KITCHEN TIPS & TECHNIQUES

A Buyer's Guide to Milk, part II

Don’t have a cow: milk can come from many sources

Nine out of 10 glasses of milk consumed in the United States come from cows, but increasingly, Americans are “milking” other options. For instance, sales of goat’s milk more than doubled from 2003 to 2007 and the demand for “alterna-milks” (made from soy, rice, almond and even hemp) is at an all-time high. Though you may drink these plant-based milks in place of what Elsie produces, “Technically, these drinks aren’t really milk,” says Catherine W. Donnelly, Ph.D., of the University of Vermont. “Milk is a secretion from mammary glands and plants don’t have mammary glands.” What’s more, plant-based milks don’t contain lactose, the sugar found in milk, and with the exception of almond milk, they naturally contain only negligible amounts of calcium. And, though many are fortified with calcium and vitamin D, they may not be as nutritious. “You often don’t absorb as much of the nutrients as you do from cow’s milk,” says Robert Heaney, M.D., professor of medicine at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. He notes that compounds in soymilk called phytates may bind calcium, making it less available to the body.

Still, for people who cannot tolerate or choose not to consume cow’s milk (as well as for those who just want to shake things up), plant-based milks are healthful options that often provide unique benefits of their own. Read more in our milk comparison chart and tasting.

Milk/"Milk" Comparison chart (per 1 cup)*
	Calories	Fat/Saturated	Protein	Carbo- hydrate	Fiber	Calcium	Vitamin D
Cow’s	80-150 (nonfat to whole)	0.5-8 g fat/ 0-5 g saturated	8-9 g	12-13 g	0 g	30% DV	25% DV
Goat's	90-150 (nonfat to whole)	2.5-8 g fat/ 1.5-5 g saturated	7-8 g	9-12 g	0 g	30% DV	Up to 30% DV
Soy	60-130	2-6 g fat/ 0-0.5 g saturated	4-12 g	5-15 g	0-4 g	4-30% DV	Up to 30% DV
Rice	110-120	2.5 g fat/ 0 g saturated	1 g	20-24 g	0 g	2-25% DV	Up to 25% DV
Almond	60-80	2.5-4.5 g fat/ 0-0.5 g saturated	2-9 g	5-11 g	0-4 g	20-30% DV	Up to 25% DV
Hemp	110-130	3-7 g fat/ 1 g saturated	4-5 g	6-20 g	1 g	2-46% DV	Up to 25% DV
*Data reflects a sample of 20 readily available milks/“milks.” For plant-based “milks,” we included only plain varieties—both sweetened and unsweetened, when available.

Milk/”Milk” Tasting Notes

Cow’s milk

Nutrition notes: One cup provides a third of the recommended daily dose for calcium and 16% of the daily value for protein. It’s a good source of vitamin D (through fortification) and phosphorus, which build strong bones, as well as the B vitamin riboflavin.

Goat’s milk

Taste tips: Goat’s milk has a strong (tangy/sour) flavor. Some of our Test Kitchen staff likened it to “drinking goat cheese.”
Nutrition notes: Like cow’s milk, goat’s milk contains lactose, just a tad less. Many suggest that people who are allergic to cow’s milk can tolerate goat’s milk but immunologists often advise those allergic to cow’s milk to avoid goat’s milk, too, because of cross-contamination risks.

Soy “milk”

Taste tips: If you’re looking for a drink comparable to cow’s milk, EatingWell’s Test Kitchen recommends sweetened soymilk, such as Plain Silk. Varieties labeled “unsweetened” tend to impart a “beany” flavor. (If it’s not labeled “unsweetened,” generally it’s sweetened.)
Nutrition notes: Studies link soy’s protein and phytoestrogens with a reduced risk of cancer and heart disease. Choose a soymilk fortified with calcium and vitamin D (30% DV and 25% DV, respectively)—and shake before you pour, as added nutrients can settle to the bottom of the carton.

Rice “milk”

Taste tips: From the standpoint of taste, texture and appearance, rice milk is—hands down—the best substitute for cow’s milk, concurs EatingWell’s Test Kitchen crew. Staff favorite: WestSoy Rice Plain.
Nutrition notes: Rice milk is lower in protein and higher in carbohydrates than cow’s milk and soymilk. It’s also a poor natural source of calcium so choose one that’s fortified with the mineral.

Almond “milk”

Taste tips: Almond milk doesn’t taste much like cow’s milk, but if you’re looking for a plant-based drink with “inherently delicious” flavor, says one of our tasters, it’s worth a try. Some brands (e.g., Westsoy Unsweetened Almond, Blue Diamond Almond Breeze) are “nuttier” than others, our Test Kitchen notes.
Nutrition notes: Almond milk is naturally high in calcium. Buy one that’s fortified with vitamin D, too, for a nutrition profile similar to cow’s milk.

Hemp

Taste tips: Our testers’ comments ranged from “grainy and nutty” to “gritty, dirty and unacceptable.” Hemp-based milk is a poor substitute for cow’s milk, says our Test Kitchen.
Nutrition notes: Hemp milk supplies high-quality protein (i.e., a good mix of amino acids) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acid.

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Milk Buyer's Guide, part I
Healthy Recipes and Menus for Bone Health
Bone Health Center

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USER COMMENTS — Add Your Comment

What about powdered milk?

Wojciak, El Paso, TX

What about Parma Milk?

Nick Robins, New Orleans, LA

What about a drink that has soy and whey mixture with all the daily vitamins added so 1 eight oz. glass gives you 25% of the daily vitamins you need? I know of a drink that is made of Whey and Soy powder and does have the vitamins in it. Milk gives me a bloated feeling and the whey and soy do not. I would like to know the value and comparison of milk.

BJ, Orem, UT

Some vital informmation is missing: 1) What is the sugar content and type of sugars? 2) Sodium content? 3) Cooking reliablility? Some substitutes break down and are not good for cooking. These could be one. That should have been looked at and published. 4) other than "premixed" liquids, what other forms of "milk" are availible? For example, we have canned milk, powdered milk, condensed milk, etc. This directly relates to cooking and transportation, which leads to being "green". 5) the average person who hadn't ever looked at optional "milk" substitutes, does not know the cost per unit. In our recession, potential depression of the 2000's, that's vital info, not to mention possible marketing. 6) What are the potential "side effects" of users who may have allergies to certain plants? We never knew about peanuts, until so many came out of the closet with allergies. HUGE safety concerns such as this should be investigated and posted. To put it plainly, this article is VERY INCOMPLETE. It only shows some of the benies and possible problems. This is only a surface article, not part of an educational tool, as its posed to be, via being a "guide".

EMMGEE, Toledo, OH

Cow's milk is for baby cows. That's why you don't see human babies suckling a cow's teat.

kris, San Anselmo, CA

It is common knowledge by now that vit D3 is more beneficial than D2. In fact, D2 is practically worthless, hardly any of it, if at all, absorbable. Anyone know why D2 is still used in all soy milk?

Barb, NYC, NY

D3 is an animal-derived product (from uaually from lanolin, but also from fish). D2 is from plants. Many people who use soymilk etc. do so because we believe it is unethical, repulsive, non-green (etc., etc.) to use animal products of any kind. By using D2 instead of D3, soymilk remains vegan. They would shoot themselves in the foot to taint it with animal by-products.

Chris, Bloomington, IN

What brands of milk are lactose-free?

lam, Hanoi, VN

It's interesting how plant milks are stubbornly compared to cows milk in this article, as if cow milk is a norm for human consumption. Yet it's produced by cows for their babies. From a nutritional point of view, animal milk (besides human milk for babies) is absolutely unnecessary- leafy vegetables nuts and seeds contain more calcium than cow milk. Vit D is naturally produced by sunlight. There are also products fortified vegetable based vit D, like plant milk. This "comparison chart" is very poorly done because it fails to show the % of vitamins and minerals that plant milks contain. But it's easy to look up in Wikipedia for instance. (look for almonds, oats, soy, rice, spinach...) Cow milk is a perfect drink - for baby cows.

anna, Stockholm, SW