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By: Cat Ebeling
Co-author of the best-sellers: The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix
The Battle of Milk vs Non-Dairy Milk Alternatives
Milk—it does a body good, right? So goes the old Dairy industry slogan for cow’s milk that most all of us grew up on. But for many of us, milk from cows just doesn’t work if you are one of the 30-50 million people in this country (National Institute of Children’s Health & Human Development), who cannot drink cow milk because they are lactose intolerant. And another 1.5 million (or more) may have a genuine dairy allergy to casein, a protein in cow’s milk (US Census Bureau, 2010).
Plant based “milks” are way up this year with giant chains like Starbucks offering alternative milk products for those who are vegan, avoid dairy milk for environmental or animal rights reasons, or have allergies/intolerances—or just plain don’t like it.
Early entries in the alternative milk market included soy milk and rice milk. While soy milk has enjoyed shelf space for a decade or more, newer entries like hemp, almond, cashew, macademia nut, coconut and even pea protein ‘milk’ are generally healthier and tastier options than soy milk.
Here is a run-down of the current plant-based milk substitutes compared to real milk:
Real Dairy (Cow) Milk:
Real dairy milk still sits on top as the leader, but dairy milk sales are dwindling, especially in light of the many alternatives that are flooding the market. Milk has gotten a bad rap lately, and in light of what goes on at large scale industrial dairies, it’s no wonder. Conventional dairy is full of antibiotics, growth hormones, bad fats and even nasty stuff like pus, from the constant infections that dairy cows get due to the unnatural and unhealthy conditions they have to endure.
While it is true that we humans are the only ones who consume the milk of another animal meant to nourish their babies, milk has become a constant in our society and a reliable source of nutrition—if you get it from the right place.
While conventional dairy production includes high temperature pasteurization, and homogenization of its fat, raw milk comes straight from the cow, full of enzymes and nutrients that make its vitamins and minerals more bioavailable, as well as easier to digest. For many with milk allergies or sensitivities, raw milk is the answer, as the pasteurization not only destroys many of the helpful enzymes which make it easier to digest, and the heat degrades and distorts milk protein molecules making it a foreign substance that causes allergies. If organic milk is available, it is generally a step above conventional milk, but still not ideal. Organic milk avoids the antibiotics and growth hormones that are in conventional dairy milk.
Grass fed milk contains nutrients that are vastly superior to conventional milk and organic milk, and comes from cows who are much healthier, eating their natural diet. Grass fed milk contains a higher amount of healthy omega 3 fats, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which have a variety of health benefits including immune system, bone mass, heart health, and lean body mass. Grass fed milk also contains a very unique and vital nutrient, vitamin K2, which helps our bodies utilize calcium in our bones and teeth, fights cancer and heart disease, and inflammation.
However, raw milk is even better–loaded with enzymes, beneficial bacteria, vitamins, minerals, and protein—all of which are severely degraded or destroyed when it is pasteurized. Raw milk is not readily available in stores as most states still strictly regulate raw milk, and it must be purchased through farmers’ markets or small dairy farms. Raw milk is usually far fresher and better tasting than any conventional or organic milk you find at your grocery store.
And if you can get organic, grass-fed raw milk you have the perfect combination!
Bottom Line: Conventional dairy milk is not good for you, bad for the environment and bad for the cows who produce it. Organic milk is slightly better as it avoids the growth hormones and excessive antibiotics in conventional dairy. Grass-fed milk contains better fats and vitamin K2, which actually helps prevent clogged arteries. Raw milk is the best choice, easier to digest, less likely to produce allergic reactions, and full of nutrients, enzymes and beneficial bacteria. And it tastes way better. Organic, grass fed, raw milk is really the best way to go if you are going to drink cow’s milk. Also, it should be noted that goat milk is considered to be easier to digest for most people than cow milk, and a good option to consider. Here’s an article about 5 reasons to drink raw goat milk.
Soy Milk, the old standby alternative milk, is not as popular as it once was, and is now being surpassed by almond milk, coconut milk, and other healthier choices. Soy is considered a decent source of protein, because it contains all the amino acids you need in your diet. However, avoid soy protein isolate as it can also create deficiencies of vitamins E, D, B12, calcium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, copper, iron and zinc. Soy milk has come a long way with flavor and most of the commercial brands taste pretty decent now.
Soy milk is also considered a pretty highly processed food and contains something called ‘phytic acid’ which actually can block absorption of essential minerals – calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and especially zinc – in the intestinal tract.
One of the problems is that the majority of soy is GMO soy (which has it’s own host of potential problems), but even if it is labeled as organic, soy milk still contains plant estrogens that can disrupt natural hormones in the body, for men and women. Soy is thought to be ‘feminizing’ to men and possibly be the cause of excess weight gain and even gynecomastia, or ‘man-boobs’. While soy has also been thought to interfere with healthy thyroid function, latest studies show negligible effects on thyroid function.
Bottom Line: There are better alternatives out there now than soy milk.
Almond Milk:
Almond Milk has become the darling of the plant-based milks. Almond milk is taking over the market and now makes up about two-thirds of the plant-based milk market in the U.S. But, while a handful of almonds is loaded with nutrition like protein, fiber, antioxidants and healthy fats, to get the equivalent nutrition of a handful of almonds, you would need to drink about 48 ounces of almond milk for the same nutrition, and a massive amount of calories.
Almonds themselves require a large amount of water to grow, and almond milk, of course takes even more. So the amount of almonds you actually get in a glass of almond milk is pretty low. In fact, almonds are often actually the third ingredient, depending on the brand of almond milk you are drinking. Cartons of almond milk can contain as low as 2% almonds, the rest water, sugar, added vitamins and minerals, and thickening agents like carrageenan, and guar gum, which can upset stomachs. However, some brands are moving away from the carrageenan and adding an emulsifier-thickener-stabilizer known as gellan gum that seems to be less irritating to the digestive system.
Bottom Line: Not bad if you just want a little on your cereal or in your coffee now and then, but don’t start guzzling it because you think it is as nutritious as a handful of almonds. Go for the unsweetened version if you can, otherwise, it’s a lot of empty calories with little nutrition.
Coconut Milk:
Coconut Milk isn’t the same stuff you get straight from the coconut–it is processed a bit more. And don’t confuse the canned coconut milk with the more processed coconut milk in the carton. They are two very different products! Coconut milk has a smooth, creamy flavor, and generally does not have much of a coconut taste. And if you are a first timer with plant-based milks, this may be a good one to try, as it generally has a pretty neutral flavor with no aftertaste like some plant-based milks.
Coconut milk is loaded with medium-chain triglycerides (an easily-digested healthy fat that helps burn fat), potassium, a host of fortified vitamins, and calcium. As with the other plant based milks, avoid the kinds with added sugar, and go for the unsweetened variety. Coconut milk is lower in protein and calcium generally than almond milk. Because coconut milk generally has a thicker, creamier texture, it works well in coffee drinks and makes a great cappuccino—which is probably why Starbucks has added it to their alternative milk choices.
Bottom Line: A decent milk substitute, but low in protein. Tasty tip: If you want a better tasting option than just almond milk or coconut milk by themselves, try mixing a carton of almond milk with a can of coconut milk… you end up with a much better taste with the 2 of these blended rather than either one separately.
Cashew Milk:
Cashew Milk is another nutty, creamy alternative to cow’s milk. This recent addition is made by blending water-soaked cashews with water. This smooth beverage is a good source of fiber, antioxidants, copper (which helps produce and store iron) and magnesium (a mineral needed for proper nerve and muscle function). It can be added to everything from cereals to homemade puddings, to coffee.
Bottom Line: Similar creamy flavor like almond milk, but cashew milk is not big on protein, and you should avoid the kinds with added sugars.
Rice Milk:
Rice Milk was one of the early additions to the alternative milk market, right after soy milk, and tasted much better—with little aftertaste. However, rice milk is a pretty thin, watery and sugary milk substitute, so if you are looking for something to pour on your cereal, rice milk is a little more like flavored water. Rice milk also has a pretty high glycemic value and isn’t a great choice for someone trying to lose weight or control their blood sugar. It’s kind of similar to drinking sugar water, actually. Rice milk doesn’t have much in the way of protein, but may have some calcium and other nutrients added in as fortification.
Bottom Line: Rice milk is a possible substitute if you have dairy and/or nut allergies; however, it isn’t a nutritional superfood, and it’s thin and watery, and loaded with sugar usually.
Hemp Milk:
Hemp Milk is produced from the seeds of the hemp plant, but don’t worry you won’t get high eating your breakfast cereal! Hemp seeds are known for their complete protein (contains all essential amino acids, along with healthy omega 3 and omega 6 fats. Hemp seeds are often seen as an ingredient in protein powders and and even used as flour. Hemp milk is another great milk if you are allergic to nuts or coconuts, and want a thicker, more substantial milk that contains a bit more nutrition than some of the other plant-based milks.
And unlike soy milk, hemp doesn’t contain oligosaccharides, those complex sugars that can cause gas. The smooth, slightly nutty flavor makes it work for a variety of things, including breakfast cereal, baking, and even sauces and gravies (just don’t get the vanilla flavored type for gravy).
Bottom Line: A decent tasting substitute for dairy milk, especially if you have nut or soy allergies, with a smooth creamy texture, healthy fats and protein.
Pea Protein Milk:
Pea Protein Milk is the new kid on the block, following a variety of nut-based milks including almond, cashew, coconut and macadamia milks. For those of us with nut allergies, pea protein is a welcome addition—and it’s dairy, soy and gluten-free as well. Pea protein milk is a great milk for vegetarians and vegans, as it delivers a similar serving of protein comparable to cow’s milk.
While pea protein milk uses sunflower oil, it also has added omega 3 fats, along with iron, vitamin D and calcium. And…it has a great, smooth, creamy flavor. Milk substitutes are often guilty of lots of added sugars to improve the taste, but if you choose the ‘Original” flavor, it only contains 6 grams of sugar, making it one of the better tasting, low sugar options. One more added benefit—pea protein milk uses 93% less water than dairy milk, making it far far friendlier to our earthly resources.
Bottom Line: Pea protein milk is a good bet for a milk substitute, especially if you have nut and dairy allergies. Lower in sugar, higher in protein and other nutrients. Tastes good!
Blending them together…
Once again, the best taste is probably if you combine pea protein milk with either almond milk, coconut milk, or both. Blending various plant milks usually has a better taste than any single plant milk by itself. I’ve experimented in the past with blending hemp milk, almond milk, and coconut milk together in a blender with a little stevia, and then pouring into a pitcher, and the taste was MUCH better than any of those 3 milks by themselves!
While all of these plant based ‘milk’ products are gaining ground, the ingredient lists on some of these can be high in sugar and thickening agents like guar gum and carrageenan, that can often upset digestive systems. With that in mind, it’s best to choose the unsweetened versions and just add your own stevia or monk fruit sweetener if you like it a little sweeter. Many of these so-called ‘healthy’ plant milks could be classified more as a processed food than a ‘natural’ food. So beware, read the label thoroughly, and make your own informed choices based on your own particular needs and tastes.
excellent article — closer to the truth than 99% of others out there. Been a student of nutrition for 45 years & no articles are perfect but this is about as close to the truth as it gets.
Then can you tell me of pea milk is fodmap friendly? It’s one issue often not thought of
Pea milk is in the same family as peanuts. It can be very harmful to those who are very allergic to peanuts. In other cases it can cause bronchial problems such as co asthma. This info came from Ann Lander’s column years ago. Two doctors were discussing peas and peanuts being in the same plant family…and a lady overheard them. Her son was suffering from asthma. So she removed her son from eating peas which he loved and no more problems. She took one of the doctor’s address info and wrote him about this.
do you know anything about Oat milk?
Haha. Missed one!
I was thinking the same! We are an Oat Milk family and I was hoping to hear a bit about that.
Hello: All you say sounds well researched and healthy–however, my problem is having high potassium! What do you advise me by way of diet to eat healthily? Appreciate an answer–. I cannot find information for this problem.
Too bad the most obvious milk source was not included – homemade nut etc… milks.
There is goat milk, which is excellent and donkey milk. And Oat milk…..
You talked about raw milk and I definitely agree with you. But what do you think of dairy products like yogurt and sour cream that is pasteurized and sold in stores? Is there a way to buy that stuff raw or make it ?
Yes you can make your own yogurt and kefir, cheese or other dairy products from raw milk. Many of the cheese processes heat the milk up during the process of separating the curd from the whey, but they are so much better than commercial stuff – at least my early attempts so far have been much better. (and i’m no expert, using raw goat milk)
The kefir is cultured with what are called kefir grains, and you take the milk (preferably raw, but not necessarily so) and put it in a quart jar or so with kefir grains and let is rest in reasonable warmth for a couple of days – depending on temp, degree of tartness, etc. Then you filter out the grains and get another jar going. You can order kefir grains online if you need to.
Yogurt is also made like it typically is. Even if you don’t have raw milk, just getting the probiotics into the dairy is a nutritional improvement over the pasteurized garbage you usually find – and i don’t know about your markets, but in my N Cal neck of the woods – it’s REALLY HARD to find cheeses without rBST/rBGH in them. Don’t know why, but this is seldom listed. “Expert” advice advised me to put a mix of kefir/yogurt culture in progressively increasing amounts of raw milk, but starting out with pasteurized milk. Not sure why. Maybe they are theorizing that the cultures are not adjusted to compete with the raw probiotics in raw dairy products, but i’ve NEVER had an issue with just using straight raw milk for those cultures.
Now to get into hard cheeses. (evil cackle)
Thank you for the review of milk alternatives. I’ve tried them all and the one I use is Flax Milk. It’s got two things going for it: 1., it’s not loaded with calcium carbonate, basically finely ground chalk to give it that milky white flavor. Most or all of the others you mention are loaded with it. You should definitely talk about that when you review milks because it has little to no nutritional value at all. And…who wants to drink chalk? 2. Flax milk has decent flavor, great for cereal, and unsweetened version has 25 calories. No carageenan or canola oil and no calcium carbonate. Not much in the way of protein either, I use it because I miss milk and like the low-impact character of flax milk. I used to drink and really liked almond milk, rice milk, hemp milk: but I had to quit. They all have calcium carbonate.
Wiki:”Calcium carbonate, or CaCO3, comprises more than 4% of the earth’s crust and is found throughout the world. Its most common natural forms are chalk, limestone, and marble, produced by the sedimentation of the shells of small fossilized snails, shellfish, and coral over millions of years.
“Calcium carbonate is a dietary supplement used when the amount of calcium taken in the diet is not enough. Calcium is needed by the body for healthy bones, muscles, nervous system, and heart. Calcium carbonate also is used as an antacid to relieve heartburn, acid indigestion, and upset stomach”
My experience: calcium carbonate causes me heartburn.
Thanks for the enlightenment on the Calcium carbonate and the introduction to Flax Milk!
I would like to know your take on Oat Milk?
It’s not real, squeeze a oat and see if anything white comes out of it, if it’s no natural don’t put it in your mouth!!!!!
Calcium Carbonate is a “carbon” and coats nerves in the brain…not good. Carbon residue naturally slows down. This logically means it can deter the brain’s actions.
Make your own seed milk. So simple! Just buy the nut butter of choice and use a hand-held immersion blender in the storage jug to mix it. Can add stevia, vanilla or whatever! Just give it a shake when next using it. MUCH better and cheaper.
All of the inorganic calcium that is added to plant milks cause heart problems because the clog the arteries. Calcified arteries is not good. Avoid any of these milks that have any kind of added calcium. Also avoid carageenan, a carcinogen. I’ve found a milk that is almond and cashew mixed that has no added calcium and no carageenan. By So Delicious. Wish it didn’t have natural flavors in it, because I don’t know what is in that.
Calcium Carbonate (Baking soda) is used to neutralize excess acid in the stomach.
But be aware, you can experience the same symptoms whether it is too much acid OR not enough acid/enzymes in the stomach. Not enough, the food putrefies & creates the backup of acidic gas.
By your comment of experiencing heartburn afterwards, points to you’re not having enough digestive enzymes. I’m guessing you do well with vinegary foods, which would help with digestion.
Heart burn is caused by to little stomach acid. Taking tums or other calcium carbonate is an antacid reducing the stomach acid even more. You need to take vinegar or betain hydrochloride with the calcium carbonate. That you have problems with digestion is a sign of low stomach acid as mentioned above.
You can’t beat real milk. Our cows have it better than most people. There is so much misstatements in this article. Growth hormones aren’t used any more. Every load of milk is tested for antibiotics in parts per billion. If any are found the dairyman must pay for the whole load. Pus in milk? Animal right activists make up stories to hurt us hardworking dairy farmers. The only accurate part of this article us where it states it is a reliable source of nutrition. Even the fats are considered good for us now. Enjoy dairy. We work hard, with pride, to delivery our products.
Keep up the good fight. We, consumers, need farmers like you to explain what milk is all about. Dairy milk that is. Thank you for the truth and keep writing when you see such distortion of facts. I grew up with cows and a girlfriend that was a farmer. Back then we did not worry about how the dairy industry was trying to destroy a good and necessary food essential for those of us who live in cow country. GO DAIRY QUEEN! I could not imagine living without my weekly, monthly, actually, dose of the soft stuff. Hail Farmers. OH, and past girlfriends.
I can’t believe you wrote this article and left out the single (in my opinion) most deceptive thing about dairy milk that is happening today and the majority of consumers know very little about it. I’m talking about UHT milk, if people have heard of it they think it’s milk that’s better for them because it has the word “ultra” when describing the process that the milk undergoes and I can’t think of anything that’s referred to as ultra as a bad thing, can you? Oh wait how about Ultra processed milk?! How can that be bad? They are micro filtering out all the bad stuff in milk like hormones and any nasty micro organisms right? True but they are also killing everything else that is alive in the milk because they heat it at incredibly high temperatures for a long time. This is why the milk that is UHT can last in our fridges for three weeks if it’s not opened, heck you can just leave it on your counter top and no harm will come to it from sitting out!! Seriously. Why is that? Because in my opinion it’s DEAD MILK, it is the biggest scam I’ve seen in my lifetime, especially here in Canada. The reason is because we are being duped! I did know about UHT milk that came in tetra boxes that could be found in the dry good aisle of the grocery store near that old favourite stand by that a lot of us kids had to endure growing up if we drank our fresh milk too fast and we ran out before it was time to go grocery shopping again…powdered milk….yuck. Sorry got side tracked there. About 20 years ago I used to purchase the tetra boxes of milk to have in the pantry in case we ran out it was always a good backup because it would last a long long time in the pantry it didn’t need any refrigeration before you opened it. But I guess the majority of Canadians weren’t buying this shelf milk because thinking of milk sitting at room temperature instinctively seems an improper way to store dairy milk. So what have the milk marketing gurus done? They have perpetuated the biggest scam that I can’t believe and no one is even talking about it! It’s sooooo important to our gut health, because they are even doing fecal transplants (honest to goodness it’s happening at hospitals today!)where they are for lack of a better explanation, taking poop from healthy fit people and transplanting it into the colons of super morbidly obese people, guess what’s happening….these people who have been attempting to eat well and lose weight and have been unable to, well all of a sudden they begin to lose weight at an incredible rate! Why? Because they now have good bacteria in their gut working for them and our gut flora is so important to our overall health…I know who would have thought poop was so important?! It is, so because of that they are learning more and more the important of a healthy gut which includes good and perhaps previously thought of as bad organisms maybe they are all good because they maintain a proper balance within our colon? So why am I talking so much about poop when this is about dairy? Well this UHT milk has no micro organisms of any kind in it. You know how I know that? Because I tried to use it to make yogurt and it would not make anything. I tried using active bacteria culture the dehydrated kind, I tried using from yogurt that contained the active bacteria culture, it didn’t matter what I put in it, I could not turn it into anything. I would have thought that since all the good and bad micro organisms had been removed from the High Heat filtration system that as soon as I introduced the good active live bacteria that it would hop in and start multiplying at an incredible rate because they didn’t have any bad ones to compete with. Seemed logical to me, but I’m no scientist I’m just someone who has made homemade yogurt for years and have always been very successful. I had never tried to use UHT milk before and this particular time I had not intended to use UHT milk and this is the way I believe we are being scammed. I asked hubby to go to the store and buy me a bag of HOMO 3.25% milk, he came back with it and I proceeded to make yogurt that failed to produce results. I went over the ingredients and checked it my thermometer was broken something wasn’t working at all. After the second failed attempt I began to suspect the milk. I had read over and over again that you cannot use UHT milk to make yogurt. I thought to myself who in their right mind would even think to use milk from a box that sits in the pantry? So obviously I wasn’t using UHT milk this was the normal red and white bag of milk that we have always bought. Although when I opened the outer bag I did notice that the inner 3 bags were white in color not the typical see thru clear bags. I thought it was kind of strange but didn’t think anymore about it. So I thought okay after two failures something is very wrong (I used to test computer software and I can accept when I have done something wrong and the only way to catch it is to go back over each step as if you have no clue what you are doing and check every single thing). So I pulled out the red bag and looked at the front yup it’s Homo 3.25% milk looks the same although wait it does say ultra-filtered….what does that mean, it can’t mean UHT milk can it? So I turned the bag over and saw on the back where it lists ingredients: UHT milk. Well I was floored! I couldn’t believe my eyes, since when did they start putting UHT milk into bags and in the refrigerator section of the grocery store? Why would they even refrigerate it when it’s something that can be left out until you open it? Very strange, why would they do that. Well the answer is simple, because if you knew would you buy it? I know I wouldn’t especially not to make yogurt. Then I thought who drinks probably the greatest amount of milk…our children. So now unbeknownst to me I’m feeding children dead milk? Oh no! That can’t be good, could that be why our children are fatter and less healthy for this generation and not expected for the first time in recorded history to live longer then their parents. Wow could this be the number one problem we have today?! Why would they do this?! Isn’t there some sort of government organization that’s suppose to protect us from scams like this? How long has this been going on I wonder? So if good active live minuscule organisms can’t survive in this milk, then is there any benefit at all to ingesting it? Sure it won’t hurt us, but when we think we are drinking one thing real fresh dairy milk with all kinds of live stuff in it to nourish our bodies and we aren’t getting any of those things, because we have been deceived well I think that does hurt us and it hurts our children whose small bodies need wholesome nutrient dense milk to thrive and if a micro organism doesn’t then what hope do our children’s bodies have of getting anything from it at all, none. It’s sad and it’s something that I think should be in every parents blog and article written about milk today! Why? It’s not just about the UHT milk, although I refer to it as dead milk, there is nothing “wrong” with it. The problem and deception that I see is with it being packaged to look like our regular milk that we have always bought and the fact that it’s being stored in the refrigerator. Why would a grocery store have this UHT milk in the refrigerator section, does it not cost them a lot more to store it there? Probably. So I told my husband about it and I looked online to see what I could discover, I even called the company to find out if they still sold Homo 3.25% milk because to me the name “Homo” always referred to the pasteurization that the milk had undergone homogenized milk had been heated just to a high heat for a very short period of time but it still retained all its micro-organisms. So I discovered this company Neilson’s do have two red and white bags that one says Ultra on the left hand side of the “3.25% Homo milk” and the other red and white bag looks almost identical except instead of ultra it has the small written word fresh on the right hand side. So I showed hubby how easy it would be to grab the wrong kind of milk and be duped. So he went to get fresh milk so I could actually make yogurt, third time is the charm right….right when you have the right kind of milk. So hubby came home with the fresh milk and he said you won’t believe this, the ultra milk is stored in a milk container right beside the fresh milk and looking from the open cooler you wouldn’t have a clue which was which. You have to pull the bag out completely and look for the word “fresh” he said can’t you see a mother with her children at the grocery store on a fast in and out trip to buy milk just seeing the red and white bag on the outside and assuming it must be what she has always purchased? Why would she even question it? So that’s how I believe the general public is being deceived. I think it’s hurting all of us as humans and it’s especially horrible because our dear sweet children are getting this and there can’t be any nourishment in it other then the water content? Now I’m no scientist as I said so perhaps someone could enlighten me as to why they are deceiving us, well I know it’s for the almighty dollar I think it’s not only shameful but it should be illegal. So if you go to open a bag of milk and it’s an odd white bag check the ingredients list from the outside bag because you may not be giving your kids nourishment at all. How many times have you said “drink your milk…it’s good for you”?! Maybe….maybe not if it’s dead milk. I hope this comment actually gets posted and that people read it and do their own research. Because ultimately we make our decisions through the products we purchase and if we leave that dead milk in the refrigerator then the companies that sell this will think twice before deceiving us. Take good care people, we only have this one body and if we put garbage in then the result will be very unhealthy people.
Perhaps the author of this article could update it and under the dairy section add information about this UHT (dead) milk because it could be one of the main reasons why we are gaining weight?
Good points. Let me add this. Of all of these so-called “milks” discussed here the only one that should have the word protein attached to it is cow’s milk. Protein is a mix of amino acids. There are 9 essential amino acids that make up a COMPLETE protein for human consumption. NONE of the others should even have the word protein attached to them. NONE of them have a complete protein. They are simply a garbled mix of amino acids which unless coupled with the other amino acids that go into makeup of a COMPLETE protein, are by and large worthless nutritionally. And as for lumping omega-3 fatty acids such as ALA in with EPA or DHA, well, that’s a bad joke. No other omega-3 is convertible in the body to EPA or DHA, and therefore are nutritionally pretty much worthless.
Ari Maayan, PhD
What about camels milks Heard its the best
So Very True.
Thank you ☺️
I so agree with you my kids grew up on a dairy farm. Are kids were in the dr. office every other day. Little or antibodies when growing up. We never used hormones or never put treated cows milk in with the non treated milk. Maybe people should use some common sense and look at all the pharmaceutical crap you’re putting in your body. I have MS a d I had more side effects from the shots and got worse. I take one pill with 5 herbs in it and I can do a thing I wa t too. I love riding bike. Some American people can be very ignorant.
I am concerned about what I have seen and heard about how cows are treated .This is the reason I do not buy milk anymore .The mother cow has to be repeatedly pregnant to produce cow milk and if the calf is born a male it is killed and upsets the mother cow .Is this true ??? Maybe certain farmers are different ? Can you please. clarify this for me ? Thank you
So true. I was thinking the same thing. And organic milk doesn’t mean anything except the cow was feed organic feed. People are so misinformed on dairys these days. I don’t agree that grass feed is the very best not when most cows are fed the perfect mix of feed to make sure they are healthy and getting all the nutrition they need to produce healthy milk. Dairy farmers take great care of their herd so they can produce well and be healthy.
Amen Brother!!!!!!
Calling “dairy milk” real milk …. interesting
Oh, and soy – much more healthy when fermented.
And “pea protein” has been around a very long time in the processed health food prepared food game – just not that much in the last 20 years until now … Target even sells some.
And almost milk and any nut milk – one can make themselves, of course – so the nuts over night and grind up with some water then add more water and blend again – but in a real blender like VitaMix or breville.
And rice milk … well some is white rice and others is brown rice and some have lots of sweetner …
to make at home cook rice almost all the way then ass more water and keep cooking … until one gets the thinkness that works.
You state in your article that antibiotics and growth hormones are in conventional dairy milk. Could you expand on that and educate me on how antibiotics and growth hormones are in conventional milk? Thanks!
The reason is that the cows living on top of each other in factory farms are given antibiotics to maintain their health. I have read that most of our antibiotics produced are used for cows bs people
They aren’t. Cows are only given antibiotics when they are sick and their milk can’t be added to the rest until their is no trace of antibiotics. And 99 of dairy farmers don’t use grown hormones. Media spread misinformation.
So forgetting about personal taste, which ‘milk product’ do you say is best for your body??
I find I like almond milk which I sometimes mix with a little low fat cows milk.
Thanks for the info
Ken Simon
Farmers in my midwest area feed their cows GMO feeds – also may inject them with antibiotics as illness “prevention”. Cows milk is for baby cows or calves. I do not drink it. I use almond milk – just because.
Same
Mimi: Is almond milk for nuts? (lol)
I have not tried making my own milk, but a possible thickener for a recipe, is finely powdered psyllium husk, a source of soluble fibre.
Sadly, soy milk or Silk has proven to be a terrible choice for men. Why? It contains hormones that closely mimic estrogen. Too much estrogen in the male body causes all sorts of problems men don’t need or want. I suspect fermenting soy might help eliminate these hormones but I say “might’ not “will”. The best way to avoid these hormones is not to use most soy products. I have seen several articles that claim the much higher incidence of “baldness” in many younger men, as early as high school can be associated with soy product use. All bald heads are not due to being shaven because it’s the cool athletic look.
I really enjoyed the article, lots of new and interesting information for me. I am transitioning to a Keto Veganism diet and would like to know more about the Carbohydrate content of the “Milks” listed above.
Thanks! Keep on writing!
I am a retired Public Health Nurse and I am always surprised that the issue of the risk for infectious diseases like campylobacter and salmonella are never mentined when the topic of raw milk comes up. Pasteurization of milk has prevented a lot of illness. Raw milk can be dangerous for young children and immunocompromised individuals.
Pat, actually raw milk got a bad rap at the turn of the 20th century when milking barns were next to places that where dirty and the farmers that were milking didn’t have very clean places to milk their cows. And less water to clean everything. So they had contamination. The way that modern Dairy Farmers milk their cows whether it’s industrial or small farmers is very clean everything is washed down and so we could have clean raw milk in the stores it just wouldn’t be lasting as long on the shelves in our refrigerators we have to drink it much faster. I grew up on a farm where we milked 2 cows for 10 years. There were for children ages 4 to 10 and 2 adults and over this 10 years that we milked cows we NEVER EVER had any issues with any infections. I worked getting milk from a somewhat local farmer for a little while but the distance was quite long so we went to drinking no milk and not even really the nut milks or anything like that. Probably today there’s more food poisoning with people going out to dinner or eating raw vegetables specifically spinach and lettuces then there ever would be with raw milk. I have learned that people who cannot drink the regular milk from the grocery store milk are able to drink raw milk very well. It’s the same with our wheat products those that are made in small natural batches in Europe when people go over to vacation can you eat over there especially in Italy but when they come back home they cannot. Our family has been farming since 1974 mostly beef cattle but we have had other animals and crops at one time. A majority of the Farms today don’t Farm like we did when we were kids unfortunately. And it’s not necessarily the farmer’s fault, it’s that we have less farmers who are growing more and they have to use the products of Monsanto instead of reseeding from their own corn or their own products. I hate seeing almonds used for milk as we know that they do take a lot of water and land to produced just one half gallon of ‘milk’. We should instead eat raw almonds just like we would have peanuts or other nuts. Just know that raw milk in a very clean Dairy is an awesome excellent food. Unfortunately I can’t drink a lot of it because of the sugar content not because of lactose intolerance but just because of the natural sugar content. I do eat cheeses and once in awhile sour cream I’d like to learn to like the fermented milks or yogurts. Just haven’t gotten to that yet.
I grew up living on a small farm and drinking raw milk most of my life. Myself nor no one I’ve ever know got sick on drinking raw milk and pasteurizing destroyed a lot of what you were accomplishing by drinking milk in the first place. Another one of those sales pitches to get people off the healthy things we grew up on.
Unfortunately I am allergic to all dairy products. So if I want to breathe I have use alternate milks.
This is the first time I’ve received this document.
Most of the info is break through.
I hope to get continued newsletters.
I’m a Clinical Pharmacist, retired after Obama Care closed 6 of my hospitals
I now am very interested in natural medical care.
Keep up the good work.
just a note on cows milk , I used to keep jerseys, the milk was delicious and always un- pasturized, this in north Juttland near the west sea, great animals and not unlike goats, they are the exception for anyone who seriously wants cows milk , these days its more rice or almond , getting too old to milk twice a day , ,,, plus I now live in the south of France
I hear that after a certain age you don’t need milk anymore but i still like a glass of cold mild once in a while.H ow true is this im 85 yrs
I was buying almond milk in the health food store until I learned about carageenan. Then I stopped buying it and started making my own, in my juicer. I experimented with different proportions until I settled on the best recipe, as follows.
I use a pound of almonds, soaked 8 hours in water. Then wash the almonds in fresh water. Drain. Add two quarts of water and put them through the juicer. Refrigerate. I have a Hurom Slow Juicer and this recipes makes 2 quarts of almond milk which lasts 8 days. I use this milk for my daily morning protein drink.
Cow’s milk is an acid food. Acid diets pull calcium from the bones which led to my diagnosis of osteoporosis.
I gave up cow’s milk at age 65.
Rice and almonds are two products that required great amounts of water to grow. I stopped using their fake milk for environmental purposes.
I just drink Pure Water (without fluorisilicic acid from phosphate fertilizer) and some coconut milk to put
in my seldom cup of very weak coffee.
Dairy products, especially cheese, are very acid products and should be limited. For 20 years, doctors told me I had a thyroid problem and then suddenly no more. Don’t believe the lab tests.
Arlene, Health writer, No Toxins for Children
The claim that almonds require so much water can be challenged. To produce 1 lb of almonds requires 387 gallons of water. By comparison, 1 lb of beef requires 1,847 gallons. You get 2,713 calories from 1 lbs of almonds. You get 1,216 calories from 1 lb of beef. Almonds provide 84 grams of protein per lb; beef provides 81 grams of protein per lb. So you’re getting 7 calories per gallon of water from almonds but only 0.66 calories per gallon of water from beef. Almonds win out over beef. Almond trees sequester CO2 and emit no methane, urine or other contaminants in the growing process. Traditional dry farming methods for almond production would boost almond’s eco-benefits even more. Do the math. I cannot defend rice production as well, though less water intensive methods are being implemented; however the irrigation water contains higher and higher levels of arsenic nowadays and so that needs to be taken into consideration.
Osteoporosis results from insufficient vitamins D & K2 moreso than dairy. Vitamin D drives calcium and K2 steers it into the right places. Palimitate vitamin A is needed for the body to absorb vitamin D well and that comes from meats, fish, dairy and egg yolks. Co-factors of boron, magnesium, silica and phosphorous are needed to build and maintain bone, while our diets high in grains, especially wheat, contain phytates that interfere with proper mineral absorption unless you properly acidulate your grains before ingesting them. So it’s all rather complex. Sufficient vitamin C is needed for good collagen production to maintain joint health… all the bone broth or collagen hydrolysate in the world won’t heal the bone joints unless the body has sufficient vitamin C to help it form collagen in the body. The toxic load on our bodies these days is very high which is why supplementing with 1-2 grams of vitamin C daily as a minimum in divided doses (e.g. 500 mg per dose since that’s the max that the intestines can normally absorb at any given time) is advised by Dr. Thomas Levy and others (Dr. Levy recommends even higher daily maintenance dosing).
Thanks doc T…very concise and well written. Cannot underestimate the
enormous destruction, to the earth, abuse of animals, human health and massive use of our dwindling resources for beef production in particular. The production of methane from cow burps is 80 x worse than carbon!
Arlene. I too was diagnosed with osteoporosis
I gave up all soda, stopped drinking milk, put lemon in my water and I eat pepitos. I now have osteopenia and my hips ate completely clear. I try to eat as much alkaline as possible.
Cows milk is not acid!! It is good for your bones and almond milk is not a milk and there are things wrong with all those.
Some good points here but I’d like to also see the mention of how Glyphosate has infiltrated many of these products especially if they aren’t grown organically but even then you can have contamination. You will be hard pressed to find an organic pea milk product on the market. I’ve taken to making most of my milk alternatives at home with organic ingredients in an effort to avoid Glyphosate.
i can’t even think of soy as a human food product UNLESS some (preferably foreign) soy is fermented. If not, it is not digestible by humans – unless you are a freak with a rumen to ferment it yourself internally…
The USDA ORGANIC system is designed to allow and facilitate genetic contamination. So virtually all the soy in the US/Canada is GMO through such genetic contamination. It cannot be prevented. Period. Organic or other growing methods have nothing to do with pollination and genetic contamination, so chances are that most/all of the US soy has Bt toxins inside the cells, because that is the genetic rape the GMOrons have engineered. Since it is no longer topical it can’t be washed off, and every cell makes this poison and you end up eating it.
Do we even need to discuss the massive problems of the phytoestrogens? Especially when we throw in the fact that the petro poisons are almost all xenoestrogens? No wonder American males are going sterile!
Phytoestrogens are plant estrogens and not the same as hormone estrogens. Soy phytoestrogen can actually help to balance hormones and does NOT interfere with the human endocrine system the same way that human and animal hormones do. In fact, they are absorbed and chill out in the plasma and are then passed out none the wiser. Always consume organic and non-GMO soy products. Most GMO soy is used to feed animals. Phytoestrogens are plant derived xenoestrogens, not generated within the endocrine system, but consumed by eating plants. It is NOT a true estrogen that one is consuming. All it does is has the capacity to block certain receptors for estrogen in the body. It will actually lower bad estrogen & the relatively good estrogen automatically increases . So you are increasing the ratio of bad vs. good. That is why phytoestrogens are very anti-cancer bc they lower the bad and increase the good. So if you are a man and concerned about taking flax oil or another phytoestrogen, it will not increase estrogen that already exist in your body. Most anti-soy stories can be traces back to ONE single group in the U.S. called the Westsoy A. Price Foundation (WAPF). The majority of what the WAPF says is anecdotal, untrue, or based on scientifically flawed animal experiments.(article: https://www.theguardian.com/commentsfree/2010/jul/01/antisaoya-brigade-ignore-scaremongering) The pro-meat diet that the WAPF promotes is associated with higher rates of disease & mortality. Asians have consumed soy for centuries, are the healthiest and have the lowest cancer rate of any ethnic group in this world. Finally, as one who is 75 years of age, a consumer of soy for 45+ years, i am enjoy excellent health, take no scripts and experience nothing adverse regarding health. Have 3 sons who consume soy and they are the picture of masculinity and health. So this narrative being circulated regarding soy has the underlying motives of fear mongering in order to support the meat and dairy industries.
Wrong. Flax and soy are estrogen mimics and as such, are endocrine disruptors.
Phytoestrogens are feminizing, pro-cancerous chemicals. Asians consumed small
amounts of FERMENTED soy for millennia and not large amounts of commercially prepared and process soy milk. Their diets most likely did not include flax.
Real Cow’s milk is Illegal in the State of Wisconsin.
There has been many arguments about it. Also a few legal court cases on it.
Simply said it is Illegal to sell unpasteurized unhomogenized cows milk in the State of Wisconsin. Not even the Amish can sell it here in Wisconsin.
I have not yet found a way to buy real cows milk online.
I think you may have some facts left out. Dairy industry has NOT used growth hormones for decades, but still label none as positive advertising. You will get hormones in milk as they come from the female of the species. If cows are given antibiotics for illness, they must go through a withdrawal period and milk not used. It is true about pasteurization destroying many positive benefits of milk, and ultra pasteurization is the worst. Most milk on the market contains the A-1 protein molecule and that is easily broken by milk processing, that, as you stated, becomes a problem for many people. The most popular dairy breed used in commercial farms is the Holstein, and they are exclusively A-1. They have “improved” other breeds by cross breeding with Holsteins, and introducing the A-1 milk gene to other breeds. There are still cows that produce the A-2 protein which is much more digestible for most people, we just don’t get it in the stores. The A-2 protein is not so easily broken by processing. It is still better to get milk with the A-2 protein raw if possible. I live in a state that has banned the sale of raw milk, so you have to buy a share of a cow, or buy “pet” milk to even try. Farmers here test their cows for the A-2 gene. Some small farms will still do low temp vat pasteurization which does not harm the milk proteins quite as much. Just what I had learned about dairy milk in my search for a cleaner food stream and still enjoying dairy products.
A2 milk is the way to go!!! The A2 genetic can be found in all breeds and many are switching to it silently. Prairieland dairy in Firth NE has over 1000 A2 cows. A2 milk can be found in grocery stores now also. The Devil in the Milk is a great resource for info on the benefits of it
Thanks for commenting with facts… I am so tired of this false news. Today I have unsubscribed since this type of propaganda is killing the dairy industry and has forced my family farm to close after 125 years of production. Never pus in the milk, and there is no such thing as a factory farm! They are all family farms. I am so sick of haters that have no clue!!!
Well said!
What about oat milk? I use it in my cereal and my coffee. How could you leave that out? And, what about different yogurt products? I like Mountain High whole milk yogurt.
I react to both cows’ and goats’ dairy, whether organic, raw or anything else. So I have had to get used to a dairy free diet. Then I had an epiphany. Why would I go searching for a white liquid made from something else just so it looks like milk. And pay a lot of money for something with very little in it apart from water. Why do I need milk? Coffee was my problem because I was addicted but I didn’t like it black; milk gives a comforting feel to it. Then I had to give up coffee. So the only thing I missed about milk was milky deserts and yoghurts. But then I discovered a yoghurt made from young coconut meat and cultures, nothing else. It is divine; with some cocoa powder and raw honey mixed in it beats any other chocolate dessert. With just a pinch of salt and some honey and vanilla you have a sweet sauce like custard. When I make a hot drink with cocoa I add a good pinch of salt. Milk is slightly salty, so a pinch of salt gives the illusion that there is milk in it. If you care any more. I don’t think about milk anymore, just how can I achieve the best flavour with what I can have. If you can digest milk and enjoy it, great. This is not a moral debate. It’s what suits the individual.
nobody seems to be talking about dairy alternatives in tea! I like a nice cuppa English tea. Soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk, hemp milk all seem to give a too distinctive flavour. Oat milks aren’t ‘bad’ but not great either. Rice milk is too watery. I don’t like goats milk/cheese/yoghurt. Yuck.
The best I found so far was cashewnut milk, but not easy to find here in France/expensive. I guess I could make my own (I have done this before). I haven’t tried pea milk at all, not in tea, so it might work I suppose. Any other tips for tea (many of the milks seem to separate and look and taste scummy)?
I just turned 64 and I have always loved cow milk. Still do. And can’t stand the alternatives long enough to acquire a taste. Possibly if I was deprived of “real” milk I’d adjust eventually. Can’t beat “real” though in my book.
I fed my 5 kids raw cow milk many years ago until my youngest was 4 years old and got deathly sick. She got hemolytic uremic syndrome which was hell to watch my 4 year old go through and almost had to have blood transfusion and kidney dialysis. I believe raw milk especially goat is healthiest but the risk of getting such a serious disease is not worth it.
Think and ponder about. Cow milk is for the calf. We are the only specie in the Universe that drink milk from another specie. Have you seen a cow sucking milk from a horse? God is not stupid, he place breasts on women so they can feed their children.
Besides, milk causes 37 illnesses some of them terrible (diabetes 2, leukemia, whooping cough) Just read the book, “Milk, The Deadly Poison” by Robert Cohen. So. Doctors love to have people drinking milk. So, they can make more money.
Main ingredient in milk, casein. In other words, GLUE to use on wood furniture. Just don’t believe in Md. Drs.
You left out the best milk ever, raw Goat’s milk. It’s gentle and loaded with nutrients
I have a chart that compares the milk of many mammals and human milk. It shows that cow’s milk is the closest to human milk than any of the others, by actual comparisons with the numbers attached for the components of each type of milk.
The cow’s milk that is most digestible by most people of caucasiona backgrounds is the raw, orgainic grass-fed type, as Nature intended, and comes from the older, unhybridized breeds such as Jersey and Guernseys. These two pure breeds produce the A-2/A-2 type of Beta Casein protein, whereas the Holstein produces the A-1/A-1 Beta Casein only. I had Guernseys for over 12 years, and did a LOT of research on the subject of bovine husbandry.
I wouldn’t know, however, what it is about goat’s milk that is more digestible for many folks.
We’re presently drinking A-2/A-2 tested grass-fed Jersey milk, with about as much taste to it as retail milk from the market…yuk! But, I make my own butter from the cream.
I used to have a goat for milk. I got used to the taste, but it was still goaty flavoured. I still prefer full cows milk. In the UK, we used to have Gold top milk: The cream settled at the top of the bottle. Delicious on porridge!
Never thought that drinking milk was so complex. Thanks for informing me of the “world of milk”. Lots
of options. The KISS – KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID does not involve milk.
Thank you.
Start putting good beer on my cereal.!!
Of the milks listed, which is highest in nutrients and lowest in processing, sugars, chemicals, etc.? It appears that Pea or Hemp milks rate best in this list. I currently use Almond and Coconut and like them both. Especially for cereal and smoothies. Looking for maximum nutritional density.
Will you didn’t tell the whole truth growth hormones are not used on conventional milk read the RBST free sticker on your gallon of milk, you forgot to mention all the pesticide spraying on almonds during the growing season, I live next to a almond orchard , try to get your facts straight before you print. Thanks
I switched to almond milk and rice milk years ago because I was lactose intolerant. I thought that things were just fine, and didn’t link my persistent hypertension, constipation, and bone pain to the added calcium supplements. When I ended up with a calcified tooth, which was intensely painful, it occurred to me to eliminate commercially processed calcium from my diet. This meant eliminating commercially produced rice milk, which I used daily on my granola. Instead, I started making rice milk from scratch. It doesn’t look as pleasant at first, but I have become used to it.
After eliminating all commercially processed calcium from my diet (added as ingredients in both foods and commercial medicines), my calcified tooth pain completely disappeared in three days. Not only did my tooth pain disappear, but also so did my constipation, hypertension, and bone pain. When I checked calcium supplements on the Mayo Clinic web site, I discovered that these were all known symptoms of calcium supplements. Scientists already know that calcium supplements that have been commercially processed cause nerve damage throughout the body. After eliminating commercial calcium supplements, even the floaters in my eyes, and the premature symptoms of macular degeneration disappeared. Human nerves are apparently damaged from commercial calcium supplementation, and milk substitutes are a major source of commercial calcium in the diet.
I found that hackberry leaf powder taken in a 00 capsule, four times a week, and dandelion tea every morning, along with an all natural food diet, provides all the calcium my body needs, and in a much more usable form. Within a few months of starting hackberry leaf powder, two of my tooth fillings popped out, and over the course of the year, my teeth healed themselves by filling in the holes with brand new tooth material.
Beware of the commercial “natural food” industry. They still put commercially processed chemicals in our food. High temperature and high pressure alters molecular structure, and in many cases, makes good molecules turn into slow release poison for the body. If you are going to have a milk substitute, make it yourself, or find someone who will make it without commercially processed ingredients.
Where do you buy hackberry leaf powder? All of the online sources for plant-based Calcium supplements I can find are drivers from algae
*derived from algae, that is.
Where can I buy hackberry leaf powder? Thanks
With the excellent review on milk I was surprised to see the author talking about Stevia which is the renewed version of Splenda which is poison.
Stevia is not the same as splenda. Stevia is a naturally sweet herb that is used in different forms, from raw leaf to refined powder or liquid. Splenda is sugar that has been altered in some way to make it non-caloric, or very low calorie relative to whole or refined sugar. Not sure what product you’re thinking of as a renewed version of splenda (which I agree is poison), but it isn’t stevia.
That said, you do have to read the label on stevia, because many commercial products are mixtures of stevia and other ingredients, mainly sugar alcohols.
Stevia is good. Only sweetener I use. Splenda is sugar mixed with chlorine. The body can’t digest the chlorine, so it’s calorie free. It does a number on the liver.
Interesting read, but very inaccurate about soy. While some believe it causes issues with estrogen, that is simply a myth. Phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) do not act the same as human estrogen.
most reis today is arsenic, need attention…..
With milk, it would be informative to have compared A2 casein milk vs A1 casein milk and the lectin issues with pea protein.
Appreciate your information.
I really wanted to read this, but sadly couldn’t get past the misinformation of the dairy milk, that I had little trust that the rest could be at all credible. I myself and lactose intolerant, and think that we can get our milk like standards from other products like the alternatives you have above, but your accusation of conventional dairy being unhealthy, unhealthy fats, and pus, you are sadly mistaken. Also raw milk is great, but also a risk. Imagine if that cow’s milk was in fact infected, and not pasteurized, that milk would be in fact dangerous to consume. There is more to say, but at this point why bother.
Plenty of mischaracterizations of cow’s milk:
“Conventional dairy is full of antibiotics, growth hormones, bad fats and even nasty stuff like pus, from the constant infections that dairy cows get due to the unnatural and unhealthy conditions they have to endure.”
– “Bad fats”? I’m not sure what that is. They’re the same fatty acid chains regardless of what the cow is fed.
– Antibiotics. FALSE. Milk is tested for antibiotic residue… and if milk tests positive for antibiotics or other drugs, the whole load is dumped and never enters the food system.
– Growth hormones: exist naturally. Hormones exist in milk, too, period. Just like they do in other foods. Most milk has for ten years said something to the effect of “free of rBST (even though there is no difference between milk from cows given rBST and regular milk)”.
– “Unnatural and unhealthy” — very debatable and subjective. But nearly universally farmers know that the best thing to do is take care of their cows the best they can. Feed them right. House them right. Treat them right. And remember, cows being outside in a snowstorm is “natural”, too — they wouldn’t be in a barn “naturally”!
BTW, “grass-fed” doesn’t automatically mean conventionally-raised cows live on grain. They live on a balanced ration that gives them PLENTY of forage. And I’m no expert on grass-fed vs. “grain fed” milk, but I would imagine that, if milk is like beef, you would have to ingest a LOT of gallons of milk before you would see any significant nutritional difference.
FINALLY, you left out one critical comment about raw milk: even if everyone is careful… raw milk can kill you, and is even more of a threat to children. (Doesn’t keep me from enjoying raw milk though!)
Choices exist for a very good reason, but I find your commentary on cows’ milk disingenuous and unhelpful.
Don’t believe the nonsense.
I’m lactose intolerant and don’t like any of the alternative milks I’ve tried….and so far I’ve tried them all for drinking, cereal, and coffee. Coconut milk is good for cooking though. I have found that the lactose-free whole milk works best for me. Even the low-temp pasteurized local organic does not do me any favors (you don’t want to know) and raw milk is illegal in my state, besides which there have been cases of illness among people who have used it (they get it on a “underground” network). So lactose-free it is, but not Fairlife, which has an “off” taste to me.
Thank you very much! We are currently milking on of our Guernsey cows twice a day. She is grass fed and we do not uses any chemical on our pastures. This is the best tasting milk and makes golden butter and delicious cheese. Thank you for this wonderful article. The only time I don’t drink her milk is when doing a liver or metabolic cleanse and I miss it very much.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge in such a clear, concise, objective way! I feel way less overwhelmed after reading this.
What do think abut international delight milk—tastes great but is it healthy????
one thing that is not covered here is homemade milks. Like oat or rice milk
it wouls be nice to see that information!
It seems to me that if people have their way, real milk is going to disappear. Why on earth are we making “milk” out of vegetables and nuts? And what about how much of those ingredients it takes to make the milk? Aren’t we overloading our bodies with that? Right now, it’s getting a lot harder to find fresh milk and cream in the store, and 3/4ths of this “milk” is from these other sources. THAT, is tragic. An effort needs to be made to bring the milk up to par and start getting the raw and grassfed to people. Instead we’re getting uber creative making milk out of just about anything. And spare me about the “environmental” concerns of cows.
This blog about Real Milk vs Almond Milk vs Soy Milk vs Coconut Milk (and others) has helped me a lot, is very well
written. I used this fat burner product: https://s96.me/fit and I reached the ideal weight.
Kiss you All!
I am allergic to nuts so they are out. Soy milk destroys your thyroid. The other milks are not readily available.
I will stick with cow milk. And soy farmers have brought in beetles that infest my house during fall to spring. I will do everything I can to kill them before they come in. The have clogged the channels in my new windows.
Great article. Has it been updated? It may be a good time to do so given the almond industry is causing extreme water issues in California and placing extreme stress on the bee population around the nation due to their natural pollination needs. It is another unhealhty monocrop now matter how you look at it. I have also been told that most US almond production is exported.
Don’t believe all that stuff you see on TV or internet about dairy industry. We as farmer strive to make our animals as comfortable as possible. I drink raw milk. Kids in rural school can’t hardly stomach the milk provided for them. Just gets thrown in the garbage. When you see people rolling an animal is because there are in a position where they can’t get up. They can bloat and die. Also cows are rolled because of twisted uterus. They are unable to deliver their baby. We have to roll the cow around the calf. Alot of them live. Sometimes it is to late. It’s not that we are hurting the animals, but trying to save their life.
I drink almond coconut cashew oak.milk never soy as i’ve heard it might cause cancer. ?
I grew up on a dairy farm but never drink cow’s milk anymore.
Coville, why don’t you drink cow’s milk anymore?
How about making your own almond milk it is really great but adding dates and vanilla to make it sweet maybe a problem with people with diabetes. The other problem is that almonds or any nuts of any kind are very expensive and of course making the almond milk takes time and effort but the kids will love it so maybe it is worth it mom. I wonder if putting in a natural type of sugar maybe the best alternative to dates high in sugar but so tasty.
I suppose you could make your own coconut milk or any other nut type of milk and of course it will taste much better than what you could ever buy.
I was wondering about goat milk and goat yogart it sure tastes good but I would like to know more about it so can anyone tell me?
I really don’t like the Almond Milk due to the fact that I am allergic to almonds. When making things for a celebration at work they need to ask if anyone is allergic to certain foods or ingredients. The ladies at work thought I was telling a fib a couple of months back, so they made a couple of things using the almond milk. I noticed a little bit after we ate I started itching and breaking out in rashes. That is when I found out a couple of ladies made things using the Almond Milk and I was glad I carried medication for my allergies .
I would also like to hear your take on Oat Milk
So what is the best milk?????
My aunt said she drinks plenty of milk and water but suddenly she cannot pass urine she wans to go but just a trickle comes out Is this dangerous?