Coconut milk is an opaque milky white liquid extracted from ground mature coconut pulp. The opacity and rich flavor of coconut milk is due to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a traditional food in Southeast Asia, Oceania, South Asia, and East Africa. Coconut milk is divided into subtypes according to fat content. They can be generalized to coconut cream (or thick coconut milk) with the highest fat content, coconut milk (or thin coconut milk) with fat up to about 20% and coconut skimmed milk, with the lowest fat content that is negligible.

Coconut milk contains 230 calories per 100 ml (ML), of which 68% is water, 24% total fat, 6% carbohydrate and 2% protein. The fat composition comprises 21 grams of saturated fat, half of which is lauric acid. Coconut milk has rich nutrients (20% or more daily value, DV) manganese (44% DV) and appropriate (10-19% DV) phosphorus, iron, and magnesium.

Processed coconut milk can be used as a substitute for various milk drinks, usually sold in the form of "coconut milk drinks". Although they are different from coconut milk used for cooking (not for drinking), it is sometimes easy to simply label them "coconut milk". Alternatives to coconut milk are basically coconut milk diluted with water or coconut skimmed milk with additives. They contain less fat and fewer calories than milk, but they also have less protein. They contain large amounts of potassium and are a good source of fiber and iron. They are also usually rich in vitamin D and calcium.

Medium chain triglycerides (MCT) in coconut milk can be immediately digested and metabolized by the liver to help boost energy. This also reduces the chance of being stored in the body as fat, which can be used as a good weight management tool. In one study, the researchers suggested that MCT can help reduce overall calorie intake and help lose weight. Coconut milk can also have a positive effect on cholesterol levels if consumed regularly. A study exploring the effects of coconut on lipids found that coconut helped reduce LDL (harmful) cholesterol levels in just two months.

Using coconut milk as a daily diet helps reduce inflammation in the body's system. In a study in mice, the researchers tested the effects of lauric acid (a medium chain triglyceride in coconut) on Propionibacterium pemphigus, a microorganism that can cause acne infection. They found that lauric acid helped reduce NF KB activity, a signaling pathway that affects inflammation. MCT in coconut may help fight bacteria and viruses in the body. Studies have found that lauric acid can inhibit the maturation of vesicular stomatitis virus. In other studies, the researchers suggested that coconut could be used as an effective tool against yeast strains, Candida, and Staphylococcus strains.