All about Milk

If you have been to the natural foods section of the grocery store lately, you may have noticed the growing abundance of nondairy milks, including soy, rice, and milks made from various nuts. While most people are perfectly happy with cow’s milk, there are a number of ways in which the alternative milks are healthier. Plus, they are tastier than many people assume. While it is true that alternative milks do not taste exactly like cow’s milk, they do have their own flavor charms once you get used to them, and the nutritional benefits are worth thinking about.

Types of alternative dairy

There are too many alternative types of milk to list them all, but here are a few of the most popular ones:

• Soy milk: Soy milk is by far the most popular, and it is produced by several major natural-foods companies that have mastered the process. While other milks can be gritty, inconsistent, and oddly flavored, the major brands of soymilk are so tasty and smooth that many people like to drink them by the glass. Plus, soy milk is useful in many recipes as a substitute for dairy. Meanwhile, it contains abundant soy protein, and it also has isoflavones, which have a number of health benefits.
• Almond milk: After soy milk, almond milk is the next most popular alternative to dairy milk. Like the soy varieties, almond milk is rather creamy, but it is a little less flavorful, and it is not as broadly useful. Think of it as a sort of light version of soy milk, with fewer calories but a variety of beneficial nutrients.
• Rice milk: Rice milk is sweet in flavor but also quite thin, which makes it a poor substitute for dairy milk in recipes or coffee. But if you are looking for a light milk alternatives that works for your breakfast cereal, rice milk is quite good.

Outside of these major varieties of nondairy milk, there are also many other nut-based milks, including concoctions made from hazel nuts, walnuts, and Brazil nuts. And oat, which is similar to rice milk but creamier and grittier, is also growing in popularity. Read the rest of this entry »