DAIRY ALTERNATIVES…Pros & Cons of Dairy Free Milk Options

SOY MILK

Tastes like a smooth and creamy milk with an almost nutty flavour

Pros:

Higher protein than other dairy alternatives

Soy milk averages around 4g of protein per 100g. While it doesn’t seem like much, in comparison to other dairy alternatives it is relatively high in protein.

Phyto-oestrogenic properties

Soy beans have oestrogen

mimicking properties. While this feature has been widely canned as being bad for our health, if we have a good quality soy it can be protective, to women especially. Going into menopause a woman’s oestrogen levels plummet, but when having a regular intake of phyto-oestrogens like the ones found in soy it helps the body ease into menopause.

Cons:

GMO

Many soy milks have previously used genetically modified soy beans so be careful to choose wisely when selecting your soy milk.

Allergenic

Soy is a potential allergenic food so it may not be suitable for everyone, especially if many other food intolerances are present.

ALMOND MILK

Tastes like a watery version of soy milk, but with a stronger nut flavour

Pros:

Lower carbohydrate value

Almond milk compared to other dairy alternatives such as soy milk is much lower in carbohydrates, making it a good option for people trying to loose or control weight. It is a lighter option when making smoothies and adding to muesli in the morning

Nutrient rich

Almonds are very rich in many trace minerals such as magnesium, zinc, iron and calcium as well as essential fatty acids. For this reason almond milk would be a more nutrient dense dairy alternative. While there are is more nutritional value in almond milk the levels of these nutrients are in quite low amounts.

Cons:

Allergenic

Nuts are potentially allergenic, so it may not be suitable for everyone, especially if many other food intolerances are present. For this reason giving almond milk to young children should be done with caution.

Added oils and sweeteners

Many brands add in oils such as sunflower oils and canola oil as well as sweeteners such as sugar and agave syrup, both of which contribute to blood sugar issues.

OAT MILK

Tastes like a mild oat-y watery milk (surprisingly enough!)

Pros

High Fibre

Oats are naturally high in fibre which has many health benefits including lowering cholesterol and maintaining healthy digestion.

Cons

High carb

Oat milk compared to other dairy alternatives such as soy milk is much higher in carbohydrates. Depending on what you want to achieve this might be a pro of using oat milk

Allergenic

Oats contain gluten so people who are coeliac or have a gluten intolerance this milk is not a good option.

RICE MILK

Tastes like a sweet watery milk

Pros

Hypoallergenic

Rice milk in its entirety is very low allergenic compared to other dairy alternatives. This makes it safe to use, especially in children.

Cons

High GI

Rice is quite high, meaning that rice milk causes a spike in blood sugar, giving you an increase in energy and then this spike drops off and your energy slumps. While this effect is not as profound as having something very sugary, I still wouldn’t recommend having rice milk to often.

Lower nutritional value

Nutritional content of rice milk is relatively low, with minimal nutrients left during the milking process.