Plant Based Milk
- plantalantatrees
- Mar 19, 2021
- 3 min read
There are tons of plant based milks in grocery stores now, so it can be kind of intimidating to pick one with so many options available. Some plant based milks have more protein, whereas others have more vitamins and minerals. There is also the question of sustainability as some plant based milks are not as sustainable for the planet as others. It can be hard to pick one with so many factors to consider, but hopefully, this blog post makes things easier.
First, let's talk about cow milk. Recently, many people have been transitioning to plant based milks because of ethical or health concerns. Some people also drink plant based milk because of dietary restrictions such as lactose intolerance or dairy allergies. In terms of nutrition, one cup of full fat cow milk contains 149 calories, 7.7 grams of protein, 11.7 grams of carbs, 8 grams of fat, b12, B2, vitamin D, and calcium. Different types of cow milk such as 2%, 1% or skim may have different amounts of calories and grams of fat which is something to note.
Next, the most well known plant milk- almond milk. Almond Milk is made of almonds and water, so it can be a little thinner than cow milk. One cup of almond milk contains 39 calories, 3 grams of fat, 1 gram of protein, 24% of the daily value of calcium, and 110% of the daily value of calcium. Almond milk is lower in calories and fat than cow milk, but it is also lower in protein. Almond milk would be a good plant based alternative for people looking to cut down on calories and fat, but would not be a great choice for people who are trying to eat more protein. There is also a sustainability concern with almond milk as almonds require huge amounts of water to grow which is not sustainable. Almond milk comes in a variety of flavors and can be made at home, which could make it a convenient option for some.
Another plant based milk that is gaining in popularity is oat milk. Oat milk is made of blended oats and water. One cup of oat milk by the brand Oatly has 120 calories, 3 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat, 50% of the daily value of b12, 27% of the daily value of calcium, 18% of the daily value of Vitamin D, 18% of the daily value of Vitamin A, and 46% of the daily value of riboflavin. Oat milk has less protein than some other plant milk options, but it has many more vitamins and minerals. Oat milk can also help lower blood cholesterol and is good for bone health. There are also a variety of options available with oat milk creamer and different flavors of oat milk.
Another popular plant based milk is soy milk. Soy milk has 7 grams of protein per cup which is comparable to the amount of protein cow milk has. One cup of soy milk has 80 calories and is normally fortified with calcium and potassium. Soy milk normally does not have as many vitamins as oat milk but it has much more protein. Soy milk would be a good cow milk replacement for people who are concerned about their protein intake. There are also many flavors of soy milk available.
Overall there are many plant based milk options with nutrition values similar to cows milk but with less environmental impact. Even if you cannot completely give up dairy, choosing to drink plant based milk is a great way to reduce environmental impact and live a more sustainable life :)
- Saloni
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