More people are looking to find an alternative to cow’s milk. Some people may have lactose intolerance, dairy allergies, or eat vegan. Whatever the reason for omitting cow’s milk, its best to make an informed decision about what milk alternative will provide the nutrients that you or your child needs. Note that not all brands contain the same nutrients so it’s best to read the nutrition label to see which alternative best fits your nutritional needs. I compared two different brands of Hemp Milk to illustrate the difference in nutrients that different brands can have. Here is chart that I put together to compare some of the most popular brands of milk alternatives on the market:
*** Click on Chart to Enlarge***
| * "?" means it depends on the brand |
| % based on 2000 calorie/per day diet |
Soy Milk- I purposely did not include soy milk in my comparison. Soy milk is so processed and synthetic that it’s not a good choice for substitution. Also, soy is the one of the major genetically modified crops of America. Through my research, I have found that soy and nut allergies are getting much more prevalent because of this genetically modified crop. The protein is changed through genetic modification, and protein that is recognized as foreign is the culprit for most food allergic reactions.
Goat Milk- First of all, goats milk is not lactose free and it may not be suitable for children with dairy allergy. Speak to your doctor or allergist before trying goat’s milk if you have either one of those conditions. Goat’s milk is consumed more than cow’s milk in many parts of the world. Goats need fewer resources and provide sweet milk with many nutrients. However, it does lack iron and some other essential nutrients that infants need so it’s not advised for infants under 1 year old. Goat milk can sour quickly and easily so if you had a bad experience with goat’s milk, then this was probably the case. Its best kept cold at all times, that includes not storing it in the door of the refrigerator so it’s not exposed to warm air when the door is opened.
*Here is a great website that also compares different components of milk alternatives:
*Here is a great website that compares taste and cooking differences of milk alternatives:
*Here is a great paper that compares Cow Milk and Goat Milk:
**Look for the blogs I will post this week on synthetic vs. natural vitamins and fortified vs. enriched food products. These blogs will help with understanding and making informed decisions about what milk alternative and food product is best for you or your child.
**Also, check out my blog about Calcium to see other ways, besides milk, to add Calcium to your diet.
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