As a mom, one of my priorities is choosing nutritious and affordable food for my family. As a veterinarian, I'm focused on scientific facts to make my decisions. There's a lot of hype surrounding milk alternative beverages, but none rival the nutritional profile of real milk.
I will focus on almond beverage here because it's the most popular alternative now. Rice and coconut beverage are nutritionally similar to almond beverage, while soy beverage has lost popularity due to the very high levels of phytoestrogens in soy products. Here's why all "milks" are not created equal:
Each serving of almond beverage contains approximately two almonds. The rest is water and lots of added artificial ingredients. In contrast, a glass of milk contains no additives other than vitamin D. The nine essential nutrients in milk are naturally occurring — no additives needed!
Milk is a great source of protein. Almond beverage contains almost none.
Almond beverage production has huge environmental impact, especially when it comes to water consumption. It takes 17 times the amount of water to produce a gallon of almond beverage as it does to produce a gallon of milk.
Most dairy alternatives require added artificial flavorings or sweeteners. Milk tastes good naturally!
Milk is usually the less expensive option when compared to dairy alternative products.
Lactose intolerant? There are great lactose-free milk products now available that taste great and have all of the nutritional benefits that real milk has to offer.
Before you reach for a carton of almond milk, soy milk, or other dairy alternatives, it’s important to know the facts behind what's going into your cup. Milk is the most simple, nutritious drink available for my family. And my kids look extra cute with milk mustaches!