With all of the information out there about the dangers of cow milk (growth hormones, antibiotics) what should you use instead? Nowadays, there is a plethora of other choices out there if you don’t want to consume dairy.

People prefer to use non-dairy milks because:

• Lactose intolerance or milk allergy;
• There is no casein in them; and
• They have less saturated fat in them than dairy milk.

Generally, most of these dairy milk substitutes are priced similarly or even lower than cow’s milk. You can get a carton of soymilk for about $3.00 at most retailers. Often, alternative milks are on sale, too. Milk’s prices usually fluctuate (usually up) with that of petroleum because of the high petroleum cost in dairy production. Rice, legume, and hemp farmers have different cost structures but it is almost always lower.

Soy Milk

Soy milk is made from soybeans, oil and water. It can be made at home with a soy milk machine. Soy milk is also widely available in American grocery stores and comes in a variety of flavors, most notably vanilla, chocolate and original, with light versions of each available.

The protein and fat content is somewhat similar between dairy milk and soy milk. Soy milk doesn’t have much digestible calcium but most, if not all, soy milk companies enrich their product with calcium carbonate as well as vitamin D. The American Heart Association found that soy milk has high levels of polyunsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals and a low saturated fat content

Goat’s Milk

In a July 2007 article, Science Daily reported that goat’s milk has been proven to be more beneficial to humans than cow’s milk. Comparatively, goat’s milk prevents more diseases and aids in digestion, two claims that are not affiliated with cow’s milk.

For instance, researchers claim they have evidence that goat’s milk can help prevent anemia and bone demineralization. In addition, it aids the digestive system by metabolically utilizing minerals like iron, calcium, phosphorous and magnesium. Mainly, this means that it helps the body to utilize these important minerals and also helps to deposit them in their target organs, according to researcher Javier Diaz Castro.

Almond Milk

Almond milk has no cholesterol or lactose in it. The general consensus is that almond milk tastes the closest to dairy milk, which means it has a thicker, creamy flavor. As a standard for reference:

Almond Milk:

• Calories: 60
• Calcium: 30% DV
• Vitamin D: 25% DV
• Saturated Fat: 0g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sugars: 7g

1% Dairy Milk:

• Calories: 100
• Calcium: 30% DV
• Vitamin D: 25% DV
• Saturated Fat: 1.5g
• Cholesterol: 12mg
• Sugars: 13g

This data was drawn from USDA, ARS 2008, Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 21.

You can make your own almond buttermilk if you need it. Just take a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice and add it to your milk substitute. Let it sit for a minute and it will have the consistency and tangy flavor of buttermilk

Rice Milk

Rice milk is a grain milk made from processed brown rice. It generally has no added sweeteners because its own carbohydrates turn into sugars during processing. It is often used by lactose-intolerant people or those allergic to soy. Rice milk comes in unflavored, vanilla, or chocolate. You can sometimes find it in almond flavor as well.

To make your own rice milk, try long-cooking Basmati or a short brown rice with water for 4-6 hours. Strain it and you’re done.

Hemp Milk

Hemp milk is legal the same way that hemp clothing is legal. It is made from the seeds of the hemp plant. It contains Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids and 46% of your daily calcium intake. There is no fear of reaction for those allergic to dairy, tree nuts or soy. Unlike dairy milk, there is no cholesterol present. Additionally, it does not use cane sugar as a sweetener.

Recipes

Bodacious Almond Date Milk

(Adapted from Reinfeld, Mark, Bo Rinaldi and the chefs of the Blossoming Lotus (2005). Vegan World Fusion Cuisine: Healing Recipes & Timeless Wisdom from our Hearts to Yours, 188)

Time: 15 min | Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almonds (1 1/2 cup soaked), blanched
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup dates, chopped
• Pinch of cinnamon powder
• Pinch of cardamom powder

First soak, rinse and peel almonds. To blanche, drop the soaked almonds into a pot of boiling water, remove after 10 seconds, drain, and then rinse thoroughly under cold water. The skins should slide off easily. Now, put the almonds in a blender with the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.

For best preparation, finish the drink off by straining through a cheese cloth so that the milk is creamy. This recipe is great because you can adjust it to your own preferences by substituting other types of nuts, seeds or dried fruits.

If you don’t want to give your baby cow’s milk and you find that soy milk gives them gas (which is common) then try the rice milk recipe listed above. After straining, add whey protein and essential fatty acids for your baby’s nutrition.

Soy milk and cow’s milk are considered large proteins and may be difficult for a baby’s not fully-formed digestion system to handle. Rice, on the other hand, is easy for babies to digest. Whey has smaller casein molecules, which are fine for baby digestion and avoid colic or gas.

Horchata

(Adapted from Meal-Master recipe)

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup long grain rice
• 4 cups rice milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• Ice

Place the rice in a bowl with enough hot water to cover it. Allow the rice to soak overnight. The next day, strain out the water. Then, put 1/2 cup fresh water and 2 cups rice milk in a blender and blend until the rice has liquefied. Stir in the 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp of cinnamon. Once absorbed into mixture, do the same with the other half of the ingredients. Finally, strain through a cheesecloth for a creamy consistency. Serve over ice and garnish with cinnamon sticks.