Regular cow’s milk is probably a staple part of most of our diets. Either used in tea or coffee, poured into cereals, used in cooking and baking, or even drank as a beverage. Even though it’s a popular choice for most people, as it \ boasts an incredibly rich nutritional profile loaded with vitamins and minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus – some may have dietary restrictions (veganism for health or ethical reasons), personal preferences (prefer the alternatives over regular milk) or health-related restrictions (lactose intolerance or allergies), which does not let them consume regular milk. But fortunately, there are loads of alternatives in the market that exist, whether your preferences are it’s non-dairy or completely vegan.
Your non-dairy alternatives include –
Almond Milk
A popular and widely consumed alternative is almond milk. Made with real ground up almonds and water, giving it a crisp nutty flavour. Aka, Badam milk benefits include a ton of nutrients in the form of vitamins and minerals, but not very high on protein. Hence it is consumed for its low-calorific nature. With the rich goodness and health benefits that almonds already have, almond milk manages to retain it all. You can buy almond milk at any general store due to its growing popularity and demand.
Soy Milk
Another quite popular and widely consumed alternative – Soy milk has been around for decades with its nutrition profile closely resembling that of cow’s milk. Considered the best high-protein milk alternative as it offers about 7 grams of protein per cup, compared to cow milk’s 8 grams per cup. The alternative is also loaded with calcium and vitamin D along with flavoured varieties such as vanilla, and also comes in lighter and lower-calorie versions.
Coconut Milk
The newest addition to the market, coconut milk is made from adding water to the white flesh of brown coconuts, maintaining a light consistency. Not to be confused with the dense coconut milk you use already for cooking. This one’s a more diluted version, consumed mainly as a beverage for its health benefits as a regular milk alternative. Both naturally creamy and sweet in nature, it contains one-third the calories of cow’s milk, half the fat and significantly less protein and carbohydrates. It is rich in saturated fat. Hence, it’s mainly consumed by people looking to reduce their carb intake, as some studies suggest it also reduces your appetite and assists weight loss.
Oat Milk
Quite similar to almond milk, simply oat milk is a combination of oats and water. Manufacturers also add oils and salt to produce a desirable taste and texture. Unlike unsweetened almond milk, oat milk itself is naturally sweet in nature, and hence it can be used in cooking and in making your milkshakes and smoothies. Closely resembling cows milk in both taste and nutritional value also helps its cause. Other benefits include its high in protein and fibre content, but also high in calories and carbohydrates. Oat milk also contains beta-glucan, which assists in lowering your cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
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