Coconut milk is a popular drink that is used regularly in cooking and baking – but is coconut milk keto-friendly?
The good news is that yes – coconut milk is considered suitable for consumption on the keto diet. However, there are points to bear in mind including what type of coconut milk you purchase as well as how much you consume.
There’s no need to worry, as I’m here to talk you through everything you need to know about coconut milk and the keto diet, to help you on your way with achieving ketosis while being able to enjoy coconut milk!
What is the keto diet?
A ketogenic diet is one which requires you to consume low-carb, high-fat foods. Carb reduction puts the body into ketosis, a metabolic state known for making the body very efficient when to comes to burning fat. This is why the keto diet is popular among those looking to reduce their body fat/lose weight.
Carb reduction also turns fat into ketones within the liver. This supplies energy to the brain along with other parts of the body.
A reduction in blood sugar and insulin levels are also linked with the keto diet. I strongly recommend consulting with your doctor or a medical professional before changing to a keto diet – just in case of any negative side-effects.
Is coconut milk keto?
The good news is that yes – coconut milk is considered suitable for the keto diet.
Most people on the keto diet try to consume less than 50g of carbohydrates per day to remain in ketosis. Coconut milk contains 13g of carbohydrates per 1 cup serving, making it suitable for those following the keto diet.
However, there are certain types of coconut milk that are not considered keto. These include sweetened versions of coconut milk as these may contain extra carbs and push you over the recommended daily carb intake.
It’s best to stick to unsweetened, reduced fat coconut milk options when following the keto diet, and in small quantities – more on quantity coming up.
Coconut milk can be bought in most large stores, but you can even make it at home! Here’s a homemade coconut milk recipe that will also show you how to make coconut flour.
For a quick route to delicious coconut milk, here are our recommendations for the best coconut milk money can buy.
How much coconut milk is considered keto-friendly
As 1 cup of coconut milk contains 13g of carbohydrates, you’ll want to stick to small amounts of coconut milk to remain in ketosis. 1 cup of coconut milk would contain 26% of your daily carb intake, so you may want to stick to 1/2 of a cup so that you don’t use up your carb allowance too quickly.
Alternatively, if it’s the end of the day and you’ve only consumed 37g of carbohysrates that day, you’d be safe to consume a whole cup of coconut milk and not go over the 50g daily allowance.
Baking and cooking with coconut milk on the keto diet
Coconut milk is a popular ingredient among bakers and chefs in the keto community, particularly due to the fact that coconut milk is a keto-friendly alternative to cow’s milk.
Popular keto recipes containing coconut milk include savory dishes such as soups, stews, curries, casseroles and sauces. There are also many delicious sweet recipes containing coconut milk such as cakes, puddings, mousses, brownies, pies, and milkshakes.
You can use coconut milk to make coconut cream which opens doors to many other great keto recipes – here’s some information on coconut milk vs coconut cream.
| Per 1 Cup Serving | Coconut Milk | Cow’s Milk |
| Substitution Ratio | 1:1 | N/A |
| Calories | 552 | 148 |
| Keto-Friendly? | Yes | No |
| Gluten-Free? | Yes | Yes |
| Carbs | 13g | 12g |
| Paleo-Friendly | Yes | No |
| Best for baking | Soups, pies, curries, rice, puddings/sweet treats | Yogurt, butter, cheese, sauces, cakes, pies, ice cream, quiches, pancakes |
FAQ
Here are some quick frequently asked questions to give you more of an understanding of coconut milk as a keto-friendly product!
There are 13g of carbs in coconut milk in a 1 cup serving. This means providing that you’ve consumed less than 37g of carbohydrates in that day, you’d be safe to consume 1 cup of coconut milk and not exceed the 50g carb daily allowance.
While cow’s milk is not keto-friendly, there are a number of other milk products that are generally considered safe to consume on the keto diet.
These include the following:
– Unsweetened almond milk
– Macademia nut milk
– Flax milk
– Soy milk
– Cashew milk
– Pea Milk
There are also many other coocnut products that are keto feiendly, as coconut is generally low cab.
Some of these include:
– Coconut meat
– Coconut cream
– Coconut butter
– Coconut oil
– Coconut water
– Coconut flour
– Coconut chips
– Coconut sugar
– Coconut nectar
Coconut milk can be benefical for weight loss as it contains Medium-Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) which are absorbed easily as ketones allowing the body to convert fat into energy. MCTs are said to help reduce body weight and reduce the build-up of fat in the body.
Yogurts are another great snack for aiding weight loss – check out this easy 4 ingredient coconut milk yogurt recipe that’s suitable for both keto and paleo diets!
Coconut milk does contain high amounts of fat, and is generally considered to be more fattening that cow’s milk. However, these are generally plant-based saturated fats which may provide to less fattening effects in comparison to the animal-based saturated fats found in cow’s milk.
You should avoid coconut milk if you’re at high risk of cardiovascular diseases or have high blood pressure. This is because it contains a high amount of saturated fat which may worsen effects of these conditions.
You should also avoid coconut milk if you have a tree nut allergy, as coconuts are technically tree nuts and may cause you to experience an allergic reaction.
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