Rachel Wontor
M(oooo)ve over milk, plant-based milk alternatives are here to stay! With more people trying or choosing to eat a plant-based diet, more options are available at the grocery store than ever before. With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to pick out one that is right for you.
Although the options vary significantly in their nutritional value, plant-based milk alternatives have some commonalities. They are all made by suspending plant compounds in water and receive a heat treatment to help keep the product from separating. It is important to look for options that are unsweetened, as many of the milk alternatives can contain added sugars. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most common options:
Soymilk: Soymilk is a longtime favorite alternative to cow’s milk, with unsweetened soymilk being considered the closest plant-based nutritional comparative to cow’s milk. The calories are similar to that found in skim milk and protein comes in strong at 7 grams of protein per 8 ounces. Soymilk is also typically fortified with calcium and vitamin D, to mimic the nutritional content of cow’s milk.
Almond milk: Almond milk recently overtook soymilk as the most popular milk alternative, with trends showing 10% growth in the already booming $1.2 billion market share. Almond milk has about half the calories than skim milk and soymilk and is a great source of calcium, but it contains only 1 gram of protein. Almond milk can make a great for a lower calorie alternative to cow’s milk.
Coconut milk: Another lower calorie milk alternative is coconut milk, which provides around 45 calories per 8 ounces. Coconut milk is a poor source of protein, however, with 0 grams per serving. Coconut milk is fortified with small amounts of both calcium and vitamin D. Watch out for the saturated fat, though, as 1 serving contains 4 grams of saturated fat, which is 30% of the recommended daily intake of saturated fat.
Oat milk: Oat milk may be one of the trendier options available at the store. Oat milk is higher in calories than skim milk, but does contain more protein than other alternative milks available, scoring 4 grams of protein per serving. It also is higher in carbohydrates than many options available, with unsweetened oat milk providing about 25 grams of carbohydrates per 8 ounce serving.
Beyond these options, you can also find milk alternatives made from peas, flaxseed, cashews, hemp, rice, and other nuts. As seen above, the nutritional value of these drinks varies, so be sure to check the label before you purchase one to make sure it is right for you! As the hot summer days wind down, check out this recipe below for a cool treat. The soymilk can be substitutes for your favorite plant-based milk alternative.
Orange Dream Smoothie
- 1½ cups orange juice, chilled
- 1 cup light vanilla soy milk, chilled
- ⅓ cup silken or soft tofu
- 1 tablespoon dark honey
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 ice cubes
- 4 peeled orange segments (about half an orange)
Directions: In a blender, combine the orange juice, soy milk, tofu, honey, orange zest, vanilla and ice cubes. Blend until smooth and frothy, about 30 seconds.
Pour into tall, chilled glasses and garnish each glass with an orange segment.
Serving size: 1 cup (8 fluid ounces)
Calories: 101 Total carbohydrate: 20 g Dietary fiber: 1 g Protein: 3 g Sodium: 40 mg Total fat: 1 g Saturated fat< 1 g
Recipe source: www.mayoclinic.org
Rachel Wontor is a Registered Dietitian at Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse
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August 26, 2020 at 02:00PM
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