Milk Alternatives- What to Look For
Non-dairy milk alternatives have become more & more popular for consumption. Whether for flavour, taste, the environment, lifestyle or intolerances people are opting to pick up the plant based varieties. It may be a confusing space & a popular question raised is which one is best? Also confusing is how you milk an almond?
This post related directly to the previous around dairy. For context read them both. From a nutritional point of view, if we don’t have dietary issues, dairy milk is highly nutritious. If you can’t drink dairy or choose not to, this is also completely fine. Hopefully this can give some context around what to look for when buying plant based alternatives.
It’s important to know the nutritional quality of milk alternatives varies a lot. Just because it looks like milk, don't assume they have the same nutritional goodness. Here’s a breakdown of some of the more common swaps:
Lactose free milk- It’s worth pointing out this is still an animal product & has the same nutritional profile as regular milk without the need for us to breakdown the lactose.
Great-Soy milk- Nutritionally, probably the best straight swap if you’re choosing plant based alternatives. Calcium fortified is even better.
Good-Almond milk- Lower in calcium & protein than the dairy swap. May need to find protein elsewhere in the diet for older age groups or athletes.
Needs work- Rice & coconut milk- These probably aren’t your best alternative due to their nutrition profile. OK for those with a nut allergy but may need to find nutrients elsewhere in diet.
Overall, plant based milks naturally have no cholesterol & are lactose free. They are usually lower in saturated fat (except coconut milk) & overall energy. If you’re choosing a milk alternative, where you can, find one which is calcium fortified & unsweetened. It is also not recommended that children or infants consume milk substitutes for a few reason.
Keep in mind that for a good vegetarian diets, there are other sources of these nutrients which make up the whole picture so we can’t view milk alternatives as the only contribution to healthy intake. Like any diet, it’s about context which many vegetarians have.
Which milk do you prefer? Get in touch or read the links below.
https://dietitianconnection.com/news/clinical/cows-milk-vs-the-alternatives-which-is-best/
https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/nutrition/milkaltern/Pages/default.aspx
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-30/which-milk-is-best-for-your-health/12714388