First, choose according to how you plan to use it: culinary coconut milk adds creaminess to a recipe, while a coconut plant-based drink is intended primarily for drinking. If an older person eats very little or is losing weight, don’t automatically choose a reduced-fat version: Manger Bouger advises against prioritising reduced-fat products in cases of malnutrition. If you’re looking for a lighter recipe or a subtler coconut flavour, compare the product description, ingredients and nutritional values per 100 ml.
For a small serving of soup, mashed vegetables or sauce, culinary coconut milk can add creaminess. If appetite or weight is declining, it’s worth discussing the choice of a reduced-fat product with a healthcare professional. Manger Bouger recommends paying particular attention to the diets of frail older people and highlights the importance of protein.
If you want to keep a hint of coconut in a dish without choosing a concentrated coconut milk, compare the fat and saturated fat content per 100 ml. The word “light” indicates a reduction compared with a reference product; on its own, it doesn’t tell you the exact nutritional content of the product you’ve chosen.
If you want to drink a coconut product or add it to breakfast, look for the description “plant-based drink”. Also check the ingredients, sugars, protein and any added calcium or vitamins: a drink and culinary coconut milk are intended for different uses.
First decide whether you want the product to enrich a recipe, make a dish lighter or be enjoyed as a drink. Then compare the nutritional information on the same basis.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Nutritional value of a small portion | Compare energy, fat and protein per 100 ml; culinary coconut milk does not replace the other foods in a meal. | When an older person eats very little, I look for an ingredient that adds creaminess to a small portion, without forgetting the rest of the meal. Around 36% of consumers make this need for enrichment their priority. |
| Fat content | Check the fat and saturated fat content per 100 ml, rather than relying on the word “light”. | If I want a lighter coconut recipe, I need to be able to tell a reduced-fat version from a concentrated coconut milk without relying on the name alone. Around 29% of consumers put this criterion first. |
| Drink or cooking ingredient | Check the product description, coconut content, sugars, protein and any stated fortification. | For breakfast, I need a smooth drink rather than an ingredient intended to thicken a sauce. Around 21% of consumers prioritise this use as a drink. |
| Pack size and storage | Check the pack size and the product-specific instructions for after opening. | When I only use a little coconut at a time, I prefer a pack I can finish within the time stated on the packaging. Managing leftovers is a priority for around 14% of consumers. |
The two descriptions cover products with different ingredients and uses. According to their respective product listings, Carrefour Sensation drink contains 3.2% coconut, while Real Thai culinary coconut milk contains 85% coconut extract.
Whether you’re making a creamy sauce or looking for a drink, check the product description and ingredients list before comparing nutritional values.
A reduced-fat product isn’t automatically right for someone who eats less or is losing weight. Manger Bouger advises against prioritising reduced-fat products in cases of malnutrition.
If there’s weight loss or a reduced appetite, seek medical or dietary advice rather than changing someone’s diet based only on this label.
The Auchan and Carrefour product listings for Real Thai coconut milk state that it contains 1.6 g of protein per 100 ml. This means it shouldn’t be considered the main source of protein in a meal.
Use it as required by your recipe, then look separately at the foods making up the rest of the meal.
Storage times vary by product: the Auchan listing for Kara coconut milk says to refrigerate and use within 3 days of opening, while the Auchan Coco cuisine listing gives a 5-day limit.
Choose a pack that suits the quantities you use and follow the instructions on its packaging.
A pack that’s too large for the portions you’re making could leave some product unused by the end of the stated time.
A reduced-fat culinary coconut milk option in a 200 ml pack.
A concentrated culinary coconut milk, distinct from a plant-based drink.
A plant-based coconut drink intended for drinking rather than for the creaminess of culinary coconut milk.
A coconut cooking preparation supplied in three 20 cl cartons.
A coconut and almond drink to consider as a drink, not as culinary coconut milk.
These coconut milks are mainly intended for cooking. Their pack sizes and fat content can help you choose according to the amount you need and how rich you want your dish to be. Check the label before using them as a drink.
Image unavailable
For a small coconut recipe, the 200 ml pack lets you plan how much to open. If you’re watching how rich your dish is, compare the stated 17% fat content with the nutritional values of other options.
Image unavailable
If you only need a small amount for a recipe, compare this 165 ml can with the portions you usually make. Check the nutritional values and instructions for after opening on the packaging.
Image unavailable
If you’re looking for culinary coconut milk labelled Light, compare the stated 9% fat content with the values for other products. For a small recipe, also plan how you’ll use the rest of the 400 ml can in line with the instructions for after opening.
Image unavailable
When cooking with coconut milk, compare the stated 19% fat content with how rich you want the dish to be. If you only use some of the 400 ml, follow the storage instructions on the can.
Image unavailable
Whether you plan to drink it or use it in cooking, first check the product description and nutritional values on the packaging: the word Light alone doesn’t tell you what the product is. Compare the figures on the same basis and check the instructions for after opening this 400 ml pack.
It may not be the right product for this purpose: culinary coconut milk is primarily an ingredient for recipes. If you’re looking for a drink, check the product description and compare the fat, sugars and protein per 100 ml. For example, the Auchan listing for Real Thai culinary coconut milk states that it contains 19 g of fat per 100 ml.
No. It may suit someone looking for a lighter recipe, but it isn’t automatically right for a person who eats very little or is losing weight. Manger Bouger advises against prioritising reduced-fat products in cases of malnutrition. If there’s weight loss, seek medical advice and compare the nutritional values rather than relying on the Light label alone.
Yes, some do: the Auchan listing for Biodyne coconut and almond drink states that it contains 2% almonds. If you have an allergy to almonds, check the ingredients list and the allergens highlighted on the product you choose.
Follow the storage time and temperature stated on the packaging, as these vary by product. The Auchan listings say to refrigerate and use the Kara coconut milk mentioned here within 3 days of opening, compared with 5 days for Auchan Coco cuisine.