Alternative milks are on trend right nowSoya, almond, rice. If your milk of choice (or in some cases necessity) isn’t dairy-free then you’re not part of the white stuff in-crowd.
Recent stats reveal that one in five households are now choosing plant and soy based milks over their dairy counterparts.
But with dozens of trendy new options on the milk market, including hemp, cashew and even oat milk, it’s difficult to know which alternative milk to plump for.
Lucky for you we’ve compiled our cheat sheet to non-moo milk so everyone will be able to tell their cashew from their coconut.
Hemp milk:
Made from a blend of hemp seeds and water, hemp milk is a vegan product with a creamy texture and nutty taste. One of the primary benefits of hemp milk is that it has a higher omega-3 content compared to milk made from most other nuts and seeds. “Omega-3 fats can be beneficial for our heart, cholesterol levels and our skin,” says Shona Wilkinson, Nutritonist at Superfooduk.com. “Hemp seeds are also a great source of magnesium – a mineral that has many vital roles in our body, including making energy from our food, and supporting our bones.” Other benefits include it being naturally higher in protein, easy to digest and can strengthen your immune system.
Cashew milk:
Great as a bar snack, even better on your breakfast cereal! “Cashew nuts are a good source of several minerals,” reveals Nutritionist, Cassandra Barns. “These include copper, which helps maintain our hair pigmentation (i.e. helps to stop it going grey) and manganese, which has antioxidant activity. Cashew milk can be naturally creamier than other types of nut or seed milk, which can make it a nicer replacement for normal milk.”
But try to avoid the sweetened versions if you’re drinking a lot of it, as the sugar can quickly add up. “Also, bear in mind that relative to normal milk they contain only a small amount of protein and calcium (unless they’re fortified with calcium) so can’t be counted as a good source of these nutrients,” adds Shona Wilkinson.
What’s your white stuff preference?Almond milk:
Similar in many ways to hemp and cashew milk, Almond milk is a great choice if you’re counting the calories. “Unsweetened almond milk is generally low in calories (as little as 14 calories per 100ml, compared to around 48 cals in normal semi-skimmed milk) and very low in carbohydrates, so can be a good choice for dieters,” says Barns. “Almonds are a good source of minerals too, including magnesium, and are also a better source of calcium than many other nuts and seeds. They’re also one of the best natural sources of biotin, a vitamin that we need for healthy skin and hair.
“This milk is made from a nut rather than a bean or grain. Has more protein than either rice or oat milk so it is a better choice if you want to lose weight. Unfortunately, many of the almond milks are not as healthy as they could be because of added sugar and other ‘nasties’,” adds Dr Marilyn Glenville, the UK’s leading Nutritionist and author of Natural Alternatives to Sugar (Amazon).
Not particularly creamy, this alternative milk isn’t to everyone’s taste, but some like the mild almond flavour that comes through.
Rice milk:
Made from mille rice with water and sunflower oil, rice milk is a mixed-bag health-wise. “Even the unsweetened versions are much higher in carbohydrates and sugars than most other milk alternatives,” explains Cassandra Barns. “They contain up to 11 grams of carbs per 100ml, versus less than 2 grams in unsweetened nut milks. This can be fine if you’ve just been working out – or running a marathon! – but is not ideal for most people as a ‘staple’ in their diet. As rice milks are often made with refined white rice, they can be a poorer source of vitamins and minerals than some other milk alternatives.”
Good if you’re allergy prone, not so good if you’re carb-conscious. “A good choice if you are allergic to soya. However, it has more watery and thinner consistency than soya milk and it’s high in carbohydrates as it is made from a grain,” adds Marilyn.
