When shopping with diabetes in mind, start by choosing according to how you’ll use it: a coconut plant-based drink for drinking or serving with breakfast, and culinary coconut milk for recipes. Then compare the carbohydrates, sugars and saturated fat based on the amount you’ll actually use. If you’re looking for around 2 L for a household that uses it regularly, check the exact pack size and storage instructions after opening too.
If you’re having a glass or serving it with breakfast, distinguish between a plant-based drink and culinary coconut milk. As the French health insurance service recommends for shopping with diabetes in mind, read the nutritional information and relate it to the amount you consume.
For a curry or sauce, choose a product intended for cooking and consider how much you’ll add to the recipe, particularly when comparing fat and saturated fat.
If you use coconut products often, check the volume of each container and the storage instructions after opening. A pack of smaller containers and one large container aren’t managed in the same way once opened.
Best for: drinking or pouring over breakfast, while comparing the carbohydrates and sugars in your usual serving.
Keep in mind: the words “no sugars” don’t tell you everything about the product’s composition or how much you drink.
Best for: curries, sauces and other recipes that call for coconut milk.
Keep in mind: assess the nutritional values based on how much you add to the dish, rather than as if you were having a glass of the drink.
| What to compare | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrates and sugars | Check the carbohydrates and sugars per 100 ml or 100 g, then relate them to the amount you use. | If I drink coconut-based drinks regularly, I want to know how many carbohydrates and sugars I’m actually pouring. Around 42% of consumers would make this a priority. |
| Cooking use and fat | Distinguish between a drink and culinary coconut milk; compare fat and saturated fat based on the amount your recipe calls for. | For sauces or curries, I first look for a product that suits the recipe, while keeping in mind how much I’ll add. Around 33% of consumers would prioritise this cooking-related balance. |
| Pack size and storage | Check the volume of each container and the instructions for storing it after opening. | In a household that uses coconut products often, I want to open an amount we can use within the recommended time. Nearly 25% of consumers would prioritise pack size. |
They can have different uses and nutritional information: a value given per 100 ml of a drink doesn’t tell you how much culinary coconut milk you’ve added to a dish.
Start with the recipe or drink you have in mind, then read the label and measure the amount you use.
This claim doesn’t replace checking the carbohydrates or working out how much is in your serving. The French health insurance service advises checking nutritional information when shopping with diabetes in mind.
Compare the values per 100 ml or 100 g, then apply them to your glass or recipe.
The meaning of “pint” depends on the unit used, so it isn’t enough to establish a product’s capacity. A multipack doesn’t equate to one large container either.
Decide how many litres you need, then check the capacity and number of containers on the product page.
Storage instructions after opening vary by product. Auchan’s product page for Alpro Coconut No Sugars drink says to keep it refrigerated and consume within 5 days of opening.
Choose a pack size that suits how quickly you’ll use it, and follow the instructions for the product you buy.
The Coconut No Sugars product is a plant-based drink in a 1 L pack, and should be distinguished from coconut milk for cooking.
The brand presents its 500 ml coconut milk as an ingredient for Asian recipes.
These ranges include culinary coconut milk products in smaller pack sizes.
ALDI offers a 400 ml pack of culinary coconut milk.
These Joybuy products are culinary coconut milk, available in individual containers or multipacks. If you’re looking for a drink, search for a coconut plant-based drink instead and compare its label separately.
Image unavailable
For a recipe that calls for coconut milk, this 400 ml container makes it easy to plan how much to use. Compare the carbohydrates, sugars and saturated fat for your portion. Once opened, follow the instructions for transferring, refrigerating and using this product.
Image unavailable
This 400 ml coconut milk is intended for cooking rather than drinking. To compare its nutritional values with another product, use the same unit of measurement and consider how much you’ll add to the dish. Follow the storage instructions after opening.
Image unavailable
For cooking with separate containers, this multipack contains six 250 ml units, giving you 1.5 L in total, not one 2 L container. Relate the nutritional information to the amount you use in each recipe, and check the label if allergens are a concern in your household.
Image unavailable
This 165 ml container may be suitable for a recipe that calls for a small amount of coconut milk. It won’t meet a larger-volume need on its own. Compare the nutritional values for the amount you’ll use, and follow the storage instructions after opening.
Image unavailable
For a kitchen that regularly uses coconut milk, this 2.9 L container is larger than the 2 L volume you may have in mind. Before choosing this size, consider how much your household will use after opening and relate the nutritional values to each recipe. Follow the product’s instructions for transferring and refrigerating it.
No. This claim alone isn’t enough to determine whether a drink is suitable for an individual diet. The French health insurance service recommends checking the ingredients and nutritional information, then considering how much you consume. For personal dietary advice related to diabetes, speak to your healthcare professional.
Don’t assume they’re interchangeable without checking the recipe: a plant-based drink is intended, among other things, for drinking, while Suzi Wan presents its 500 ml coconut milk as a cooking ingredient. Check which product the recipe calls for and how much to add before substituting one for the other.
No. First check which unit “pint” refers to, then look for the capacity in litres or millilitres. A pack of six 250 ml containers holds 1.5 L in total, while a 2.9 L container exceeds the 2 L target; neither is a single 2 L bottle.
Follow the instructions for the product you’ve bought. Auchan’s product page for Alpro Coconut No Sugars drink says to refrigerate it and consume within 5 days of opening. This timeframe doesn’t automatically apply to other drinks or culinary coconut milk.