Cow's milk is one of the best sources of bone-building calcium and also an ideal way to get extra protein and essential vitamins. But what if you don't like to drink it? Or can't? There are plenty of milk alternatives on the market, but when it comes to similar taste and nutritional benefits, they're not all perfect substitutes.
Milk-like beverages made from soy, rice, almonds, oats, coconut and even hemp are available for people with lactose intolerance, who cannot digest dairy products, or for those who simply don't drink milk but are looking for a similarly creamy beverage or a source of nutrients normally provided by milk. You'll find a variety of these products in natural food stores, health food stores, and most large supermarkets.
When plant-based milk substitutes are fortified with vitamins and minerals, they mimic milk's nutritional profile to some degree, and contribute significant amounts of calcium, vitamins A and D, and some of the B vitamins found in cow's milk. Nutritionally speaking, fortified soymilk is the best plant-based substitute for cow's milk because it is the only common alternative that is also high in protein. Unlike cow's milk, soymilk also contains fiber and an array of substances that may have health benefits for some people, such as plant hormones and disease-fighting antioxidants unique to the soybean plant.
Soymilk is thick, creamy and comes in chocolate and vanilla flavors as well as plain. It is the most popular of all the cow's milk alternatives. Soymilk may curdle if you add it to hot beverages or soups. In that case, try soy cream, which is available in larger health food stores and natural food markets.
While goat's milk is popular in other countries around the world, and considered more digestible for humans than cow's milk, it's not regularly available in the United States and its "goaty" flavor is unappealing to most Americans as a beverage. Goat milk cheese is a much more popular variation. Goat's milk is nutritionally similar to cow's milk but slightly lower in some B vitamins. Most supermarkets carry at least one or two brands of goat mlk cheese but the milk itself is generally only available directly from dairy goat farmers and in some health food stores.
Rice milk is sweetened, so you may like it with your cereal, or in a milkshake or smoothie, but it won't work for savory dishes. It has a thin, watery texture compared to some of the creamier milk substitutes, a bit like skim milk in texture. Rice milk is very low in protein and much higher in carbohydrates than cow's milk.
Almond milk is available sweetened and unsweetened, and comes in chocolate and vanilla flavors. It is one of the more palatable milk substitutes for drinking on its own and in coffee. Almond milk is dairy-free but may contain soy products.
Other creamy, milk-like beverages that are becoming more popular and more widely available are made from oats, coconut, and hemp seeds. While they are not good sources of protein, there are fortified varieties that offer some of the vitamins and minerals in cow's milk and other milk-like beverages.
Read ingredient labels carefully when choosing an alternative milk product, especially if you have any food allergies or sensitivities. Some soy products are manufactured on equipment that also processes dairy products. Although most milk substitutes are entirely dairy-free, check all labels to see if the product contains lactose or whey, which are both components of cow's milk. Soy and nut milks are obviously not for anyone with soy or nut allergies and some milk substitutes may contain gluten, a no-no for anyone with wheat or grain sensitivities.
Substitutes for other dairy products that are becoming more widely available include soy and rice cheeses, vegan sour cream, soy and coconut yogurts, vegan margarines that, unlike butter and some brands of regular margarine, contain no dairy at all, and soy, hemp, coconut and rice-based ice creams.
Sources:
Columbia University: Go Ask Alice/Nutritional Differences Between Soy and Cow's Milk
http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/1861.html
University of Illinois: McKinley Health Center: All About Soy
http://www.mckinley.illinois.edu/handouts/soy.html
Avoiding Milk Protein
http://www.avoidingmilkprotein.com/MilkAllergy.htm
Special Diets Resource Guide
http://www.specialdiets.org/moo.htm
