Way back when, milk was just milk and it came from a cow. Then there was soy, for people who wanted a dairy alternative, and now nut milks are everywhere. But with all the options, which one is better for us? Thankfully, this research compares different types of milk so we know which is healthiest.
Looking at the calories, total fat, saturated fat, protein, sugar, and calcium, here’s the breakdown on the milk variations:
- Cow’s milk - It’s full of essential nutrients, but it also has sugar and saturated fat. The nonfat or 1% options are better, but some people are lactose intolerant, so they can’t drink animal milk.
- Sweetened versions of any milk - A lot of soy and nut milks are loaded with sugar, that’s how they make them taste so good! But they’re definitely not the healthiest choice.
- Cashew milk - Without the sugar, this one has the fewest calories, but it doesn’t offer much protein.
- Rice and soy milks - They’re higher in calories, have less protein and there’s still some debate about how much soy we should be eating.
- Unsweetened almond milk - This is the overall winner because it has the second fewest calories, behind cashew, but it also has more calcium than cow’s milk and more protein than rice or cashew. Without the sugar, it has the least amount of fat after unsweetened cashew and nonfat milk. So unsweetened almond milk is the healthiest choice.
Source: My Domaine