The Abundant world of Alternative Milks

Originally published on Medium

Walking down the dairy aisle of the supermarket can sometimes feel… well, confusing. What was once an easy stroll to get your whole milk, yogurt, and butter has now become a sea of alternative dairy products. This is good news, mind you. To the dairy-intolerant or dairy-averse, these constant waves of fresh dairy alternatives create a wealth of options where once there were none, or very few. But speaking as a dairy-alternative lover myself, even I get confused with the options, most especially when it comes to alternative milks. Which one, of the nine different varieties in my supermarket, is best?

The answer undoubtedly lies in what matters most to you in milk, which varies from person to person: its nutritional value, flavor, creaminess, etc. Not all alternatives are created equal in this regard, and that only makes the situation all the more confusing.

So whether you’re well-versed in the alternative milk world already, or just want a succinct, but helpful display of what each of these alternatives offers, read on!

Soy milk

Soy milk is the oldest of milk alternatives, with roots dating back to the fifth century. Originally from China, traditional soy milk is quite distinct from what you’ll find in the supermarket. The westernized, ultra-pasteurized stuff is the closest thing in texture to cow’s milk you’ll find in dairy alternatives. The more traditional version if more bean-like in flavor.

This alternative is lauded as much for its nutritional value as it is for its protein content. One single 8 oz. glass of soy milk contains 8 grams of protein, making it once again, the most comparable in protein value to a glass of regular cow milk. Additionally, soy milk is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins with no cholesterol.

So if soy milk is so great, why isn’t it the only milk alternative? For centuries, it was! But soy milk’s popularity suffered after some (now debunked) theories surfaced that claimed its consumption could increase one’s risk of breast cancer. By the time word had gotten round that soy milk is indeed quite healthy and always has been, almond milk had quickly gained a strong foothold in the alternative milk world, enough to cause a storm.

Almond Milk

Almond milk, believe it or not, also has a long history. It was first mentioned in a Baghdadi cookbook from the 13th century. Nevertheless, almond milk didn’t become hugely popular until the early 2000s. And popular it still is! It’s creamy, silky, has a delicious nutty flavor, and lasts longer in the fridge. It’s also low in sugar (unless you buy one of the many sweetened versions), calories, and carbohydrates, and contains the same nutrients you’d find in almond nuts (vitamin E and magnesium being the most prominent).

But there are some cons to this alternative. For one, it’s low in protein, one 8 oz. glass containing only 1 gram of it, far lower than that found in dairy or soy milk. On another front, the production of almond milk is not as environmentally sound as one might think. For starters, 80% of the world’s almonds are grown in the state of California. Even more harrowing is the fact that one single almond requires 1.1 gallons of water in order to grow. These factors (to say nothing about the severe droughts and wildfires in California) have raised important questions about the sustainability of almond milk as a dairy alternative.

Nevertheless, it’s hard to see almond milk going anywhere anytime soon. Not only is it considered one of the more delicious alternatives, almond milk became popular at a time when clean eating was making its way into stardom: substituting dairy, gluten, and processed foods with non-dairy, gluten-free, unprocessed options. Though several other alternatives have come into the ring since then, this image of almond milk as the better, more delicious, and clean alternative is one that’s difficult to shake.

Oat Milk

Make no mistake: oat milk is not oatmeal that’s been in the blender for 30 minutes. The texture is beautifully creamy and soft, the flavor delicious with only a subtle hint of oats. As an alternative, it’s a newer option that didn’t come round until the early 1990’s in Sweden. (The Swedish brand Oatly can be credited with first popularizing oat milk in the United States.) Since then, it’s become one of the most popular alternatives, competing neck and neck with almond milk.

Oat milk is thankfully one of the most sustainable milk alternatives available, which speaks partially to its growing popularity in supermarkets and coffee shops. Unlike almonds or other nuts, oats don’t need hefty amounts of water to grow.

In terms of nutritional value, oat milk’s got it all, though it doesn’t quite meat the mark on protein, with only 4 grams of it in an 8 oz glass. Consumers can still enjoy all the nutrients they’d find in oats, fiber being one of the more important of these. All of this is to say… oat milk is great, but it’s not a superfood.

Cashew Milk

Cashews are another delicious nut that, when creamed, produces magical results. If you’ve ever tried a cashew-creamed pasta sauce, you’ll know what I mean.

It would be easy to compare cashew milk to almond milk when it comes to production woes (cashews, another nut, also require a great deal of water), but cashew milk stands on its own in several ways. For one, an 8 oz glass of it contains 5 grams of protein. It is high in magnesium, iron, lutein and zeaxanthin (two crucial vitamins for eye health), and copper (which is good for your skin).

Perhaps most invitingly, cashew milk can be made in the comfort of your own home. Google ‘cashew milk’ and you’ll find a whole host of recipes to make with few ingredients.

Hemp Milk

Just when you think cannabis couldn’t provide any more benefits, along comes hemp milk. Hemp milk is just the next thing in a long line of uses that come from this extraordinarily versatile plant. Of course, hemp is the very plant that also produces weed (cannabis sativa) though drinking hemp milk will not induce any kind of mind alteration (sorry!). It only carries trace amounts of THC, though the list of other benefits is quite extensive. Very sustainable to produce, hemp milk carries more Vitamin A than dairy milk, is rich in micro-nutrients and protein, has Omega 3 and Omega 3 fatty acids, and is high on riboflavin (B2 Vitamins), making it a decent remedy for treating migraine headaches.

Despite hemp milk’s surprising number of benefits, it is annoyingly difficult to find. Hemp still has to be imported (a big sustainability bummer). Neither has the production of cannabis yet to reach soaring heights, making it more expensive and elusive for consumers. Only time will tell if cannabis production grows beyond its current stagnation.

Rice Milk

For those making their own milk, rice milk is a great alternative. It can be made from either white or brown rice, and also is the milk least likely to cause problems if you’re allergic to anything else (nuts, soy, etc.). It is quite starchy however, one 8 oz. glass containing 22 grams of carbohydrates, and only 1 gram of protein. For diabetics then, rice milk is a non-option.

Additionally, both the FDA and American Academy of Pediatrics recommend using rice milk sparingly, as too much can cause toxic levels of inorganic arsenic. Don’t worry, you should be fine eating rice, but as a milk alternative, rice milk doesn’t quite meet the necessary nutritional requirements unless it comes heavily fortified.

Potato Milk

Potato milk is one of the new kids on the block of alternative milks. Though highly starchy, it is very sustainable to grow, and full of good nutrients (folic acid, Vitamins D and B12, etc.). Only problem is there’s not much of it to be found in your store. The Swedish company Dud started producing potato milk, and it’s only just now catching on as a terrific alternative milk, but sales haven’t yet flourished.

Nor is potato milk rife with protein. Only 1.3 grams are in an 8 ounce glass. Given these odds, it’s difficult to say where potato milk will fall on the alternative milk scale. But, for now at least, you can try it out at home and see for yourself how you like it.

Coconut Milk

I’d be remiss in mentioning another common milk alternative. If you use coconut milk in cooking, you may not think of it as an ‘alternative’ per se. Coconut milk is a wonderfully useful ingredient in curries and several other Asian foods. But on its own, it also makes for a terrifically flavorful dairy substitute.

Coconut milk comes from the white flesh found inside a coconut. The liquid is squeezed through a strainer and can be either thick or thin. Its most prominent benefit is its high content of MCTs, or medium-chain triglycerides, which help with weight loss and the slow the buildup of fat.

But chances are, coconut milk won’t be your go-to alternative for all things. For one, coconut milk decidedly tastes like coconut. Coconut milk is almost quite low on protein (only 0.3 grams in an 8 ounce glass!) and has no calcium unless it’s fortified.

Pea Milk

Finally, we’ve arrived at pea milk, one of the more recent alternatives to grace our supermarkets. Pea milk is made from yellow peas that have been milled into flour and then blended with water, purified protein, and other nutrients.

The results are, quite frankly incredible. One 8 oz glass contains 8g grams of protein, 150% more calcium than what you’d find in dairy milk, a healthy dose of potassium, Vitamins A and D, and a low enough amount of carbohydrates to be a reasonable alternative for diabetics. Not to mention, it’s quite sustainable to produce.

Pea milk is only beginning its ascent into milk alternative popularity. Time will tell where it lands in the sea of its competitors.

Conclusions

This will almost assuredly not be the last list of milk alternatives. Indeed, it feels as though the plant world is only getting started when it comes to creaming ingredients for that perfect milk that satisfies on flavor as well as on nutritional value. And chances are, we won’t have long to wait for more alternatives to grace our grocery shelves.

I also find it enlightening to see just how far the world has come in offering plant-based alternatives. As a young child, the idea of any other form of milk was almost laughable, and the only real alternative was soy milk. Now, I’m pleasantly surprised by the wealth of options available to me. And I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to see what comes up next.