Is Coconut Milk Keto? Best Brand for Keto

The creaminess and rich dominant tropical nutty flavor of coconut milk puts it a class apart from your usual dairy milk. Its yummy goodness makes eating cereal, whole grains, smoothies, and any dish a deliciously memorable experience.  

Apart from its incredible taste, coconut milk is super healthy. Drinking a cup of coconut milk a day gives you 50% of your daily vitamin 12 needs. The healthy fats in coconut milk preserve brain function, reduce inflammation, regulate blood sugar levels, and control candida growth. They also increase the breakdown of any fat reserves piling up in your body, helping you manage your weight. 

Coconut milk is also softer on the stomach and easier to digest than cow’s milk. This is because it doesn’t contain inflammatory compounds of lactose that bring about intestinal problems. It also provides medium-chain fatty acids that body cells readily absorb for energy and doesn’t store as fat.

Even with all these health benefits, is coconut milk keto?

Do you have a particular question about coconut milk being suitable for keto (or not) ? Then use the table of contents below to jump to the most relevant section. And you can always go back by clicking on the arrow in the right bottom corner of the page. Also, please note that some of the links in this article may be affiliate links. For more details, check the Disclosure section at the bottom of the page. 

I used to wonder why most vegan diet plans include coconut milk instead of the regular cow (dairy) milk and why milk lovers on the keto diet use coconut milk as a dairy milk replacement. I saw all milk as milk. But upon close inspection, I found out that coconut milk has different macro nutritional components than dairy milk. It is super high in healthy fats with low carb concentration, making it keto. Coconut milk has 3.34g of carbs and 24g of fat in a 100g serving.

Is coconut milk sugar-free? 

Yes. Coconut milk is sugar-free. Unlike dairy milk, milk from coconut doesn’t have naturally occurring sugars. So you can splurge on it without worrying about your blood sugar spikes.  

How many carbs are in coconut milk?

The carbs in coconut milk vary with each coconut milk brand you buy. 

Canned and homemade coconut milk usually has unfiltered milk, milk that contains full fat. And for this reason, it contains more fat, calories, and carbs.

Most fresh store-bought coconut milk brands contain filtered milk low in fat, calories, and carbs. I love store-bought coconut milk because it is usually fortified with minerals and vitamins that help you get the much-needed micronutrients in your body. But don’t go with just any brand. Some brands have added flavors, sweeteners, or additives, which can increase the carb levels of coconut milk.

The safest and most keto-friendly coconut milk is unsweetened coconut milk (canned or fresh). This one does away with the unwanted sugars/carbs.

A 100g serving of homemade coconut milk made from grinding or grating the coconut flesh and water contains approximately 3.3g of net carbs.

Is coconut milk keto?

Coconut milk is most definitely keto. But this is as long as you get the unsweetened kind. To stay in ketosis, take unsweetened coconut milk on keto.

If you like sweet coconut milk, you can still make keto-friendly coconut milk using keto-approved sweeteners like erythritol, monk fruit, or stevia.

Best coconut milk for keto

The best coconut milk for keto is a brand with low coconut milk net carbs. 

If you are interested in a very high fat intake, canned coconut milk is the best choice. It is unfiltered, which makes it very rich in fat. Because of its high-fat concentration, it may contain a layer of fat or cream on top. This coconut fat gives delicious vegans pastries. You can also eat it as it is. To make this high-fat-saturated coconut milk keto-friendly, get an organic canned milk brand with little or no preservatives or additives. 

Some of the best organic coconut milk brands include (per 80 ml: 2g net carbs, 15g fat), and (per 80 ml: 2g net carbs, 12g fat) 

Any brand of unsweetened keto milk can do if you only care about maintaining a low-carb diet and not ketosis. You can buy canned or fresh refrigerated milk for your dietary needs. 

The fresh unsweetened coconut milk is excellent for pouring, which makes it perfect for keto smoothies, cereal, or as an addition to your coffee.

Best keto recipe with coconut milk

Conclusion

Coconut milk is nutritious and keto-friendly. So, splurge on it. 

To avoid stomach and intestinal inflammation, buy keto-friendly milk that is carrageenan free. Carrageenan is a common additive in many organic food products that brings about intestinal inflammation in some people) 

Thanks for the graphics: Canva.com

Disclosure: At vegketodiet.com I only mention the products that I researched and considered worthy. But it’s important to note that we are a participant of several affiliate programs, including but not limited to VigLink and Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Also please note that I am not a doctor. As such readers are strongly recommended to make decisions that might affect their health by doing their own research. At vegketodiet.com I only document and describe thoughts, researches and ideas that proved to be working for me.