lose millions if not billions of dollars in donations if they enforce companies to no longer use poisonios ingredients in our foods. Same as w the drug companies give billions to the FDA so no chance they are going to not approve their questionable drugs which kill hundreds of thousands per year. This country needs an enforcing agency that makes it illegal for them to take any money at all from the people they are policing. Don’t expect your elected officials to change things either. As they receive millions more from drug and food industries to vote in their favor. Every elected official who’s taken money from drug companies and the food industry should not be re-elected no matter what their party. Thanks and let’s do this for kids and grandkids
Thank you !
Amen
The best thing we can do is seek out companies that are willing to give us healthy food. Put your money time energy into them. Some of you may be able to design such a company and hire people to expand it. That will force other companies to make healthier foods or die out as they fail. It’s called Competition! We do not need any more Oversight by FDA or Congress or ANYONE. We have the creativity,enginuity, guts, stamina, perseverance, desire, drive, purpose, patience to get the job done! I am convinced of that! PLEASE stop expecting OTHERS to DO what only we the people can do! Thanks!
Thank you! I take vitamin supplements, but they are all natural. Have done amazing things for my health. I am trying the keto diet right now to increase health benefits, which is why i stumbled upon this article. Great read.
I’m looking for some guidance on which brand of coconut milk to give to my daughter. Some of these brands listed seem like they are for cooking?
What’s your reason for giving it to your daughter? The ones in cartons are usually just watered down and artificially thickened versions of the canned. Plus, they throw in some vitamins to make them more similar to cow’s milk.
I believe that nowadays, we should look beyond the ingredients list and better understand where our food is coming from. Your coconut might have been picked by an abused monkey which is a common practice especially in Thailand.
Check where your coconut milk is coming from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nathan-j-winograd/did-an-abused-monkey-pick_b_8341554.html
Well it’s a shame if monkeys are being abused. I am.not sure if climbing p s on.trees is abuse, but cows are abused terribly for their milk. It’s a terrible world almost everything we eat or consume has to do.if some kind of abuse. I just think that you and your comments are just out of place in this discussion of people trying to find healthier choices. I am an real activist, risking my life for saving abused animals. I don’t be most I can. I just HATE this pseudo activist, just talking BS and not doing anything than making people feel bad about doing the right thing for their bodies..you sshould better look in the mirror and at least go out and help an animal or person instead in sitting on your chair making good healthy people feel bad about their choices. Best regards. From someone fighting cancer and trying to stay healthy.
I read this article and was convinced tha its true that monkeys are used to harvest coconuts. Im wondering if they could be “hired” to do the job for less hours, have adequate food water and socialization. Dogs and other animals are trained to work as Service animals for human beings all the time. I would wager that they are not abused. They often become members of human families! Let’s start a movement to only buy from companies who treat the monkeys with respect and dignity. There are quite afew listed in the article by Huffington post. Essential Trading does not use monkeys neither does 3 Buddahs or Aunt Pattys, Carrington Farms, Dr. Bonners, etc. Etc. Along with others mentioned in the article. PICK a company and support it. Then write letter to those who abuse monkeys explaining disgust and you will be buying only from ethical and respectful companies !It may take research and determination and precious time but it will be worth it!. 😁For our kids and grandkids!
I suggest you look at the dairy industry. For humans to drink milk, cows are kept pregnant, have their calves removed from them (many of which are subsequently destroyed). All so we can drink a substance intended for baby cows…
I think you’re a bit too kind about the vitamin A. In addition, vitamin D2 is also a real problem. From another Web site:
Large doses of natural vitamin A are well tolerated by the body as
established by researchers decades ago, however. Traditional diets
contain 10 times or more of the RDA of this nutrient with no ill effect.
However, synthetic vitamin A is associated with birth defects and bone
fractures. It has no benefit in the diet whatsoever.
The second really bad additive in these organic cartons of coconut milk and
almond milk is Vitamin D2. Vitamin D2 is a form of the wonder vitamin
that you should take great pains to avoid.
In all known cases of Vitamin D toxicity where the dose was intentional, Vitamin D2 was the culprit. By comparison, Vitamin D3 is much less toxic and requires an enormous or even an accidental dose to produce any toxic effect.