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By Dana Beninati for Food Network Kitchen
Dana is a host, chef and waitress.
Today, there are many reasons why one might look for an alternative to traditional milk. Perhaps you are looking for an option that better suits your ethical, environmental or health concerns. Whatever the reason, the market now has many options for you to consider. We’ve sorted them into categories based on source.
What are the best milk alternatives? (sorted by genre)
Nut milk
Cereal milk is made from processed whole grains and has grown in popularity over the past decade with oat milk leading the way. While all milk alternatives are more eco-friendly than traditional cow’s milk, cereal milk is arguably the least taxed on our planet.
- Oat milk – PRO: Sustainable for the environment. CON: Raise the price.
- Rice Milk – PRO: Gluten-free. CON: Watery.
- Quinoa Milk – PRO: Contains many nutrients. CON: Expensive and hard to find.
- Barley milk – PRO: Allergic. CON: Very hard to find.
Nut milk
Nut milks are a favorite among many for their creamy texture and generally low calorie count. They have a pleasant taste that goes well with many dishes from coffee to curries. However, as nut allergies become increasingly common, this is not always the safest way. Also, if environmental concerns are a priority, it should be noted that these milks require a lot of water to produce.
- Almond milk – PRO: Easy to find. CON: Common allergens.
- Macadamia Milk – PRO: Very thick creamy texture. CON: Expensive and hard to find.
- Cashew Milk – PRO: Creamy texture. CON: Expensive.
- Hazelnut milk – PRO: Great taste. CON: May freeze when heated.
Nut milk
Seed Milks can be harder to find and more expensive, but they make a great milk substitute for people with common allergies. These nutritious non-dairy drinks tend to have more protein than nut milk, but less than soy or pea milk.
- Chia Seed Milk – PRO: Concentrated nutrients. CON: Hard to find.
- Hemp Milk – PRO: Creamy. CON: Expensive.
- Flaxseed milk – PRO: Concentrated protein. CON: Hard to find.
- Sunflower milk – PRO: Increasingly popular. CON: Possibly an allergen.
Legume milk
Legume Milks is the only category of milk substitutes that can compete with the protein of traditional cow’s milk. We love using these milks not just for cereal because of how well they work in baking or making cheese.
- Soy milk – PRO: Affordable and nutritious. CON: Common allergens.
- Pea milk – PRO: Protein concentrate. CON: Squeeze when heated.
- Peanut Milk – PRO: Affordable CON: Common Allergen.
Plant Milks is an ever-expanding portfolio of dairy alternatives that we look forward to testing even more in the coming years. Technological developments will continue to create new dairy-free alternatives that address sustainability and health issues. Meanwhile, there are two popular plant-based sources of milk substitutes.
- Coconut milk (canned) – PRO: Rich and greasy taste. CON: Strong flavor.
- Coconut milk drinks – PRO: More neutral taste CON: Expensive.
- Potato milk – PRO: Inexpensive and hypoallergenic. CON: Hard to find.
Does Milk Alternative Taste Most Like Regular Milk?
Milk substitutes taste most like regular milk, just – traditional cow’s milk has had the lactose removed. Lactose-intolerant dairy products such as Fairlife is a great alternative for those comfortable with consuming an animal product.
However, if you need a vegan milk substitute, consider the following alternatives for each type of cow’s milk. First, we recommend skim milk drinkers to try rice milk. The texture closely resembles fat-free cow’s milk. If 1% milk is what you’re used to, try soy milk. It is nutritionally similar in fat content but provides more protein. If 2% milk is your jam, we recommend oat milk. It’s natural sweetness and mouthfeel will surely leave you satisfied. Finally, if you’re a whole milk drinker, reach for the richness of nut milks, especially macadamia nuts, as they’ll deliver results best suited to your full fat experience. desire. If you want to try making your own milk substitutes, check out guide.
What Is The Best Health Alternative Milk?
First of all, when looking for the healthiest non-dairy milk, we recommend looking for products labeled “sugar-free”. With the exception of coconut milk, non-dairy milks contain less fat than dairy milk. This difference is most striking when we look closely at saturated fat levels, which is why dairy alternatives are highly recommended for people who are watching their cholesterol. 2. Also, if your priority is protein, then choose soy milk or pea milk. They are the only substitutes that match the protein content of dairy milk, which is 9 grams per cup. Other plant-based milks, like almond and coconut, contain very little protein per serving. Oat, hazelnut, and hemp-based milks fall somewhere in the middle on the protein scale.
We will not be allowed to talk about nutrition without ignoring the science of fortification, which is very common in the dairy industry. Nutrient fortification is the addition of nutrients to food to increase the nutritional value of the product. In the case of non-cow’s milk, calcium and Vitamin D are often added to compete with the nutritional package of cow’s milk. While this sounds beneficial, it remains to be seen whether our bodies can consistently absorb the added nutrients. This is because the vitamins and minerals naturally present in the food have a higher biological value than those added later. In other words, our bodies absorb them more easily. Finally, it’s important to note that most organic non-dairy milks will not be fortified with nutrients.
The best coffee milk substitute
How milk alternatives perform in a piping hot cup of coffee often depends on the brand change. For example, some almond milks blend beautifully into hot drinks and others freeze instantly. When enjoying a glass of joe, our favorites are oat milk and cashews. Avoid rice milk and pea protein milk, which will make the coffee watery and freeze respectively. If you’re a lover of coconut milk, choose a coconut milk drink that has the consistency of cow’s milk, rather than canned solids. For those who like to steam milk to make latte or cappuccino, look for “barista” versions of non-dairy milk, as they produce the stiffest foam. You can find them all Our recommendation here.
The best milk substitutes for baking
Perhaps you’re looking to create a vegan treat and need the best alternative to cow’s milk when breaking down. If your priority is toasting over drinking, look no further than the OG of all the by-products, soy milks. A timeless invention from the 1910s, soy milk is still your best substitute and here it is deep dive why.
