Some people drink black coffee or eat dry breakfast cereals. But for the rest, life without milk seems truly sad. At the same time, as you know, cow’s milk is not suitable for all of us. Someone has a lactose / cow protein allergy or intolerance; some share the belief that human milk is for humans and cow’s milk is for cows. And some, including me, consider cow’s milk to be hazardous to health. If you are interested in this point of view, start with the book “China Study”.
I need milk only in one case – for coffee. And I am more than satisfied with the numerous herbal options. Go to a supermarket (in Russia, plant milk is usually located – for reasons I don’t understand – in the section for diabetics). Or search the internet. There are really many options: milk from nuts, cereals, seeds. They all have their own characteristics and are useful in their own way.
Nut milk, for example, is rich in healthy monounsaturated fat, while coconut milk is rich in saturated fat. Cashew milk contains iron and sunflower milk contains vitamin E. And almost all plant-based milk contains protein, although the amount there is lower than in cow’s milk.
Regardless of the reason why you are looking for milk alternatives, keep in mind that some of them contain sugar and other ingredients found in commercially produced products. To avoid the unwanted additives found in store-bought milk, I recommend preparing it yourself. The easiest option is nut milk. Follow this link for a recipe for almond milk.
Some people with lactose intolerance can drink goat and sheep milk because it contains less lactose than cow’s milk. While many nut allergy sufferers can consume sunflower seeds, it is worth keeping in mind that sometimes it is produced on the same equipment as nut milk.
Many alternative types of milk contain added vitamin D and calcium because these nutrients are naturally low in concentration or none at all. And while fortification of foods with such elements is generally beneficial, excessive consumption of them is unnecessary. More is not known to be better when it comes to vitamins and minerals. I will write about this in the coming days.
In this table, you will find the main characteristics of different types of plant milk, as well as goat and sheep – animal alternatives to cow’s milk:
And then there is milk from oats, hazelnuts and, probably, many other options! ..