Cup-for-cup, unsweetened oat milk has about 50 percent more carbs and about 60 to 75 percent less protein than regular cow’s milk.Ĭalcium and Vitamin D: If you’re getting plenty of calcium and vitamin D from other foods in your diet, these nutrients are less critical to try to get from your choice of milk. Oat milk – even the unsweetened variety – is higher in carbs that most other milks. Unsweetened varieties usually have little to no sugar, while the sweetened varieties can cram in as much as 28 grams – more than a day’s worth of added sugar – into a single cup. Sugar (and carbs): If you see sugar listed on the nutrition facts label, this is almost always added sugar (such as organic cane sugar, dried cane syrup or brown rice syrup) and not the naturally-occurring milk sugar found in conventional cow’s milk. Some brands have a little more – 3 to 5 grams of protein – and still others are fortified with protein (often pea protein) to boost protein to 8 grams per cup. Protein: Compared to 8 grams of protein per cup of cow’s milk, many non-milk alternatives fall short with as little as 0 or 1 gram of protein per cup. Depending on the type of milk and whether it’s sugar-sweetened, calories can range from a very-low 25 calories per cup to as much as 190 calories per cup. Here’s what to look for on labels, what the numbers mean and why certain ingredients are added.Ĭalories: Just because it’s almond milk (or coconut, cashew or any other “milk”) doesn’t mean it’s low in calories. So, it really comes down to individual preference, and finding the best milk alternative for you may require a bit of trial and error. One isn’t necessarily better than the other, and taste, appearance and texture can vary widely. When it comes to comparing the flavors, we’re definitely not comparing apples to apples. How does it taste, and which one is best? Another option would be a protein-fortified milk alternative like Orgain’s Organic Protein Almond Milk, which has 10 grams of protein per cup. If you’re looking for a low-calorie, low-carb milk alternative that’s fortified with calcium and D, for example, then unsweetened almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk or flax milk could each be a fit, with just 25-45 calories and 1 gram of carbs or less per cup.īut if you’re looking to get more of a protein boost from your non-milk milk while still keeping sugars in check, then an option like Ripple’s Unsweetened Pea Protein milk with 8 grams of protein may be a better fit. The key is to check labels closely to find the milk alternative that has most of the nutrients you’re looking for without the icky ingredients. The good news is that for those who wish – or need – to avoid cow’s milk for dietary, nutritional or environmental reasons, there is a milk alternative to suit nearly any taste preference, intolerance or sensitivity. Added sugar is one of the main drawbacks, with even “original” or “plain” varieties of many plant-based milks packing in nearly a day’s worth of added sugar. When it comes to plant-based milk, the protein content can vary widely, ranging from zero to 10 grams of protein per cup. Rather, they contain essentially just the nuts or seeds, water and potentially flavor enhancers like sea salt or vanilla beans.) ( MALK, Forager and Three Trees are three brands that do not include any stabilizers or emulsifiers. Most plant-based milks are made from nuts, seeds or grains that are mixed with water and salt many of the major brands also include thickeners and emulsifiers like guar gum or gellan gum. The scoop on plant-based milk alternatives Each of these still provides the expected benefits of milk, such as one third of a day’s worth of calcium and a hefty dose of vitamins A and D. Takes ultra-filtering even further with their Zero Sugar milk. Ultra-filtered milk – familiar in varieties like Fairlife and Trader Joe’s – improves these nutritional stats, with 50 percent more protein and 50 percent less sugar than regular milk. And with only 8 grams of protein in a cup, regular cow’s has 50 percent more sugar than protein. Many types of milk are also made with the addition of rgGH or rbST, a synthetic growth hormone.Ĭow’s milk also contains a significant amount of sugar – 12 grams per 8-ounce cup – in the form of lactose, a naturally occurring milk sugar. A word on cow’s milkĪll varieties of cow’s milk contain some level of naturally occurring growth hormones. Opting for one of these plant-based milk alternatives can make us feel like we’re doing something good for our bodies, but are they really any better for us? The answer is complicated, but our guide will help you better understand milk and milk alternatives and the role they play in our health and wellness. Cow’s milk has ample competition these days, surrounded by an ever-growing array of “milk” made from almonds, cashews, peas, oats, hemp and other ingredients.
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