5 Healthiest Milk Alternatives

Contrary to popular belief, milk doesn't always do a body good. With many allergies on the rise due to cow milk consumption, its time to look into some alternatives.

Almond Milk-

Since almonds are a great plant-based dietary source of calcium, they make an ideal healthy milk alternative.

Almonds are also high in other essential minerals such as iron and magnesium, which as you now know, work with other minerals in the body to help them function optimally.

Coconut Milk-

Coconut is what I refer to as a “clean and lean” fat because it’s from a plant-based source, and is rich in essential fatty acids.

Coconut milk provides the body with other nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. If you enjoy the thick and rich, creamy texture of dairy, you’ll probably enjoy using coconut as a milk alternative.

Coconut milk contains a high amount of saturated fat, but the fatty acids in coconut milk are not a cause for concern. This is because the fats in coconut are medium chain fatty acids, which take a unique pathway in the body to be used as energy right away, rather than stored as fat.

Dairy products contain long chain fatty acids, which take a different pathway and longer time to digest. These are the saturated fatty acids that are most likely to be stored as fat and are best avoided.

My preference is for cartons, but if you’re using canned coconut milk, be sure to look for BPA-free cans.

Hemp Milk-

Hemp makes another great milk alternative to dairy, and is extremely rich in plant-based protein, and omega 3 essential fatty acids. Omega 3’s aid in digestive health, and aren’t found in cow’s milk, unless the cow has been grass-fed. (And even still, the amount of omega 3 fats found in hemp hearts are superior to dairy products.)

You can easily make your own hemp milk at home by blending 1 cup of hemp hearts with 4 cups of filtered water and adding a touch of pure vanilla extract.

Rice Milk-

Rice milk is an ideal milk alternative for those who are sensitive to cow’s milk and nuts. While it’s lower in protein than nut milk, it still offers plenty of B vitamins and minerals such as selenium and manganese.

Cashew Milk-

Cashew milk has become another popular alternative to cow’s milk because of it’s versatile, creamy texture. Cashews are also a popular plant alternative to use in recipes for vegan cheeses and other mock-dairy recipes.

Cashews are a good source of healthy fats and plant based protein, and are high in the minerals magnesium and potassium which are needed for good cardiovascular health.

What to Avoid in Dairy Alternatives

I personally recommend making your own nut milk at home whenever possible to avoid the added sugar and preservatives that find their way into store bought milk alternatives. (It’s often much cheaper to make your own nut milk at home, too!)

But, if you do decide to purchase nut milk from the store, ideally avoid labels that contain:

• Artificial flavors

• Artificial sweeteners

• Carrageenan (a polysaccharide that can cause inflammation in the digestive tract)

• Added sugar (such as cane sugar)