alternative milk

Alternative Milks

The new age question on everyones lips— what milk should I be drinking in my morning latte? 

The deep dive into the best alternative milk and whether its worth the extra 50c.

When comparing alternative milk sources, nutritional content is stacked up against cows milk as the ‘gold standard’. For some of you this may seem controversial, however cows milk provides the most macro and micro nutrient diversity, making dairy a staple of our diet. Although this may not be the only consideration, so let's let nutritional content and our moral compasses guide us. 

Cows milk 

Dairy has been a staple food in our diet for generations, however recently the sustainability of the dairy industry has been questioned. The environmental and moral concerns surrounding dairy farming has driven people towards alternative milk varieties. However in terms of health benefits, cows milk does have superior qualities— for those who can tolerate the lactose— it provides a range of macro and micronutrients including protein, fat, calcium, magnesium, B12, vitamin D and iodine. 

Oat Milk 

Oat milk has quite a neutral flavour, making it an acceptable alternative taste wise for those who like cows milk. It has a similar calorie content, is high in fibre, carbohydrates, is a decent source of protein and is usually fortified with other good nutrients.
On top of this, oat milk is a sustainable choice environmentally speaking. 

Almond Milk 

Unfortunately almond milk is one of the weakest choices on the list. Although the taste is extremely popular, both the nutrition content and sustainability of almond milk is pretty average. When choosing an almond milk make sure you choose an unsweetened option as many on the market contain added sugar.

Sustainably, the production of almond milk uses minimal land and produces only small amounts of green house gases. However large amounts of water are used in the manufacturing process, more than other alternative milks.

Another possible ‘benefit’ of almond milk is its low calorie content, if you are eating a balanced diet in addition to your morning coffee, then choosing this milk might be a good way to enjoy your coffee without adding additional calories.

Soy Milk 

If you can handle the specific taste, soy milk makes a great alternative! Not only is soy high in phytoestrogens, but it is a good source of protein containing essential amino acids. Soy milk is usually fortified with calcium and vitamin D and is usually low in sugar.

Coconut Milk 

Being from Melbourne, coconut milk in your morning coffee gets a bit of a bad rep- cue batch brew and filtered coffee snobs. Coconut milk is high in fat content and low in protein, it is usually* not fortified and has quite a sweetened taste. A coconut coffee or even hot chocolate might be best as a treat now and again, however if you’re having coffee or two daily, this may not be a sustainable health choice. 

Things to look for 

• Sugar content— avoid added sugar by looking for ‘unsweetened’

• Natural or fortified— when it comes to alternative milks they usually lack nutrients so look for fortified brands. Calcium, B12, vitamin D and iodine are good ones to look out for, but if not, be aware of what they are lacking so you can find those nutrients elsewhere in your diet.

• Organic— is not always the best choice, the ‘organic’ label may not allow for fortification depending on the guidelines.