Who are these options for?

People keeping an eye on fat content

You want to enjoy a coconut drink with your toast and jam, and compare its fat content using the nutritional information. Check the unit shown before comparing it with a threshold given per 100 ml.

People making a sweet coconut recipe

You’re looking for a cooking ingredient with a reduced fat content compared with a standard version. A stated percentage reduction doesn’t, by itself, tell you how much fat the product contains per 100 ml.

People choosing between a drink and a cooking ingredient

You’d like coconut at breakfast, but not necessarily in the same way: a drink goes with your meal, while culinary coconut milk is used to make a recipe. Neither is a spread for your toast.

What should you check?

Coconut plant-based drink

Choose this: to have with toast or add coconut to your coffee.

Bear in mind: its pourable texture won’t work as a spread for bread.

‘Light’ culinary coconut milk

Choose this: as an ingredient in a recipe when you’re looking for a version with less fat than a standard product.

Bear in mind: the stated reduction doesn’t, by itself, tell you the product’s absolute fat content.

Criterion What to check Who it matters to
Fat content Check the value and its unit. For the ‘low fat’ claim on a liquid, Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 sets a limit of 1.5 g per 100 ml; a value given per 100 g can’t be compared directly. If I’m choosing a coconut drink for breakfast, I want to know its absolute fat content rather than rely on the word ‘light’. This would be the top priority for around 46% of consumers concerned.
Reduction for a recipe Look for the stated reduction, which product it’s compared with, and the fat content of the product you’re buying. When making a sweet coconut recipe, I’m looking for a version with less fat than a standard culinary product. Around 27% of consumers would make this reduction their priority.
Drink or cooking ingredient Check the product name and recommended use on the packaging, rather than choosing based on the word ‘coconut’ alone. With my toast and jam, I want a drink to have alongside my meal rather than an ingredient for a recipe. This choice of product type would come first for around 27% of consumers.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Confusing ‘light’ with ‘low fat’

    A relative reduction, such as the 30% less fat advertised for KARA Light by Auchan, doesn’t tell you how much fat the product contains per 100 ml.

    Check the nutritional information for the specific product if its absolute fat content is important to your choice.

  • Choosing a cooking ingredient as a breakfast drink

    Auchan describes KARA classic pourable coconut milk as a cooking ingredient, with 18 g of fat per 100 ml. It shouldn’t be assumed to have the same characteristics as a coconut plant-based drink.

    For something to have with toast, look for the words ‘plant-based drink’. Save cooking ingredients for recipes.

  • Assuming ‘no sugars’ applies to your whole breakfast

    The name of a drink tells you nothing about the composition of the bread or jam you have with it.

    If sugars matter to you, check the nutritional information for each product separately.

Coconut brands to compare by use

Alpro

The No Sugars Coconut plant-based drink is intended to be enjoyed at breakfast or added to coffee, among other uses.

  • Carrefour lists 1.2 g of fat and 0 g of sugars per 100 g for this product.
  • It’s a pourable drink, not a spread. Check the label if traces of nuts are a concern for you.

KARA

The range mentioned here includes coconut milk for cooking, including a 200 ml carton of Light.

  • Auchan says KARA Light has 30% less fat than a standard product.
  • This reduction doesn’t tell you the absolute fat content of KARA Light. The 18 g of fat per 100 ml listed by Auchan is for a different product: KARA classic pourable coconut milk.

AYAM

Carrefour describes a 330 ml carton of AYAM light coconut milk, intended for cooking.

  • The product name and format make it easy to identify as an option for recipes.
  • To check its absolute fat content, consult the nutritional information on the carton you choose.

Joybuy products related to this topic

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Which coconut drink should I choose to have with toast and jam?

A coconut plant-based drink is suitable for having with a meal or adding to coffee. Culinary coconut milk is more suited to use as an ingredient in a recipe, and isn’t a substitute for a spread.

Is ‘light’ coconut milk always low in fat?

No. A relative reduction doesn’t establish a low absolute fat content. Auchan advertises KARA Light as having 30% less fat; if the fat content will determine your choice, also check the value per 100 ml for the product you’re buying.

How should I read the ‘low fat’ claim on a coconut drink?

For a liquid carrying this claim, Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 sets a limit of 1.5 g of fat per 100 ml. Check the unit given in the nutritional information: a value per 100 g, even if it’s below 1.5 g, isn’t enough on its own to determine the value per 100 ml.

How long can I keep KARA pourable coconut milk after opening?

For the KARA classic pourable coconut milk listed by Auchan, the instructions are to keep it in the fridge and use it within three days of opening. Follow the packaging instructions for any other product.