The consumption of plant-based milk has increased rapidly in recent years due to its numerous positive health effects on the human body, gone are the days of everyone drinking full cream cow milk. I mean think about it, when was the last time you saw a Clover advert on TV? I don’t know about you but I haven’t seen one in years and there is a valid reason for that. When you go to the store in search of ‘milk’ there are so many different types that it becomes so difficult to know which one is best for you (just go to Dischem and you’ll see what I mean), there is dairy milk but also plant-based milk (soy, oat, almond). So, which one is the most beneficial? To answer that question, let’s first understand how plants are turned into milk.
The process
To turn a plant into something resembling milk, it must be either drained, rinsed, soaked or milled until it becomes a thick paste. Once this is complete, micronutrients including vitamin B12, B7, C & D are added to the mix. Once this is complete, the paste is flavoured and diluted with water and….viola, you have plant-milk. Gums are used to improve stability and salt and sweeteners are used to improve the taste. This can be done with several different plants but for now let’s focus on the most common types, almond, soy and oat milk.
Almond milk
Of the plant-based milk listed above, unsweetened almond milk has the least amount of calories (only 30kcal per cup) so this is perfect for someone looking to cut down on weight. However, it lacks in protein with only 1 gram of protein per cup and has the least amount of nutrient compared to the other two plant milks.
Oat milk
Like almond milk, oat milk has a low protein content and a high carbohydrate content (not the best option for someone trying to lose weight) but on the upside, oat milk is full of beta-glucans. Beta-glucans are a source of fiber which may reduce high cholesterol and improve skin conditions such as eczema.
Soy milk
Soy milk is the closest comparison to dairy milk, it has the same amount of protein and is also a great source of potassium, you can’t go wrong here. But let’s face it, it tastes like sh*t. It’s kinda like meeting a girl who has all the attributes to better your life as a man, she’s smart, hard-working and brings out the best in you but…she’s damn ugly! (sorry ladies, lol)
Which one is the best option?
Let’s imagine we line up all the milks together in a race and the winner should be your best option to buy.
· Scenario 1: If you’re lactose intolerant then diary milk is out of the running.
· Scenario 2: if you’re allergic to nuts, then almond milk loses out.
· Scenario 3: if you’re overweight then oat milk loses
· Scenario 4: if you do not have access or the financial means to afford plant-based milk (a large chunk of South Africans are in this category) then dairy milk will be your only option.
Now if you notice, all the scenario listed above results in one choosing a certain type of milk because of their circumstances NOT their preference or health benefits. So, let’s say you have no allergies, you’re not overweight, you have access to all types of milk, you’re not lactose intolerant and you have no problem with the taste of all the different types of milk listed, which one should you pick? My answer……. pick the one that is best for the planet. This means picking the milk that uses the fewest resources and produces the least pollution. So, lets look at cow’s milk for a sec, it takes roughly 4sq kilometers to produce just one glass of milk (cows gotta eat right), on top of that, the cows are fed soy beans in the dry seasons. That’s a lot of resources spent just to produce one glass of milk if you ask me. Another factor we must not forget about is the usage of water when producing milk. Large amounts of water are used to 1. Hydrate the cows and 2. Grow and maintain their food, it is estimated that 120 liters of water are used just to produce one glass of milk.
Almond milk is a great option to pick when comparing it to dairy milk because it uses fewer resources. Unlike cow’s milk where the usage of land and maintenance of the cow’s health are unnegotiable factors, almonds grow on trees, so it takes much less land to grow them. However, these trees need large amounts of water to grow and be maintained and this takes years before the almonds are produced. It is approximated that to produce one glass of almond milk, 70 liters of water is used.
And then there were two, soy and oats. Both require less water to grow and do not require as much land use as dairy milk does and are much cheaper to produce. But there is no ways I’m encouraging you guys to go for soy milk, its really really bad! Therefor, my winner is oat milk (Provided you are not looking to lose weight).
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