Hey there! Today we’re answering one of your questions about plant-based milks. Which one should you pick? Is one superior to another? Listen in to get the full scoop.
OVERVIEW:
When it comes to milks, we usually recommend taking into account tolerance, preference, and nutritional value. What do I mean by this? Well for many, cow’s milk is out of the question because of lactose intolerance. Similarly, the same concept can apply to other milks too- people who have allergies or sensitivities to let’s say soy or almonds, should probably avoid milks derived from those foods.
Once you know which milk options you have based on tolerance, you want to look at preference. Some people prefer the flavor and consistency of almond milk over rice milk. Personally, I prefer to use unsweetened organic soy milk for breakfast, as a way to get additional protein into my mornings. I know Jess likes using unsweetened almond milk for breakfast, and gets her protein from other foods. Another example highlighting preference- I love coconut milk but wouldn’t use it in smoothies or cereal because it’s so rich. Instead, I use it when cooking stews or soups. I get that delicious coconut flavor, but the richness gets cut down with water and all of the other ingredients that are used in the stew. In a nutshell, you may be using different milks for different things based on what you like, which is totally cool.
Lastly comes nutrition, which I kinda touched on just now. Like I mentioned before, I take protein into consideration when choosing nut milks since I’m a vegetarian. You may be interested in things like calcium, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and other nutrients. The good thing is that many of the nut milks on the market are fortified with these nutrients, and so the end result is comparable or superior to cow’s milk in nutrients like calcium, vitamin D&E, and more. This is something to keep in mind when making nut milks at home, because the end result is not fortified with nutrients, which is fine, just make sure you’re getting those nutrients from other foods.
PRO-TIPS:
- Go for unsweetened milks, to avoid added sugars.
- Also, if possible, choose organic.
- And lastly avoid products that have carrageenan, which is often used in almond milks to thicken and emulsify. This additive has been negatively linked with gut inflammation, so look at the label and choose accordingly.
Now onto your ice cream question, I typically recommend going for products that have a simple list of ingredients, ingredients that for the most part, you can pronounce and recognize. One of my faves in Talenti, especially because they have so much variety in flavors. I know Jess is a big fan of So Delicious, which has a great variety of dairy-free ice creams that are creamy and not as processed as other brands I’ve come across.
Alright, I hope I answered your questions and thank you so much for taking the time to send us your question. If you like what you heard, make sure you give us some likes & reviews on iTunes and stitcher– it helps more people find us. And we would love it if you sent your questions over to us so we can record them into a mini-episode like this one. Simply go to our podcast tab, and record at the top of the page. You can also email us your recording. Thanks for tuning in!
Leave a Reply