Coconut Milk

Why coconut milk is rated low

This page covers carton coconut milk, the UHT drink sold next to other plant milks. It is low FODMAP at about ¾ cup (180mL) and moderate at larger portions, and the FODMAP behind that climb is sorbitol. A full glass poured over cereal or into a smoothie can already be past the low serving, so ¾ cup is the pour to measure. Canned coconut milk is a different product, much thicker, with a far smaller serving, so the carton figure never applies to the tin.

What changes your risk

• Serving size About ¾ cup (180mL) is low and larger portions are moderate. The step up is easy to cross when pouring by eye into a bowl or a blender.
• Carton versus can Carton coconut milk and canned coconut milk are separate foods. Canned coconut milk has a much smaller low serving and should be portioned on its own terms, and a brand with no inulin is the one to buy.
• Stacking sorbitol Sorbitol adds up across a meal. Coconut milk in a smoothie with blackberries, or in a bowl next to sugar-free sweets or gum sweetened with sorbitol, builds the same polyol from several directions.
• Curry pastes, stocks and seasoning blends In a curry, the coconut milk is rarely the riskiest part. Ready made pastes, stock cubes and spice blends are usually built on onion and garlic. Garlic-infused oil, chives, the green tops of spring onions, leek leaves and a pinch of asafoetida give that depth without the onion and garlic FODMAPs, as long as no solid pieces are left in the oil.
• Other coconut products are separate foods Coconut cream, coconut water, dried coconut and coconut flour each have their own serves. The numbers on this page cover carton coconut milk only.

What else works

If you want a bigger pour than ¾ cup allows, lactose-free milk and almond milk work in cereal, coffee or a smoothie at their own serves. Lactose-free milk is ordinary dairy with the lactase enzyme added, so it is not dairy-free. For a creamy curry, canned coconut milk in a small measure thinned with stock, or lactose-free cream, gives richness without leaning on a big pour of either coconut product. Do not assume the coconut aisle is interchangeable: canned coconut milk, coconut cream and coconut water are different foods with their own serves.

How to keep it low

Measure the pour with a measuring cup the first few times, because about ¾ cup (180mL) is noticeably less than a full glass or a generous splash over cereal. Check the carton says coconut milk drink or beverage rather than canned coconut milk, and read the ingredients for inulin or chicory root fibre, which some brands add. Shake the carton before pouring so the texture is consistent. When a recipe calls for canned coconut milk, measure it separately in tablespoons and use carton milk, stock or lactose-free milk to make up the rest of the liquid.

Common questions

how much coconut milk is low fodmap

Carton coconut milk is low at about ¾ cup (180mL) and moderate at larger portions, from sorbitol. Canned coconut milk is a different product with a much smaller serving.

is a whole can of coconut milk low fodmap

No. Canned coconut milk has a much smaller low serving, so a whole tin is many servings. The ¾ cup figure on this page is for the carton drink, not the can.

can i have coconut milk in my coffee on a low fodmap diet

Yes. A splash of carton coconut milk in coffee is well under about ¾ cup (180mL); just count it toward the day if you also have some in a smoothie.

is coconut milk ok in a curry

Yes, if you keep canned coconut milk to a small measure per serving and make up the liquid with stock or carton coconut milk. The bigger question in most curries is the paste or stock, which usually contains onion and garlic.