Soy Milk Alternatives
By Susan Palmquist
Maybe you’re a vegetarian who’s decided to go vegan,
or perhaps you’ve just opted to give up drinking cow’s
milk. Either way, there’s a good chance you’ve reached
for a carton of soy milk to replace the dairy.
But what if you hate the taste of it, or if you’re
one of the growing number of people who have an allergy to
soy? Does
it mean the bowl of cereal for breakfast is a thing of the past?
If cornflakes are one of your favorite morning
treats you’re
in luck. If you take a stroll down the natural food aisle of
most supermarkets, you’re likely to find a number of products
that make ideal substitutes for cow and soy milk. These dairy
and soy substitutes are great for drinking, pairing with cereal
and blending with fruit to make homemade smoothies.
Rice milk
If you’ve decided to go the non-soy route, a great alternative
is rice milk. It’s made from a few simple ingredients like
brown rice, filtered water and sometimes a sweetener such as
brown rice syrup. It’s completely lactose- and casein-free,
so it’s a perfect drink if you have an allergy to dairy
products. It comes in a variety of flavors and forms: original,
vanilla, carob, chocolate, low-fat and non-fat. Many food companies
are now producing a great variety of rice milks, including Imagine
Food, producers of Rice Dream milks
and frozen desserts.
“I recommend the Rice Dream original flavor because it’s
made from brown rice, a grain that aids in smoothing the digestive
tract,” says Stefan Aschan, owner of Strength 123, a New
York City-based company offering custom lifestyle programs including
exercise and nutrition. “I suggest rice milk to my clients
because it doesn’t contain milk sugar, which many people
have problems digesting.”
The average 8-ounce glass of rice milk contains just 80 calories,
zero grams of fat and 18 grams of carbohydrates and one gram
of protein.
Almond milk
Other milks that are growing in popularity are the ones made
from nuts. One most supermarkets stock is almond milk. Two
companies that produce nut milks are Blue
Diamond and Pacific
Foods,
which also makes hazelnut milk. Just like rice milk, almond
milk is available in a variety of flavors such as original
and chocolate. Aschan says if you are going to drink almond
milk, your best option is to find a brand that uses raw almonds
and not roasted ones — that way, you know you’re
drinking the milk in its most unprocessed state.
Almond milk is made from ground almonds, filtered water and
usually brown rice syrup or cane sugar to give it some sweetness.
An 8-ounce glass contains 70 calories, 2 grams of protein, 10
grams of carbohydrates and 2.5 grams of fat, making it a popular
choice for people who are following a low-carb diet.
Oat milk
Although oat milk has been on the market for sometime now, it’s
generally harder to find in -stores. Pacific Foods make oat milk
and a multi-grain variety.
Oat milk is made from oat groats and bran, filtered water and
usually some other grain like a brown rice. An 8-ounce glass
contains 110 calories, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 1.5 grams of
fat and 4 grams of protein.
Tips of the trade
One thing to remember when using non-dairy milk in savory dishes
like soups is that almost all have some type of sweetener added.
To avoid a surprise taste and a ruined recipe, look for the
unsweetened varieties.
If you can’t find any of these milks at your local store,
visit the manufacturers’ web sites. If you want to make
your own, it’s a fairly simple process using ingredients
found in just about every store. Basic recipes can be found here:
www.recipesource.com.....rec0002.html
www.recipesource.com.....oatmeal-milk1.html
www.recipesource.com.....rice-milk1.html
© Susan Palmquist
NFO Food Editor Susan Palmquist is a freelance writer specializing
in food, wellness and money-saving topics. Her work has appeared
in publications such as Psychology Today, Budget Savvy magazine
and American Profile. She writes a weekly column that can be
viewed every Friday at GardenAndHearth.com and
a new monthly column called “Budget Smart” for Let's
Go!.
