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Plant Based Milk Alternatives
  • Arati Shah

  • 19, Jan. 2023

Plant Based Milk Alternatives

Today, clinical nutritionists find their consulting rooms flooded with people wanting to learn to stay healthy on a plant based diet. Most people are on the lookout for the best dietitian in Mumbai who can advise on plant based milk alternatives. Plant based foods means foods that are grown out of the ground and not that walk on ground or swim in water. Vegetarians for years have eaten what is grown out of ground only. But they have also been consuming milk from cows, goats, sheep, camel, etc. But today, many are looking at excluding the use of animal products completely which also includes milk obtained from animals along with the products made from it. And this ideology is what is termed as ‘veganismFollowers of this kind of a lifestyle do so as they are animal supporters and lovers, love the planet and so want to save the environment and finally want to live a healthier and disease free life.  

Now, the other class of people are those that cannot digest the milk sugar namely lactose. They also need to exclude milk from their diet. Some are allergic to cow’s milk and so need to exclude milk from their diet.  

Milk has been a staple in our diets from centuries. And, don’t forget the benefits that come with it – namely calcium, vitamin b12, good quality protein for the vegetarians, etc. So, how does one stay away from dairy and still not miss it, especially milk.  

Here come the plant based dairy alternatives. They have been around in some cultures for a long time now and are now called as vegan milk. They can be used for drinking and cooking alike. The following are some of the non-dairy milk alternatives: 

  1. Oat milk 

  1. Hazelnut milk 

  1. Cashew milk 

  1. Soy milk 

  1. Almond milk 

  1. Coconut milk 

  1. Rice milk 

  1. Walnut milk 

These milks may not have a high protein content like the bovine milk but they have functional or bioactive compounds that offer health benefits like protective effect against cancer and cardiovascular disease, cholesterol lowering properties, anti diabetic properties, prebiotic properties, etc.  

Two important points to consider while buying them: 

1. Added sugar: Buy the unsweetened varieties as sugar is often used to mask the original flavor and make it more palatable. 

2. Calcium fortification: Choose the ones that are fortified with calcium as these milks have very less calcium that bovine milk has to offer. 

You may quit animal milk for any reason, but do remember that the nutrients that you would miss from them need to be compensated in your diet. Remember, a nutritionist offering clinical nutrition therapy program can help you plan balanced healthy meals to live a fuller life on a plant based diet.