For a curry, sauce or dessert where texture matters, choose an organic coconut milk for cooking. If you want to drink it or add coconut to your coffee, look for organic coconut drinks instead. In either case, a ‘free from’ label alone doesn’t confirm that a product is suitable for a dietary exclusion: identify the ingredient you need to avoid, then check the label on the product you buy.
For a curry, soup, sauce or dessert, the coconut extract content and ingredients list can help you choose a product for cooking. The coconut milks listed by Carrefour, E.Leclerc and Carrefour for Kara have different ingredients, so compare the products themselves rather than relying on their names alone.
If you want to drink coconut or add it to your coffee, a plant-based drink serves a different purpose from coconut milk for cooking. The products listed by Auchan and Carrefour differ, in particular, in their ingredients and the information they give about sugars.
If you need to avoid a particular ingredient, check the ingredients and allergen information on the product you buy. The DGCCRF states that allergens in pre-packed foods must be emphasised on the label. ‘Organic’ or ‘plant-based’ is no substitute for checking it.
First decide whether you’ll use the coconut for cooking or drinking, then check the ingredients with the ingredient you may need to avoid in mind.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Texture when cooking | The ‘coconut milk’ product name and the proportion of coconut extract; also compare fat content per 100 ml on a like-for-like basis. | When I’m making a sauce or curry, I want a texture that suits my recipe, rather than a drink to pour into a glass. Around 42% of consumers would prioritise this cooking need. |
| Dietary exclusion | The specific ingredient to avoid, the ingredients list, highlighted allergens and any precautionary statements on the product you buy. | If I need to exclude an ingredient, the ingredients in the exact product come before claims such as ‘plant-based’ or ‘organic’. Around 33% of consumers would make this their priority. |
| Ingredients in a drink | The difference between ‘sugar-free’ and ‘no added sugar’, the ‘sugars’ line per 100 ml and the other ingredients. | If I mainly want to drink coconut, I want to make an informed choice between the ingredients and their sugar claims. Around 25% of consumers would put this use first. |
The Carrefour Bio coconut milk for cooking listed by Carrefour contains 76% coconut extract, while the Auchan Bio drink listed by Auchan contains 10% coconut milk. These products are intended for different uses: swapping one for the other will change the composition of your recipe.
For a sauce, curry or dessert, look for a product intended for cooking. For drinking or adding to coffee, explore coconut drinks.
Carrefour says that its organic coconut drink with ‘no added sugar’ contains naturally occurring sugars. The two claims don’t mean the same thing.
Read the full claim and check the ‘sugars’ line in the nutritional information per 100 ml.
These claims alone don’t tell you whether a product is suitable for a specific dietary exclusion. As the DGCCRF points out, declared allergens must be emphasised on the labels of pre-packed foods. You still need to check them against the specific ingredient you have to avoid.
Check the label on the exact product every time you buy it, including any precautionary statements. If you’re unsure because of an allergy, ask your healthcare professional for advice.
Storage instructions after opening vary by product. Auchan says to keep its organic coconut drink in the fridge and use it within five days.
Choose a pack size that suits how often you’ll use it, and follow the instructions printed on the packaging you buy.
An opened carton that you can’t finish within the stated time may go to waste.
Carrefour offers an organic coconut milk for cooking and an organic coconut drink under this brand, each designed for a different use.
The 200 ml organic product for cooking listed by E.Leclerc is worth considering if you’re comparing smaller packs and shorter ingredients lists.
Auchan offers a 1 L organic coconut drink intended for drinking.
The sugar-free coconut drink listed by Auchan is an option to consider for drinking, rather than as a substitute for coconut milk used in cooking.
These products are intended for cooking and range from small cartons to multipacks. If you shop for organic products or need to exclude an ingredient, check the organic status and the ingredients information that matters to you on each pack.
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Worth considering for recipes that call for coconut cream in a smaller pack. The product title states 24% fat and specifies a 200 ml UHT carton.
If organic status or a dietary exclusion is important to your purchase, check the relevant information on the packaging. Also follow the storage instructions after opening.
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This 200 ml UHT carton of coconut milk could suit a smaller recipe. The title states 17% fat, but the product description gives a different figure. Check the packaging before comparing products.
Also check the organic information, ingredients list and any statements relevant to your dietary exclusion on the product you buy.
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The 400 ml pack could be a good option if a small carton isn’t enough for your recipe. The listed ingredients for this product include guar gum, so bear that in mind if you’re looking for a short ingredients list containing only coconut and water.
Check the finished product’s organic certification, any information relevant to your dietary exclusion and the storage instructions after opening on the packaging.
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The six 250 ml cartons let you plan several cooking sessions without opening the whole pack at once. The listed ingredients include the emulsifier E435.
The product information lists tree nuts as an allergen. If this affects your dietary exclusion, make sure you check the label before buying. Check the organic status separately if you’re looking for a certified product.
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This pack of twelve 1 L cartons is worth considering if you regularly cook in larger quantities and can use this amount. Check the storage instructions for each carton after opening.
If you shop for organic products or need to exclude an ingredient, check the organic status, ingredients and any precautionary statements on the packaging you receive.
Look for the European Union organic logo and the information displayed alongside it on the packaging. The European Commission states that the logo may only be used on certified products containing at least 95% organic ingredients, subject to conditions for the remaining ingredients. The code of the control body and the origin of the agricultural raw materials must also appear near the logo.
No. ‘Plant-based’ doesn’t guarantee that a product is suitable for a specific allergy. Compare the ingredients list, highlighted allergens and any precautionary statements with the ingredient you need to avoid. The DGCCRF states that declared allergens must be emphasised on pre-packed foods.
No. Carrefour says its organic coconut drink with ‘no added sugar’ contains naturally occurring sugars, while the product information for the Alpro coconut drink listed by Auchan shows 0 g of sugars per 100 ml. Check the exact claim and the ‘sugars’ line in the nutritional information for the product you’re comparing.
Follow the storage instructions and use-by period on the product you buy. Auchan says to keep its Auchan Bio drink in the fridge and use it within five days, while the Bjorg product information listed by Auchan says to use it within four days of opening. Don’t apply these timeframes to another drink or to coconut milk for cooking.