Coconut milk - What do I look for? page

[Patrick]

Having tested some food sensitivities through selective elimination, I think I've got a mild dairy sensitivity. My skin's way clearer without it and I just tend to feel better. Also, fat loss just seems to be more noticeable.

I've seen lots of stuff in this forum about coconut milk, obviously, but I'm not sure what I ought to be looking for in terms of content, how it was made, % of whatevers, etc. I did a forum search, and saw some 70% recommendations but I didn't spot any topics specifically on what to look for. If this has been covered and you can find the thread, please link it. No sense rehashing old stuff.

Oh, brand names probably won't help me, because I'm up in Ye Olde Frozen North. (though if you know some brands available in Canadian natural food stores, please name drop!)

I'm basically looking to use it in coffee (instead of local 35% organic cream) and add a bit to other things as I go (like my blueberries + strawberries smoothies).

Thanks in advance!

[Dr. Bork Bork]

I wasn't sure what to get so I just got the canned stuff, Thai Kitchen brand (dunno if you have it where you are). It's yummy. So Delicious makes coconut milk creamer. I saw it at my local health food store. In fact, that's the only place I've seen it! And I'd love to know what the difference is between the canned stuff and So Delicious coconut milk "beverage"

I look forward to hearing what the pros have to say!

[Melantha]

I like Thai Kitchen brand as well. They use a small amount of guar gum, assumably as a stabilizer, although it does still separate. That's what I look for: Coconut milk that will separate if you don't shake it.

Oh, the difference between canned coconut milk and that coconut beverage is mostly that the So Delicious stuff is diluted to the consistency of milk, plus is has a bunch of thickeners, stabilizers, and vitamin supplements to try to make it into a vegan milk substitute. That's assuming you're getting the unsweetened variety. And it looks like they dilute it a lot, if a cup of the stuff only has 50 calories (regular coconut milk is about 400 cal/cup). Personally, I just dilute canned coconut milk with water myself. I can make about a quart for the cost of a can of coconut milk, but that's less dilute than the commercial stuff. In order to make a beverage with 50 cals/cup, I'd dilute the coconut milk in a 1:7 ratio with water, so I could get a quart of "milk" with only 1/2 cup of coconut milk.

[Patrick]

Cool. Thanks for the responses!

I guess a better question would have been: What should I avoid when picking a kind of coconut milk? I checked out Thai Kitchen, but they don't give any ingredient or nutrition info on their website that I could use a basis for comparison.

[Melantha]

From Amazon, I found the TK coconut milk ingredients to be "Coconut milk, water, guar gum." You basically want the shortest ingredients list possible. And don't get light coconut milk.

[Dr. Bork Bork]

Why would anyone get light when full fat is DELICIOUS? I made some almond spice chocolate chip cookies the other night and they were AMAZING with some coconut milk to chase them down.

[elorajade]

Ye old frozen north has coconut milk at superstore. And safeway. And Sobeys.

Just look for the one with the fewest additives. Depending on the store, depends on where it is. Sobeys, its down the aisle with the pop, with the drink mixes. At Superstore its both in the health food section (the organic stuff) and down with the evaporated milk/powders etc, which is usually in with the coffee.

Not sure about safeway.

[Dr. Bork Bork]

If you have Walmart up there in CAN, they should have Thai Kitchen.

[Grizz]

I am drinking my favorite coconut milk concoction as I speak.

Thai Kitchen coconut milk with a shot of Kahlua Liquor and a sprinkle of Nutmeg. MMMMM MMMMM GOOOOD !

Grizz

[AnneArchy]

I like Native Forest more than Thai Kitchen.