We Tried All the Vegan Eggnogs & These Were Our Favorites
Vegans rejoice! Non-dairy holiday nogs have hit stores to help make this holiday season a little more festive and a little bit sweeter.
Traditional eggnog is made with whole milk, cream, eggs and sugar. It's a rich drink and isn't low in calories or sugar. There are about 190 calories and about 20 grams of sugar in just 1/2 cup. And since eggnog is often spiked with booze, you can add a few more calories to that number.
If you're vegan (or dairy-free or egg-free), eggnog has been off limits. Luckily, lots of non-dairy milk companies have released their own holiday nog blends and the nutrition numbers look a little more impressive than the classic drink. We wanted to figure out what they taste they like so we put them to the test.
Nog-whether vegan or egg-is a treat. It's a special drink that we enjoy around the holidays, so don't stress about calories and numbers too much. The options we tasted all deliver between 8 and 15 grams of added sugar. The Dietary Guidelines recommend we get no more than 10 percent of our calories from added sugar, which would be 200 calories on a 2,000 calorie diet. 200 calories of sugar is about 50 grams. These nogs can fit within your day easily, just remember all these numbers are for 4 ounces, which isn't much.
Here's our favorite store-bought vegan nogs and how they stack up nutritionally.
Taste Test Winner: So Delicious Holiday Nog
Serving: 4 ounces
Calories: 90
Sugars: 15g
Protein: 0g
Sodium: 115mg
Calcium: 0%
Tasting notes: Our group favorite! This was the only coconut nog we tested. It had a rich and creamy texture and mild coconut flavor. The traditional nog flavors are spot on, but it was a little sweet.
Runner Up: Silk Nog Original
Serving: 4 ounces
Calories: 80
Sugars: 11g
Protein: 3g
Sodium: 80mg
Calcium: 0%
Tasting notes: Our runner up. This had a strong nutmeg flavor, just like classic eggnog. The soy-based nog was also creamy and reminded us of regular soy milk. Silk also makes an almond milk nog.
Almond Breeze Almondmilk Nog
Calories: 70
Sugars: 11g
Protein: 1g
Sodium: 75mg
Calcium: 15%
Tasting notes: The nutty flavor of almond milk came through but some of our tasters wanted some more eggnog spice. Our resident almond milk drinker liked this one a lot.
Trader Joes Almond Nog
Calories: 50
Sugars: 8g
Protein: <1g
Sodium: 65mg
Calcium: 15%
Tasting notes: Some tasters didn't love the nutty flavor, but if you're used to almond milk this could be a go. Plus, it clearly has some fans on instagram and we liked that it has less added sugar than some of the other brands we tried.
Good Karma Holiday Nog
Calories: 45
Sugars: 8g
Protein: 0g
Sodium: 80mg
Calcium: 15%
Tasting notes: Tasted sweeter than we expected based on the 8 grams of sugar. We liked that it was nut free in case you need to avoids nuts and dairy in your diet. The texture was creamy, but we weren't getting a strong flavor of eggnog. This nog is made with flax milk, so you'll get some healthy omega-3 fats while you sip.
Califia Farms Holiday Nog Almondmilk
Calories: 50
Sugars: 8g
Protein: 1g
Sodium: 90mg
Calcium: 25%
Tasting notes: This almond milk was our least favorite from a taste perspective. It wasn't as sweet as many of the other options but it left a slick taste on our tongues and wasn't as creamy as some of the other nogs we tasted.
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