Non-Dairy Milks: How Do They Stack Up
By Rachelle LaCroix Mallik, MA, RD, LDN, Registered Dietitian and Owner of The Food Therapist, LLC
Whether used to make chai, dahi (yogurt), or haldi doodh (turmeric milk), milk is a mainstay in Indian cuisine. But many people are turning to dairy alternatives, whether due to intolerance, allergies, or interest in plant-based options. When picking a non-dairy milk, it’s important to consider the whole package and put it in context with your diet.
Here’s how some of the dairy alternatives stack up:
Soy Milk
Soy milk contains high-quality protein in similar quantities to cow’s milk, and a recent review study from McGill University found soy has the most balanced nutritional profile compared to milk. Plus soy’s phytonutrients have been shown to have anti-cancer properties.
Oat Milk
Oat milk is a newer addition, and has about 3-4 grams protein per cup. It can be a good option for those with nut allergies, but may need to be avoided by people with celiac disease as oats can be contaminated with gluten.
Almond or Coconut Milk
Other non-dairy milks like almond or coconut are much lower in protein than soy or cow’s milk, averaging 0-1 gram per cup compared to 7-8 grams per cup. However, almond and coconut milks (the non-dairy beverage, not the canned kind used for curries) are usually lower calorie options and may provide other nutrients like calcium and vitamin D if they are fortified.
Don’t miss out, check labels!
In addition to protein, milk naturally contains calcium and most milks in the US are fortified with vitamin D. When choosing a non-dairy milk, make sure to check labels – the Nutrition Facts or ingredients list – and buy fortified non-dairy milks with added calcium and vitamin D. If you consume non-dairy milk that is not fortified and do not consume dairy, you may want to take a separate calcium supplement. Even if you take a daily multivitamin, they tend to be low in calcium.
Questions? Send me an email at rachelle@rachellemallik.com.
Rachelle LaCroix Mallik, MA, RD, LDN is a Registered Dietitian and owner of The Food Therapist, LLC, a private nutrition counseling practice based in Chicago. Rachelle specializes in reproductive nutrition for fertility, prenatal, and postnatal wellness. She earned a Bachelor’s with Honors in Human Nutrition at Arizona State University and a Master’s in Food Studies – Food Culture at New York University. Rachelle is a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Women’s Health Dietetic Practice Group, and she serves on the board of the Academy’s Chicago chapter.
Rachelle lives in Lakeview with her husband Ronak, baby boy Arjuna, and adopted pup Lola. She’s also a Bolly Groover – it’s her favorite form of cardio!
Visit her at rachellemallik.com or follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @rachellemallik.
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“I’m vegetarian, doesn’t that mean I have a healthy diet?”
It’s true that a vegetarian diet has been associated with reduced chronic disease risk. However, what you eat still matters! A large study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in July 2017 found that people who consume a “healthy” plant-based diet have a lower risk of heart disease than those who consume an “unhealthy” plant-based diet.
Here are some tips for a healthy vegetarian diet:
– Choose high-fiber foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans and lentils
– Reduce intake of refined carbohydrates like white rice, white bread, sugar, and sweets
– Include healthy fats like avocados, nuts, and extra virgin olive oil
– Decrease intake of animal fats found in butter, ghee, and full-fat dairy.
Put those tips in action!
– Instead of a large plate full of rice, cut your portion in half and make the other half non-starchy vegetables, such as spinach, okra, or zucchini
– Choose brown rice instead of white, or mix it up with a higher-protein and higher-fiber whole grain, such as farro or quinoa
– Drink unsweetened chai, or at least reduce sugar by half (eg from 2 tsp to 1 tsp)
– Snack on fruit instead of sweets. Fruit naturally contains sugar, but it also has fiber and vitamins.
Content by: Rachelle Mallik, The Food Therapist
Getting Enough Protein on a Vegetarian Diet
Are you concerned you’re not getting enough? You can easily meet your needs without meat! Many plant foods provide protein, plus they’re loaded with other vitamins, minerals, and fiber. If you’re lacto-vegetarian, milk and dairy are also good sources of protein.
Healthy adults need approximately 0.8-1 gram of protein for every kilogram of body weight per day. So a person who weighs 65 kg (143 lbs) should eat at least 52 grams of protein daily. Here’s what that might look like in meal form:
Breakfast
1 cup cow or soy milk: 8g
1 cup cooked oats (1/2 cup dry): 6g
2 Tbsp chia seeds: 2g
1/2 cup blueberries
Lunch
1/2 cup cooked brown Basmati rice: 4g
1 cup masoor dal (lentils): 18g
1/2 cup bhindi sabji (okra)
Afternoon Snack
1 oz (~23) almonds: 6g
2 clementines
Dinner
1 cup saag (cooked spinach): 5g
1 oz (~5 cubes) paneer or tofu: 6g
2 whole wheat roti (~6 in): 8g
For more information on vegetarian nutrition, check out these handouts from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) and the AND’s Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group (VNDPG):
Content by: Rachelle Mallik, The Food Therapist
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