If you’re lactose intolerant, suffer from a dairy allergy, or have decided for other health or ethical reasons to go dairy-free or adopt a vegan lifestyle, there are now thankfully plenty of alternatives for you to enjoy. Here’s our round up of the top 5 (in no particular order):
Soya Milk
Soya milk is high in protein – this is great for everyone, but especially if you are vegan or vegetarian looking to get some extra protein in your diet. Soya milk can come unsweetened or sweetened – unsweetened is usually fine for any cooking, and on cereals. Most cafes and restaurants now serve soya milk as their dairy-free alternative, so you can enjoy all your favourite drinks, without the dairy. Of course if you have a soya allergy this is not for you.
Coconut Milk
Coconut milk is considered high in fat, but a type, medium-chain fat, which is considered good for you and easy for the body to metabolise and burn off as energy. Coconut milk is also relatively low in calories, so is good for those seeking to lose weight, but does not have a high amount of protein and calcium. Coconut milk is considered a good dairy-free alternative to milk for use in cooking (it also makes an amazing ice cream).
Almond Milk
Almond milk has a somewhat lighter texture than the two alternatives mentioned above. It is very low in calories, quite high in calcium, and has a delicate almond flavour which is naturally sweet. It generally does not have a high amount of protein, so make sure you get this elsewhere in your diet. Try it poured over your morning cereal or gluten-free granola recipe.
Rice Milk
Rice Milk is great for use in cooking, hot and cold drinks, and on cereal – it’s very versatile. As the milk itself does not have a super high amount of nutritional value, it’s best to use one fortified with vitamins, and make sure you get lots of nutrition elsewhere. It’s naturally low in saturated fat, so as part of a balanced diet can keep blood cholesterol at a healthy level.
Oat Milk
Oat milk is praised for its low cholesterol, and high levels of calcium. It has a subtle sweet taste, and is an ideal alternative to cow’s milk. We reckon it would taste fantastic in a smoothie with your favourite fruit. Good to know: oat milk is not gluten-free.
Remember:
As with everything that you consume, it is important to get a balanced diet with sufficient nutrients. So if you can get a milk with added vitamins, that’s definitely a bonus, and don’t forget there are plenty of other non-dairy sources of calcium you can include in your diet. For everyday use like on cereals, muesli and granola, we recommend choosing an unsweetened kind of milk as this will have less added ingredients.
What’s your favourite dairy-free milk alternative? Let us know in the comments below.