HOW YOUR CHOICE IN MILK CAN IMPACT YOUR HEALTH

Nowadays, there are copious amounts of milk substitutes to choose from in daily life. In addition to plain cow’s milk, there’s soy, oat, almond, cashew, and plenty more available on the market. The most popular drink options boil down to the big three: dairy, soy, and almond milk. In order to properly rank these milks, one must compare the nutritional benefits and detriments of all three. Dairy milk has a high saturated fat content, which contributes to cardiovascular issues. On the other hand, almond and soy milk consist mainly of healthy fats. In terms of protein, dairy milk takes first place with 8 grams, followed by soy milk with 7 grams, and lastly almond milk with only 1 gram of protein. In terms of calcium, dairy milk contains roughly 300 mg, and most other substitutes are infused with calcium supplements to maintain a similarly healthy daily intake. However, the calcium in soy milk can be difficult to absorb due to a compound present in soy that inhibits calcium absorption. Lastly, one has to consider sugar content. While all the milks can be drunk unsweetened, almond and soy milk are hard to handle without any artificial flavor. Dairy milk may have sugar, but it is present as lactose, which is naturally occurring and not artificially added. Thus, it is difficult to fully replace dairy milk; however, soy milk comes in a close second with the added benefit of its naturally healthy fats. In last place, almond milk provides the least amount of protein but can still be considered a healthy alternative.

references:

noble.dana. “Dairy Milk, Soy Milk, Almond Milk — Which Is the Healthiest Choice for You? - Mayo Clinic Press.” Mayo Clinic Press, 9 Sept. 2024, mcpress.mayoclinic.org/nutrition-fitness/dairy-milk-soy-milk-almond-milk-which-is-the-healthiest-choice-for-you/.

picture credit: OSF Healthcare