If you’re looking for an alternative to milk in a drink or on cereal, choose a coconut drink and check the calcium, vitamins and protein listed on the label. Even when fortified, it won’t provide all the nutrients an older person needs. Keep culinary coconut milk for recipes, and use it in quantities suited to its fat content, particularly saturated fat. If you’re experiencing unintentional weight loss, malnutrition or a milk allergy, seek advice tailored to your circumstances.
If you pour a coconut drink over your cereal or add it to a hot drink, check how much calcium, vitamins and protein it provides. These nutrients should also be considered across your meals as a whole, in line with Anses dietary guidance for older people who need it.
Culinary coconut milk can add creaminess to a dish, but it doesn’t replace foods that provide protein. Manger Bouger highlights the importance of protein in cases of malnutrition; unintentional weight loss warrants medical advice.
For soup, curry or dessert, choose according to the texture you want and the amount you’ll use. Nutritional values per 100 ml or 100 g can help you compare the fat and saturated fat content of culinary products.
First decide whether you’ll use the product as a regular drink or as a cooking ingredient, then compare the nutritional values using the same units. A fortified coconut drink may contain calcium but little protein, while culinary coconut milk can be much higher in fat, as the products featured by E.Leclerc show.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Nutritional content | Listed calcium and vitamins; protein per 100 ml. | If I often replace milk in my drinks, I want to know what this drink provides and plan to get protein from other foods. This would be the top priority for around 42% of consumers. |
| Sugars and fat | Sugars and saturated fat per 100 ml or 100 g, bearing in mind the portion used. | For regular use, I want to distinguish the make-up of a coconut drink from that of more concentrated culinary coconut milk. Around 33% of consumers would put this comparison first. |
| Cooking use | Fat content and the quantity needed for the recipe; protein provided by the whole dish. | When I make soup or curry, I’m mainly looking for a creamier texture, rather than relying on coconut milk for protein. This would be the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
The two types of product are designed for different uses. E.Leclerc lists 16 g of saturated fat per 100 ml for its Bio Village coconut milk, compared with 0.8 g per 100 ml for its VEGE drink.
For drinking or serving with cereal, look at plant-based drinks. For a recipe, use the amount of coconut milk you need and take its nutritional values into account.
A drink’s name alone doesn’t tell you what it contains or whether the product you’re buying may contain traces.
Check the ingredients list, allergens and any precautionary ‘may contain’ information on the packaging every time you buy it. If you have a severe allergy, follow the advice of the professional supporting you.
A calcium-fortified drink may still be low in protein: E.Leclerc lists 0.5 g of protein per 100 ml for its VEGE coconut drink, while Auchan lists less than 0.5 g per 100 ml for its coconut drink.
Consider the drink as part of the whole meal, rather than as a complete nutritional solution. Manger Bouger highlights the importance of protein-rich foods for older people affected by malnutrition.
The Bio Village coconut milk featured by E.Leclerc contains 18 g of fat, including 16 g of saturated fat, per 100 ml.
Compare the values per 100 ml or 100 g and adjust the amount to suit the recipe. If you’re looking to boost someone’s diet in cases of malnutrition, seek tailored advice.
The range includes ready-to-drink coconut drinks, including blends that combine coconut with other ingredients.
Carrefour offers a coconut plant-based drink and a cooking coconut milk under this name.
Auchan’s range includes a coconut plant-based drink and an unsweetened organic coconut drink.
The products featured by E.Leclerc include a VEGE coconut drink and Bio Village culinary coconut milk.
These products cover two different uses: coconut-based drinks for coffee and other drinks, and coconut milk to measure out for cooking. A product’s name alone won’t tell you its nutritional value or whether it’s suitable for someone with an allergy, so check the label of the product you buy.
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For a matcha-flavoured drink, hot or cold, consider whether this flavour suits your everyday routine. The formula contains soya; check the label too if calcium or allergens are important to your choice.
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For curry, soup or dessert, adjust the amount to suit the recipe. Compare the fat and saturated fat listed on the tin instead of relying on the word “Light”.
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This drink is designed for coffee and other hot drinks. According to Joybuy’s product page, the formula contains soya and added calcium, with 1.5 g of protein and 3.3 g of sugars per 100 ml. If calcium content influences your choice, check the amount on the packaging.
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For a coconut sauce or soup, choose the amount according to the texture you want. If comparing this with another culinary coconut milk, check the fat and saturated fat per 100 g on the label.
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This product may suit a coconut-based recipe. The word “Light” doesn’t replace checking the nutritional information: compare the fat, sugars and portion size in particular.
Not necessarily. A coconut drink may contain added calcium or vitamins while still being low in protein. E.Leclerc lists 0.5 g of protein per 100 ml for its VEGE drink, while Auchan lists less than 0.5 g per 100 ml for its coconut drink. Make sure you consider the rest of your meals too.
If you’re looking for a replacement for your usual drink, first distinguish culinary coconut milk from a coconut plant-based drink. The Bio Village coconut milk featured by E.Leclerc contains 18 g of fat, including 16 g of saturated fat, per 100 ml, so the amount you use should depend on the recipe.
Check the ingredients list, allergens and any precautionary ‘may contain’ information on the exact product you’re buying. A plant-based name or an ingredients list checked for a different formula doesn’t guarantee that the product is free from traces. If you have a severe allergy, follow the advice of the professional supporting you.
If there’s unintentional weight loss, a reduced appetite or known malnutrition, seek medical advice rather than relying on coconut milk alone to boost meals. Manger Bouger highlights the importance of protein in particular when managing malnutrition.