Partner content: Dairy or Non-Dairy “Milks”?
There are so many options now in the dairy section that it may be a bit confusing to know what to buy. Here are some questions so you can evaluate your choices on your own:
Do you have a milk protein allergy? If you are allergic to milk protein you would definitely need a non-dairy beverage. There are a variety of options like soy, almond, oat, and flax which would be safe for someone with an allergy to milk protein to consume.
Do you have lactose intolerance? The good news is you can still drink milk! Look for lactose-free or lactose-reduced milk. Fairlife brand is lactose-free. You may also want to try goat’s milk which may be easier to digest. If none of these options work, try the non-dairy beverages.
• Taste: All milks and non-dairy beverages don’t taste the same! While you maybe very familiar with the taste of cow’s milk, you might find a lot of variability among the different non-dairy beverages so being willing to try/experiment may be necessary.
• Nutrition: Not all non-dairy alternative beverages are nutritionally equivalent to milk. While soy dairy-alternative has a similar protein amount, many other non-dairy beverages do not have the same amount of protein. Dairy milk has naturally occurring calcium, while non-dairy will have to have added calcium. Dairy milk has no added sugar (unless it is flavored), often non-dairy beverages will have added sugar and flavoring to be more palatable.
• Cost: Typically, cow’s milk is the most economical choice. Check the unit price on the shelf tag and see for yourself.
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• Local: Laura Lynn milk is from local dairy farmers within 150 miles of Asheville NC. The same is not true of non-dairy alternatives, i.e. those crops and the facilities to make those non-dairy beverages are not local.
Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN
Ingles Markets Corporate Dietitian
facebook.com/LeahMcgrathDietitian
800-334-4936
