So you've made the decision to go dairy free for health, diet, and/or
allergy reasons. Maybe you're trying to avoid lactose. Maybe you just
don't like the way the dairy industry tends to treat cows. But here's
the rub: You love milk! So what are you going to do? Fear not, it's easy
to avoid lactose and still get your fill of milk-like liquids. Soy,
rice, coconut, almond, and even hemp "milks" have all found their way
into the diets, hearts, and grocers' shelves of health-conscious people
everywhere. Some, like coconut and rice milk, have been around for
hundreds of years as dietary staples in many cultures around the world.
We're going to take a look at the five most widely available—and very
diverse—milk substitutes, but before we start, let's quickly look at
what you're leaving behind when you give up dairy. A 1-cup serving of
regular skim milk has 90 calories, 125 milligrams of sodium, 8 grams of
protein, 30 percent of your recommended daily allowance (RDA) of
calcium, 25 percent of your RDA of vitamin D, phosphorus, and
riboflavin, and 16 percent of your RDA for vitamin B12. That same cup of
skim milk also contains 12 grams of carbohydrates, 11 of which are
sugar.
Now let's compare the rest. Keep in mind that these are all vegetarian/vegan-friendly, gluten-free alternatives.
Soy Milk
Soy milk is probably the best-known milk alternative in the Western
world. It's easy to find it in a variety of flavors and options at just
about any market. So how does soy milk stack up nutritionally compared
to skim milk? A typical 1-cup serving has about 100 calories—slightly
more than skim milk—with 7 grams of protein, 29 milligrams of sodium, 25
percent of your RDA of thiamin, 9 percent of your RDA of riboflavin, 8
percent of your RDA of iron, 15 percent of your RDA of copper, 20
percent of your RDA of manganese, and just about 35 percent of your RDA
of calcium.
Despite soy milk's popularity, there is some controversy surrounding it.
The trend toward foods that are or contain GMOs (genetically modified
organisms) is currently a cause for great concern, and more than 90
percent of all soybeans sold in the U.S. are GMOs, making it pretty
difficult to find truly natural, organic soybeans or soybean milk
products.
Also, unfermented soy products like soy milk naturally contain what are
known as phytoestrogens—chemicals that when introduced to the human body
tend to act like estrogen. There are many studies on this subject, but
unfortunately most of them tend to contradict each other: Do
phytoestrogens cause or prevent cancer? Are there negative side effects
to ingesting too much of the stuff if you're male? Should infants be
given soy products at all? The best way to deal with the soy debate and
its consequences, aside from doing a bunch of research yourself, is
simply to remember the age-old adage, "All things in moderation." If you
aren't going to be consuming gallons of soy milk per day, you should be
just fine.
Bottom Line: You might want to explore other choices before settling for this somewhat controversial and overprocessed milk alternative.
Rice milk
If you've ever had the popular Mexican drink horchata, you've had rice
milk. The popular commercial brands are enriched with calcium and other
nutrients found in dairy milk, but they also (like commercial soy milk)
have a variety of additives, sweeteners, and flavorings, many of which
can't be considered either organic or natural.
So how does rice milk add up nutritionally? A 1-cup serving has
approximately 80 to 90 calories, but they come mostly from sugar, which
you probably already get plenty of, and which you're probably trying to
avoid if you're trying to consume a healthy diet. If you're a rice milk
or horchata fan, great—you can mix it with all kinds of things to make
it a fun, refreshing treat. But realistically speaking, rice milk
doesn't have much else going for it.
Bottom Line: Although it's relatively popular, I wouldn't settle
on rice milk as a truly complete and healthy alternative to regular
milk, unless I was mixing it with Shakeology®. Store-bought brands will be more nutritious, but will contain a lot of sugar.
Coconut milk
Thai food, anyone? How about a piña colada? If you're a fan of either,
chances are, you've had plenty of coconut milk in your lifetime. Now,
don't mistake coconut milk for the watery liquid found in the center of
the coconut, which is known as coconut water (the stuff you hear
sloshing around inside when you shake one). Rather, we're talking about
the rich, creamy stuff that's extracted from the white coconut flesh
nutmeat itself. Want to do it yourself at home? You're looking at some
pretty intensive labor.
Until recently, a cup of coconut milk contained at least 500 calories,
most of which was saturated fat, but now low-calorie coconut milk has
begun finding its way onto grocers' shelves. A typical 1-cup serving has
about 150 calories, most of which is still saturated fat. It has 3
grams of protein, 45 milligrams of sodium, 50 percent of the RDA of
vitamin B12, 30 percent of the RDA of vitamin D, and 10 percent of the
RDA of calcium and magnesium. If you're a vegan looking to get more
vitamin D in your diet, this stuff might help, but keep in mind that you
won't be getting any protein from it and you'll be getting a lot of
fat.
Bottom Line: Regular coconut milk has traditionally been intended
to be used in small amounts, mainly for cooking, not as a milk
substitute for drinking a glass at a time. Although it's delicious and
has lots of healthful benefits, it's way too rich to have as a drink by
itself. And while light coconut milks may not pack the same caloric
punch, they're still essentially just fat.
Almond milk
This is one I can live with. Nutritionally, a 1-cup serving will have
anywhere from 50 to 80 calories, depending on how much water has been
added. Although it has minimal protein, it does have 25 percent of the
RDA of vitamin D, 50 percent of the RDA of vitamin E, and 150 milligrams
of potassium, along with some manganese, selenium, and many other trace
elements.
There are a wide variety of fortified store-bought brands that all taste
pretty darn good—sweetened, unflavored, or otherwise. Along with the
more mainstream commercial brands, it's also easy to find almond milk
products that are raw and organic.
Almond milk is a personal favorite and quite versatile too, although
keep in mind it's still low in protein. On a side note, it's fun to make
from scratch. A 1-pound bag of raw almonds can get a little pricey at
around $12.00, but the investment is worth it. Make your own—it's
delicious!
Hemp milk
Places like Trader Joe's® or Whole Foods Market®
are your best bet for hemp milk. There are a couple of different brands,
again, all fortified and sweetened to taste more like regular milk. And
no, it doesn't get you high. Interestingly though, the U.S. is pretty
much the only country in the world that doesn't allow hempseed
cultivation, even though there's no drug content in it. All hempseed in
the U.S. is from Canada; it's guaranteed to be organic and
pesticide-free.
Hemp milk could be a real find. Hempseeds are pretty much considered a
superfood, meaning that even in very small amounts, like an ounce or
two, they pack a wallop nutritionally. A 1-cup serving of hemp milk has
approximately 110 calories and has 24 percent of the RDA of iron, 72
percent of the RDA of magnesium and phosphorus, 35 percent of the RDA of
zinc, plus 11 grams of omega-6 fatty acids, 4.5 grams of omega-3 fatty
acids, and 16 grams of protein. Wow.
Bottom Line: A milk alternative that's naturally packed with nutrients. Definitely worth checking out.
If or when you decide to go with one or more of these alternatives to
milk, also know that you can use them in most recipes just like regular
milk. There are literally hundreds of recipes available free online, and
dozens of well-informed cookbooks on the market. So experiment a
little, and find out which milk substitute works best for you.
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