Almond Milk vs Coconut Milk: Which Is Less Inflammatory?
Almond Milk
Coconut Milk
Almond milk is less inflammatory than coconut milk, but only by a little. Both leave out lactose and milk protein, the two parts of dairy that people actually react to.
The gap comes down to fat. Half a cup of canned coconut milk carries about three times the saturated fat of a spoon of butter, while almond milk is mostly water. Neither one does you any favours sweetened, so check the label and buy the plain version. Keep the coconut milk for curries and pour unsweetened almond milk on your cereal.
Side by side
| Almond Milk | Coconut Milk | |
|---|---|---|
| Inflammation Score | Low · 3/10 | Medium · 4/10 |
| Category | Beverages | Beverages |
| Serving size | 1 cup (240 ml) | 1/2 cup (120 ml) canned, full fat |
| Key nutrients | Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), Calcium (fortified), Vitamin B12 (fortified), Gellan gum (added) | Lauric acid, Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), Manganese, Carrageenan (in some brands) |
| How often | Daily, unsweetened and fortified | — |
On the AIP diet
Almond Milk
Almond milk is not allowed during the elimination phase of the Autoimmune Protocol. AIP takes out all nuts from day one, and almond milk is a nut in liquid form. Most cartons add gums and emulsifiers, which are off the list on their own terms. Nuts come back early in the reintroduction, so a plain unsweetened carton is an easy first test. During the elimination, unsweetened coconut milk is the plant milk that fits.
Coconut Milk
Coconut milk is allowed during the elimination phase of AIP, and it is the plant milk the protocol leans on. Nothing in it comes from dairy, grains, nuts or seeds. The catch is the can: guar gum and carrageenan are both off the list, so check the label. Full fat coconut milk with two ingredients, coconut and water, is the one that fits.
What each one brings
Almond Milk
- No lactose and no milk protein, the two parts of dairy people actually react to
- An unsweetened carton has almost no sugar, which is rare among plant milks
- Brings vitamin E, the antioxidant that protects the fat in your cell membranes
- Most brands are fortified, so it gives back the calcium and B12 that dropping dairy takes away
Coconut Milk
- No lactose, no milk protein and no grain, so it suits almost every elimination diet
- Nudges bad cholesterol down, which coconut oil on its own does not
- Most of its fat is the medium-chain kind, which the liver burns quickly
- A can with two ingredients is one of the least processed milks you can buy
Watch out for
Almond Milk
- Sweetened and flavoured versions carry as much sugar as a soft drink
- Mostly water, with two to four percent almonds, so no real protein or fat
- Gums are added to stop it separating, and some guts dislike them
- Not an option with a tree nut allergy, and a poor milk for young children
Coconut Milk
- Half a cup canned carries about three times the saturated fat of a spoon of butter
- Some brands add carrageenan, a seaweed gum that can irritate an already sore gut
- Carton versions are mostly water, with almost no protein to replace milk
- Sweetened drinking versions hide sugar behind a health food label
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