Butter vs. Coconut milk — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Calories

While both are high-calorie foods, butter is considerably higher in calories, containing 484 more calories in a 100-gram serving. 

A 100-gram serving of butter provides 717 calories, while this number for coconut milk is 230. 

Protein

Coconut milk is about 2.6 times richer in protein. Protein content in coconut milk is 2.29 grams per 100 grams, while it is only 0.85 grams in butter. Both foods contain some levels of essential amino acids; however, coconut milk is richer.

Fats

Conversely, butter is 3.4 times higher in fat than coconut milk. 

The fat content of coconut milk consists almost entirely of saturated fats, whereas butter fat content comprises 66% saturated, 30% monounsaturated, and 4% polyunsaturated.

Thus, both are higher in saturated fats but lower in unsaturated fats.

Compared to coconut milk, butter contains more omega-6 (linoleic acid) and omega-3 (ALA) fatty acids per serving (2.166g and 0.320g, respectively). In contrast, coconut milk has a lower omega-6 content of 0.261g; no omega-3 content is specified (1). 

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Butter

2

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 50.489 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 23.43 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 3.01 g

Coconut milk

1

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 21.14 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 1.014 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.261 g

Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat	+2210.7%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat	+1053.3%

Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat

-58.1%

Carbohydrates

A 100-gram serving of butter provides 0.06g of carbohydrates, while the same serving size of coconut milk has 5.54g.

While butter lacks dietary fiber, coconut milk provides 2.2g of fiber per 100g serving. However, while 100% of the carbs in butter are net carbs, this number is only 60% for coconut milk. The other 40% of coconut milk carbohydrates are dietary fiber.

Carbohydrate type comparison

Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Butter

0

Coconut milk

0

Vitamins

Coconut milk and butter are good sources of various vitamins. Coconut is 18 times more decadent in vitamin B3, 11 times richer in vitamin B6, five times richer in vitamin B1 and folate, and almost richer in vitamin C (2.8 mg) and vitamin B5.

Butter contains vitamins in which coconut milk is absent, such as vitamins A, B2, and B12.

That said, butter contains nearly 15 times more vitamin E and vitamin K.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Butter

6

Coconut milk

6

Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+1446.7%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+6900%
Contains more CholineCholine	+121.2%

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+420%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+1709.5%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+66.4%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+1000%
Contains more FolateFolate	+433.3%

~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg

Minerals

Coconut milk is richer in minerals than butter. Coconut milk is 229 times richer in manganese, 82 times richer in iron, 16 times richer in copper, 18 times richer in magnesium, 10 times richer in potassium, seven times richer in zinc, six times richer in selenium, and almost four times richer in phosphorus. At the same time, butter provides 1.5 times more calcium. Coconut milk also contains more sodium. 

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Butter

2

Coconut milk

8

Contains more CalciumCalcium	+50%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-26.7%

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+1750%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+995.8%
Contains more IronIron	+8100%
Contains more CopperCopper	+1562.5%
Contains more ZincZinc	+644.4%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+316.7%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+22800%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+520%

Glycemic Index

Butter has a low glycemic index of 0. Coconut milk has a glycemic index of 97, which is significantly higher than predicted.

The glycemic load of coconut milk is rated at 5, meaning one serving raises glucose levels slowly. Visit our website to learn more about coconut milk's glycemic impact.

Acidity

The comparison of acidity levels based on potential renal acid load (PRAL) reveals that coconut milk is slightly alkaline, with a value of -1.9. At the same time, butter has a slightly acidic nature with a PRAL value of 0.4.

Cardiovascular Health

Coconut milk, known for its high saturated fat content, has been studied for cholesterol levels. Some research suggests potential benefits, indicating that coconut milk may lower "bad" LDL cholesterol and increase "good" HDL cholesterol. Lauric acid, a primary fatty acid in coconut fat, has shown mixed effects on LDL cholesterol levels in different studies, and its impact may vary among individuals.

On the other hand, butter, a high-fat dairy product, has also been scrutinized in the context of saturated fat and heart health (2, 3). There's a link between saturated fat intake and high LDL cholesterol levels, a risk factor for heart disease (4). However, controversies persist, with some studies failing to establish a clear connection between saturated fat intake and heart disease (5, 6, 7). Some observational studies even suggest potential benefits for heart health associated with high-fat dairy product consumption (8, 9).  

Diabetes

Butter has been associated with increased insulin response and elevated concentrations of fatty acids and triacylglycerols (10). In contrast, virgin and filtered coconut oils, coconut water, and coconut milk have significantly reversed these parameters in diabetic rats. Additionally, consuming these coconut products demonstrated a preventive effect on diabetes-induced histopathological changes in kidney tissue (11). This suggests that while butter may potentially exacerbate certain aspects of diabetes, coconut products, including coconut milk, seem to exhibit positive effects, potentially mitigating diabetes-related markers and providing protective effects on organ tissues. 

Inflammation

The saturated fats in butter contain approximately 11% short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), with butyric acid being the most common. Butyric acid is a distinctive component found in the milk fat of ruminant animals like cattle, sheep, and goats. In contrast, coconut milk, derived from coconuts, has been studied for its potential anti-inflammatory effects (12, 13). In animal studies, coconut oil and extract reduce inflammation and swelling in injured rats and mice (14).  

The contrasting sources of these saturated fats highlight the unique butter and coconut milk components. While butter's SCFAs, particularly butyric acid, have been associated with certain benefits, such as butyrate's potential to reduce inflammation in the digestive system, coconut milk, with its distinct composition, showcases anti-inflammatory properties in animal studies (15, 16). 

  Cancer

There is conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in butter and coconut milk, a fatty acid associated with anti-cancer properties and the potential to lower body fat percentage (17, 18, 19). Studies suggest that lauric acid in butter and coconut milk may induce apoptosis in breast and endometrial cancer cells (20).