The 40plusandalliswell guide to milk alternatives

At home we tend to use alternative milks for porridge and in recipes.  We don't use them for cups of tea because we drink herbal teas which do not need milk.  Below is our guide to the milks we have tried.

Almond milk is the alternative milk we are currently using.  Make sure you get unsweetened because the sweetened version of has sugar high up on the list of ingredients. Almond milk in common with most milk alternatives is fortified with vitamins A, D and riboflavin as well as calcium.  This is great news for vegans because there are limited sources vegetable sources of calcium and vitamin D and it may not be as easily absorbed as from vegetable sources. Almonds also are a source of vitamin E but may be lower in protein than some alternative milks.  We also like its sweet, creamy taste. It is available as roasted almond milk or unroasted.

Soy milk is also another favourite of ours and if you do have a sweet tooth you might be able to get soy milk sweetened with apple juice which is better than refined sugar.  Soy beans provide a complete protein and are a source of isoflavones.  They may help prevent certain cancers and may be useful for menopausal women. Someone once told me that having soya milk greatly improved her acne.  Be aware however that some people are allergic to soy.

Rice milk has a sweet pleasant flavour and it is a great substitute for milk if you have nut or soy allergies. It is good to use on cereals and in recipes. It is usually fortified with vitamins and calcium but it is low in protein. The other downside of rice milk is that rice is a source of arsenic so if you do use rice milk maybe alternate with another milk alternative such as oat milk (see below). Again, it is better to opt for the unsweetened version.

Coconut milk is rich and creamy because it is higher in fat that other alternative milks.  It has a lovely coconutty flavour which is great in curries, sauces and desserts but maybe not one for your morning cereal or cups of tea.

Oat milk has a pleasant, sweet flavour and is a source of soluble fibre and phytochemicals which help lower cholesterol and so help protect against cardiovascular disease.  It may not be gluten free however.

There are other milks too such as hemp milk which are a source of omega 3 but I haven't tried this one.

Enjoy

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