Milk does a body good…

…but which milk?

Gone are the days where the only milk-based decisions we had to make were whole, skimmed or semi-skimmed.  From cows’ and goats’ milk to non-dairy alternatives like rice, oat, and hemp milk the options are endless.  As someone who drinks milk regularly (smoothies, oatmeal, iced coffee, straight up plain), it’s a bit overwhelming to decide which kind to go for.

As a kid, my milk preference was purely in the form of Nesquik or Yazoo, preferably banana-flavored.  My taste buds seem to have matured and despite not being vegan or lactose intolerant, I’ve been drinking unsweetened soy milk for the last 2 years primarily for 3 reasons:

  1. I love the creamy taste
  2. Protein content: 6.8g per 200ml
  3. It’s readily available in Mumbai

As much as I enjoy cows’ milk, I rarely drink it as it’s close to impossible to find organic cows’ milk in Mumbai.  Also fresh non-fat/low-fat milk is not sold: milk is sold in packets which you have to boil & pasteurise at home and then refrigerate- thanks but no thanks!  The other day, I stumbled across this recipe for almond milk and as my sister is a huge fan, I gave it a whiz.  We buy almonds at home as much as we do oats- in other words, it’s a regular staple which is why I’m not surprised we enjoyed its nutty taste!

As various studies offer both beneficial and concerning effects of the oestrogenic properties in soy milk, I want to try and alternate between soy and almond milk from now on.    Whether such controversy surrounding soy milk is true, I am okay with switching it up.  As you can see from the below chart, soy milk (made from soaked soy beans & water) fares better than almond milk in terms of protein.  However I appreciate that almond milk (made from soaked almonds & water) only poses a risk to those with nut allergies- besides that, there are no noted side effects.  Plus almond milk carries all the inherent health benefits of almonds such as reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes.

While non-dairy, “fancier” milks seem to be marketed as being healthier than animal-based milks, I personally don’t believe this is the case at all.  Sure these non-dairy alternatives are placed in the “Special Dietary” or “Health Foods” aisles but in some respects, animal-based milks rank nutritionally higher. Despite its relatively high caloric value and fat content, goats’ milk scores the highest in terms of protein whereas cows’ milk provides the most calcium per serving.

While its easy to pinpoint that ____ milk is best, I think it ultimately comes down to individual needs and preferences.  Whether your requirements are based on calories, protein, sugar, lactose content,  or purely taste, find a milk that fits the bill!  That’s probably YOUR best bet of the “perfect” milk.

What milk do you drink?

44 thoughts on “Milk does a body good…”

  1. I love that comparison chart! I have never been a big cow’s milk fan. Since discovering almond milk, I rarely buy anything else.

    P.S. You have an award on my blog today. 🙂

  2. I love almond milk. I used to drink soy, but I was never enamored with the taste or texture–it was fine in cereal/baked goods but I would never just have a glass. But almond milk? Yummm. I tried coconut milk and it was okay but no almond milk, hemp milk is nasty and I have yet to give rice milk a go (I feel like it will be boring…although I have no idea why I’m so convinced of that). I’ve seen oat milk and a few other options around the grocery stores, I should give them all a go just to see, but I think any milk would have a hard time convincing me to leave almond milk behind.

  3. I’ve never been a fan of cows milk, the fattyness just turns me away. Even the fat free version just skeeves me out. I drink almond milk. I love the nutter flavor, and on a homeopathic level almond milk helps with heart burn. I don’t get heart burn, but it helps just in case!

  4. THat is a great chart… and this post has such good information, thanks for putting it together! I have been drinking light vanilla soy lately but I am going to stop that soon… I heard it might mess with your hormones or something not.so.good like that!

  5. so funny you mentioned almond milk.. i have a huge packet of almonds and i got a recipe from my friend that i’ve been dying to try. i’ll have to see how that goes.
    personally, i hate milk, i thought most indians do? lol. we love CHAI! I eat a lot of yogurt and all to make up for the lack of milk. For my tea though, I use Organic Milk – 1% or 2%. That’s it. I do like Almond Milk though – store bought.

    btw.. that dress comes in white, cream, purple – indigo, and black. 🙂

  6. You know I’m an almond milk girl. I used to be obsessed with skim milk, I’m talking 3-4 glasses a day. But then when I cut back, I noticed that my breakouts got better. I can honestly say that my face hasn’t looked this good in YEARS. I don’t like that almond milk has very very little protein but I try to make up for it with everything else I eat. 🙂 Great post as usual, K!!!

    1. I’m so glad that cutting out dairy worked out well for you :). And completely agree about making up for the lack of protein in almond milk- there are so many other protein rich foods we can eat alongside a glass of almond milk!

  7. Yeah, I agree on “While non-dairy, “fancier” milks seem to be marketed as being healthier than animal-based milks, I personally don’t believe this is the case at all” so true!
    I think it’s just personal preference, well as long as you are drinking the low-fat/fat-free cows’ milk sine whole milk does have quit a bit of saturated fat.
    I switched to almond milk for a bit but due to the lower protein content I made a switch to soy. Now I’m back to cows’ milk!

  8. Great post! Its so interesting to compare them. I’m going to admit that I drink 1% cows milk just because it’s cheap, but I’m interested to see the differences. Thanks for this!

  9. Great post and chart. Never knew goats milk was so high in protein. Ever since I gave up dairy my skin is feeling so much better and so is my stomach! Love almond milk and is now a staple in my kitchen and I do turn to soya milk when I am craving a Starbucks cappuccino (so wish they offered almond milk). Going to definitely try making almond milk at home, looks straightforward enough to do. Thanks for the recipe:)

  10. I used to LOVE milk but then I realized it was making my skin breakout terribly! So I switched to almond milk but then I realized it was giving me a stomach ache. So then I switched to rice and then to nothing.

    I have issues. 🙂

    Hope you have a great weekend!

  11. onehealthymunchkin

    That chart is awesome – I love how it makes comparing so easy!

    I mostly drink skim cow’s milk, but I sometimes buy almond milk too because I like that it can be stored out of the fridge until you open it. It prevents me from having an emergency where I run out of milk. 😉

  12. That chart was really interesting, thanks for sharing! 🙂 As a kid, I always loved milk! I would drink a few glasses of cow’s milk every day. Now, my body cant handle it anymore and I have to watch my dairy intake..

    I hope you are having a great weekend!

  13. That chart is so helpful! We definitely do mostly almond milk around here, but growing up I drank skim milk. I think I’d like to use more goat’s milk in the future.

  14. We drink soy milk too. And yes, the choice available is overwhelming. If we drink cows milk we make sure it’s organic and not homoginised or pasteurised. Happy Easter!

    1. Hi Shruti! I have not seen almond milk being sold in Mumbai but it’s very easy to make at homes with water & raw almonds.

  15. Hi Khusboo,
    I live in Powai.I just wanted to know If you have any idea where could I get the almond milk or organic cow milk as I have started on a paleo diet.I get organic fruits and veggies easily but dunno abt milk or meat products.
    If there is no place then can u share a recipe to prepare at home..

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