Changes in eating habits and intolerances have seen a rise in the popularity of dairy alternatives. With so many options available on supermarket shelves, oat milk, almond milk, soy milk… it can make you wonder which is the better choice for our bodies.
Whether you’re looking to lower your dairy intake, or are lactose-intolerant, we take a closer look at a few popular milk alternatives available in New Zealand and how they stack up against each other.
DAIRY MILK
Cow’s milk is a great source of liquid nutrition that has been enjoyed for centuries. It’s high in protein, vitamin B12, vitamin A, calcium, and minerals. The recommendation is for adults to consume at least 2 servings of milk or milk products every day1. So, if you’re looking to lower or remove dairy milk from your diet, you’ll need to ensure you are still getting enough calcium, protein, vitamins, and minerals from other sources such as cheese, meat, legumes, and leafy greens.
SOY MILK
Soy milk is the most common alternative milk choice in cafes and supermarkets, made from whole soybeans or soy protein. Nutritionally, fortified soy milk is the closest to cow’s milk, as the protein and fat content are similar, making soy a more suitable option for those who can tolerate it2. It also has a good amount of fiber. While soy milks are typically fortified with calcium, it pays to check the ingredients as different brands will have varying levels as well as added sweeteners and/or flavourings
NUT MILKS
Almond milk is the most common nut milk and is great for those who are lactose intolerant or allergic to soy. It contains heart healthy fats and is low in saturated fat. However, the main ingredient in almond milk is water and it does have lower protein content than dairy and soy options3.
Other nut milks you can find are cashew and peanut milks that contain similar heart healthy fats.
Coconut milk (coconuts are technically drupes!) is generally higher in calories and saturated fat than other milks, but it's great for cooking with4. If you’re opting for nut milk, check the ingredients list as the overall nut content can vary between brands as well as calcium levels. Some brands will also have extra additives in their milk such as sweeteners, flavourings, or salt.
GRAIN-BASED MILK
Oat milk is likely the most common grain-based milk alternative in the market. Oat milk has no cholesterol and is low in fat, making it good for a healthy heart. While it lacks protein compared to soy and dairy milk, it contains more fiber than other alternative milk options. However, like other options, it also pays to check the ingredient list when reaching for oat milk as some will contain additional sweeteners, flavourings and emulsifiers.
SEED-BASED MILK
A few seed-based milk options have cropped up recently such as hemp milk. It’s a great choice for those allergic to nuts, soy, gluten, or dairy, and has a good amount of healthy fats (think omega-3 and omega-6) as well as magnesium. However, it lacks calcium and other vitamins, as well as being relatively high in sugar content. To make sure it meets your nutritional needs, check the ingredients list of different brands of seed-based milks.
So, if you are looking to switch to a milk alternative, it’s important to read up on different brands available, compare the ingredient lists or check out this comparison table from Consumer that compares several varieties to help guide you.
Lastly, find something that tastes great that you can enjoy!
