Coconut milk is not low GI. In laboratory testing, coconut milk beverages scored an estimated glycemic index of around 97, putting them in the high GI category alongside white bread and rice drinks. That number surprises most people, because coconut milk is relatively low in carbohydrates and high in fat. But the GI picture is more nuanced than a single number suggests, and what matters most for blood sugar management is how much carbohydrate you actually consume in a serving.
Why Coconut Milk Scores So High
The glycemic index measures how quickly the carbohydrates in a food raise blood sugar, scored on a scale of 0 to 100 relative to pure glucose. Coconut milk beverages contain only about 1.5 grams of free sugar per 100 grams, which is less than almost every other plant milk. But those sugars are simple and rapidly absorbed, which pushes the GI score up.
A study published in the journal Foods measured the glycemic properties of various milk alternatives and found that coconut drinks had “very high estimated GI values, even up to 100.” For comparison, cow’s milk came in at a GI of roughly 39 to 45, soy milk ranged from 34 to 58, almond milk fell between 49 and 64, and oat milk landed around 60. Coconut milk sat at the very top of the list.
GI vs. Glycemic Load: The Important Difference
Here’s where context matters. The glycemic index only tells you how fast a food’s carbs hit your bloodstream. It doesn’t tell you how much carbohydrate is actually in a typical serving. That’s where glycemic load comes in, and it paints a very different picture for coconut milk.
A cup of sweetened coconut milk beverage contains about 7 grams of carbohydrates. The unsweetened versions contain even less. Because the total amount of carbohydrate is so small, the actual blood sugar impact of a normal serving is modest. Think of it this way: watermelon has a high GI (around 72), but because a serving contains relatively little sugar by weight, its glycemic load is low. Coconut milk works the same way. The carbs it does contain are fast-acting, but there just aren’t many of them.
How Coconut Fat Affects Blood Sugar
Coconut milk is rich in fat, particularly medium-chain fatty acids. You might expect that fat to slow sugar absorption and blunt blood sugar spikes, but the research tells a more complicated story.
A 2021 systematic review found that meals containing coconut fat actually produced a slightly higher blood sugar response compared to control meals. At the same time, those meals triggered a lower insulin response. In other words, the body released less insulin after eating coconut fat, which allowed blood sugar to drift a bit higher. This reduced insulin response is not necessarily harmful, but it means coconut fat doesn’t act as the blood sugar buffer that many people assume.
Coconut Milk Beverage vs. Canned Coconut Milk
The type of coconut milk you use changes the nutritional equation significantly. The coconut milk sold in cartons as a dairy alternative is mostly water with a small amount of coconut extract. A cup contains roughly 75 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 7 grams of carbohydrates. This is the product tested in GI studies.
Canned coconut milk, the thick kind used for curries and soups, is a different product entirely. A cup of full-fat canned coconut milk packs about 552 calories, 57 grams of fat, and 13 grams of carbohydrates. The much higher fat content means it’s consumed in smaller portions (a few tablespoons rather than a full glass), and the fat does slow digestion of whatever meal it’s part of. If you’re adding a splash of canned coconut milk to a curry with vegetables and protein, the overall glycemic impact of that meal will be influenced far more by the rice or noodles alongside it than by the coconut milk itself.
How It Compares to Other Plant Milks
If you’re choosing a plant milk specifically to minimize blood sugar impact, coconut milk beverage is not the strongest option. Based on laboratory estimates and clinical data, here’s how the most common alternatives rank:
- Soy milk consistently scores lowest, with GI values ranging from 34 to 62 depending on the brand and formulation. It also contains more protein (around 7 grams per cup), which further helps moderate blood sugar.
- Almond milk falls in the low-to-medium range, with GI values between 49 and 64. Its carbohydrate content is low, similar to coconut milk.
- Oat milk lands around 60, placing it in the medium GI category. It contains more carbohydrates than the others, mostly from oat starches.
- Coconut milk beverage scores the highest at roughly 97, though its very low carbohydrate content means the real-world blood sugar effect per serving is smaller than that number implies.
- Rice milk is the other high scorer, with a GI around 86, and it carries more carbohydrates per serving than coconut milk does.
What This Means in Practice
If you’re managing blood sugar and drink coconut milk in typical amounts (a splash in coffee, a cup in a smoothie), the actual glucose impact is small because you’re consuming very few carbohydrates. The high GI number reflects the speed of absorption, not the quantity of sugar entering your bloodstream.
The bigger concern is sweetened varieties. Some brands add several grams of sugar per serving, which raises both the glycemic index and the glycemic load. Checking the label for added sugars and choosing unsweetened versions makes a meaningful difference. Look for products with short ingredient lists: coconut extract, water, and perhaps a stabilizer.
If minimizing blood sugar response is your primary goal when choosing a plant milk, soy milk is the most consistently low-GI option, and its higher protein content provides an additional buffer against glucose spikes. But coconut milk in reasonable portions, especially unsweetened and full-fat varieties, is unlikely to cause significant blood sugar problems on its own.