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Revealed: the coconut milk that contains just 25% coconut
If you're looking to maximise value in the supermarket aisles, it pays to pick your coconut milk wisely.
We compared coconut content between branded and supermarket own-brand versions and found it varied hugely, between 25% and 86%, depending on which can you choose.
Paying more doesn't always get you more coconut either. Some pricey brands contained less coconut extract than much cheaper rivals.
Aldi and Sainsbury's had the best-value cans, both costing £1 or less and containing over 60% coconut extract, while Island Sun's £1 tins had the least coconut extract of all the brands we checked, at just 25%.
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Coconut milk cans compared: which is the best value?
We compared branded and own-brand coconut milks from major supermarkets on cost and coconut content.
Prices ranged from just 79p to a whopping £2.40 a tin, and the coconut content ranged from 25% to 86%.
| Brand | Price | Coconut extract |
|---|---|---|
| Aldi Ready, Set...Cook! | 79p | 62% |
| Island Sun | £1 | 25% |
| Morrisons | £1 | 52% |
| Pride | £1 | 65% |
| Sainsbury's | £1 | 68% |
| Dunn's River | £1.10 | 55% |
| KTC | £1.10 | 55% |
*Prices and coconut extract information based on research carried out in March 2023. Prices exclude special offers.
Sainsbury's gives you the most bang for your buck, costing £1 and containing 68% coconut extract, while Aldi's budget 79p tin contains a decent 62%.
Of the brands, Pride was the best bet, costing £1 and containing a substantial 65% coconut extract – and it's currently just 75p for Clubcard holders at Tesco.
If you want to max out on coconut content, Thai Taste had the highest amount, at 86% (£2.05 a tin, available from Ocado).
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What else goes into coconut milk?
Coconut extract is the thick cream that is pressed from the grated, white flesh of fresh coconuts. This is then mixed with water to make coconut milk.
The high fat content of coconut extract can cause it to oxidise and turn rancid, so antioxidants are usually added to avoid this and extend its shelf life.
Some coconut milks also contain stabilisers and emulsifiers. This is to stop the coconut extract and water separating, something you may have noticed when you open the tin and there's a thick layer of coconut extract on top, with watery liquid underneath.
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Coconut milk fat content
Coconut extract is high in fat, specifically saturated fat.
Generally speaking, coconut milk cans with higher coconut extract content are higher in fat and saturated fat, which is worth being aware of if you cook with it regularly, but we found some exceptions.
Dunn's River coconut milk contains 55% coconut extract and has 8.9g fat and 6.9g saturated fat per 100ml, whereas Blue Dragon coconut milk, which has a similar amount of coconut extract (56%), has 15g fat and 13.2g saturated fat per 100ml, almost 70% more.
This difference could be because different coconuts have different levels of fat or that companies extract it differently.
The level of coconut extract (and fat) in your coconut milk will determine how creamy and rich your final dish is, but if you're trying to cut back, it's worth also checking the fat content when you buy.
The cans with the highest levels of saturated fat tended to be around 15-17g per 100g; Aroy-D had the highest levels. The cans with the lowest saturated-fat content averaged around 7g, while 10-13g was the middle range.
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