Coconut cream, canned, sweetened
Common food
Photo: Wikipedia
This is a thick, ultra-rich coconut extract, simmered with sugar to create a luscious, sweet, and creamy product with a velvety, pourable consistency. It's the sweetened counterpart to coconut cream, boasting a deep, tropical coconut flavor and a glossy white appearance. Nutritionally, it's a dense source of quick energy, primarily from its high sugar and fat content.
Calorie split: 1% protein · 58% carbs · 40% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People adore it for its luxurious, sweet coconut flavor and its ability to instantly transform simple desserts into creamy, tropical treats. It's a cornerstone of Southeast Asian and Caribbean culinary traditions, offering a taste of vacation in a can.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
Its very high sugar content (over 50g per 100g) can cause significant blood-sugar spikes, and the saturated fat content is substantial. To counteract this, use it sparingly as a flavor accent, pair it with fiber-rich ingredients like chia seeds or oats, or choose unsweetened coconut cream and sweeten it yourself to control the sugar.
Key benefits
- Provides quick, dense energy from carbohydrates and fats
- Contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) from coconut fat
- Adds rich, creamy texture and sweetness without dairy
- A staple ingredient in many tropical and Asian desserts
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
Despite its name, canned sweetened coconut cream contains no actual dairy cream; the 'cream' refers to the thick, fatty layer skimmed from coconut milk.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 29.0 g |
| Energy | 357 kcal |
| Protein | 1.2 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 16.3 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 53.2 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0.20 g |
| Total Sugars | 51.5 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 4.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.13 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 17.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 22.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 101 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 36.0 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.60 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.24 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 5.5 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.02 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.04 mg |
| Niacin | 0.04 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.03 mg |
| Folate, total | 14.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 14.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 14.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 6.6 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 0.00 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.13 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 0.10 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 15.5 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.08 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 1.4 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 1.1 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 8.4 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 3.0 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 1.1 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.29 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.68 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.68 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.16 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.16 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from Nuts, coconut meat, dried (desiccated), creamed — USDA does not publish this profile for Coconut cream.
| Tryptophan | 0.06 g |
| Threonine | 0.19 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.21 g |
| Leucine | 0.39 g |
| Lysine | 0.23 g |
| Methionine | 0.10 g |
| Cystine | 0.10 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.27 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.16 g |
| Valine | 0.32 g |
| Arginine | 0.87 g |
| Histidine | 0.12 g |
| Alanine | 0.27 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.52 g |
| Glutamic acid | 1.2 g |
| Glycine | 0.25 g |
| Proline | 0.22 g |
| Serine | 0.27 g |
FAQ
What's the difference between coconut cream and coconut milk?
Coconut cream is the thick, high-fat layer skimmed from the top of simmered coconut meat and water. Coconut milk is thinner, with a lower fat content, made by simmering more water with the same amount of coconut meat.
Can I use this as a substitute for heavy cream in recipes?
It can work in some sweet recipes like curries or puddings, but its distinct coconut flavor and high sugar content (if sweetened) will alter the taste. It won't whip like dairy cream.
How should I store leftover canned coconut cream?
Transfer any unused portion to an airtight container, refrigerate, and use within 3-5 days. It will solidify; simply stir or gently warm it to re-incorporate.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 3.57 kcal/g · 1% calories from protein · 0.2 g fiber · 51.5 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 0.36 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.