Pros and Cons of Milk Alternatives
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About the Show
Cow, almond, oat, soy, coconut…even ordering a coffee can leave you spinning with choices. Is one type of milk really better than the other? How do you know which one is right for your health and lifestyle? On this episode, Chuck Gaidica is joined by Registered Dietitian Shanthi Appelö to explain milk alternatives and whether they are healthier than cow's milk. And what should we really be drinking?
In this episode of A Healthier Michigan Podcast, we explore:
- Is cow milk bad for us?
- Are milk alternatives “healthy?”
- What are the nutrition facts on these alternatives?
- How can we read labels to make the healthiest choices?
Transcript
Here is the full transcript of this episode. You can listen to the audio version on streaming platforms or watch on YouTube.
Chuck Gaidica:
All right, listen to these words now: cow, almond, oat, soy, coconut, all kinds of milks. Even ordering a coffee can leave you spinning with all the choices. Is one type of milk really better for you than another? And how do you know which one is right for your health and lifestyle?
Chuck Gaidica:
Welcome to a Healthier Michigan Podcast. I'm your host, Chuck Gaidica, and every other week we dive into topics that help us live our healthiest life, covering everything from nutrition to mental health, physical health, and social media trends, and how it all impacts your wellness. Today, we're joined by Shanthi Appelo, registered nutritionist, who's here to help us break down this growing array of milk types, explore the health benefits of each (if there are any), and give us guidance for choosing what's best for us beyond the social media trends we're seeing on our phones.
Chuck Gaidica:
Good to see you again.
Shanthi Appelo:
Yeah, likewise.
Chuck Gaidica:
So I named off just some of the milks out there, and I didn't say chocolate milk was great for you, although, you know, I do snag that every once in a while. Let's start with milk, right, cow's milk. It's been around forever. What are the main health benefits of what we would call regular cow's milk?
Shanthi Appelo:
The reason it's been part of a lot of recommendations is the calcium that's in it. One glass has about a third of what we need in a day as adults. And of course, when children are young, their needs are a little greater. It's really important to build up those calcium stores for when they're older. That's why it's long been a big recommendation. It's also got a little bit of protein, about 8 grams per cup. That's important. A lot of them are fortified with vitamin D, which helps with calcium absorption. It's also very versatile.
Shanthi Appelo:
It's been a part of our recommendations for a long time for those reasons.
Chuck Gaidica:
Well, a lot of people are cutting back. The question then becomes, what are you going to cut back to? If you want to put something in your coffee, or have it on your cereal, what's a good idea? And for some kids, under what age is it not recommended?
Shanthi Appelo:
Right. The immature kidneys and other reasons are why we don't recommend cow's milk for kids under 12 months.
Chuck Gaidica:
Alternative milks? You're saying they're not recommended?
Shanthi Appelo:
Not recommended under a year. But for kids with allergies and things like that, you work with your pediatrician to figure out something that works, especially if you have a protein allergy. There are a lot of reasons why people choose not to drink cow's milk, ethical reasons, like concerns about animal welfare, or environmental reasons, since cows use a lot of water and land and contribute to CO2 emissions. Some people feel that health-wise, it's better to choose something else, whole milk, for example, has a lot of saturated fat, which can impact heart health if you consume too much. So there are alternatives, and it really comes down to reading the label, because they're fortifying them with the same nutrients, adding protein, and making them very similar to cow's milk.
Chuck Gaidica:
That's interesting you say that. If I go back to my childhood, one of the reasons I didn't have alternative milk is because it wasn't a thing.
Shanthi Appelo:
It wasn't, right.
Chuck Gaidica:
And in some countries, even today, it's just not a thing. You may not even know it's available or be exposed to it. It's interesting to wonder: is this about marketing? You used the word "fortified," which is interesting, these milks are still being mixed and created for us. When you talk about the environment, how much water goes into almonds, for example, how do you squeeze an almond to make milk? Well, you blend it with water, but then there's water usage. I've defaulted myself to almond milk for coffee and other things. Is that the most common? Is it oat, or which is the most common plant-based milk out there?
Shanthi Appelo:
I would say it's mostly soy. It's the most similar to cow's milk. Pea milk is less common, but it tastes great and is also similar to cow's milk in protein content. Of course, calcium and vitamin D are added. One thing to recognize is that a lot of this fortification is happening to cow's milk too, when we see high-protein milk or ultra-filtered options, they're altering it as well.
Chuck Gaidica:
Lactose-free, too. Anytime they're altering it, you're going to pay more for it.
Shanthi Appelo:
Yes, and that's another reason people choose plant-based milks, because of the lactose. About 36% of Americans can't tolerate lactose, and that number is higher in certain populations, like African American and Native American communities, and lower in Northern Europeans. That's another reason for choosing alternatives.
Shanthi Appelo:
When it comes down to it, you have to compare labels. Different brands have different ingredients. Look for at least 300 milligrams of calcium and 100 IU of vitamin D. Watch for added sugar, especially with flavors like vanilla or chocolate; most likely, there's sugar added. Look for no more than 5 grams of added sugar, the less, the better. Aim for something with similar protein to milk, maybe about 8 grams, for satiety.
Chuck Gaidica:
Let's talk about sugars in milk, because that's something I look at when I check the calories right on the front. I see my usual milk is 30 calories for a glass, but you can go up to 60 or 100 calories. I know they're adding more sugar to make it taste better, like vanilla sweetened milk.
Shanthi Appelo:
Sometimes they add a little fat, too, to make it creamier, especially with barista blends.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah, no kidding. That's interesting.
Shanthi Appelo:
They're making full-fat oat milk now.
Chuck Gaidica:
They're making creamers, too, so it's not just more oats, it's more fat.
Shanthi Appelo:
Yes, that's often the case. So it really comes down to what you're doing at the store: looking at added sugar, total fat, and the nutrients that matter for everyday health.
Chuck Gaidica:
So getting those vitamins and nutrients, reading labels in general, is that a good idea for us to start practicing?
Shanthi Appelo:
Especially for alternative milks. If you're getting something at a coffee shop, you won't have access to that, but I can give an overview of each milk. Soy milk is good for protein, but watch for added sugar, especially in flavored varieties. Its composition is generally similar to cow's milk. Oat milk is popular in coffee because it's creamier, I'm an oat milk person myself. Unsweetened, it works well in cooking and steams well for lattes. It has less protein, about 4 to 5 grams per cup. Almond milk is popular, especially for environmental reasons, but it uses a lot of water to produce. It's good if you want something low calorie and creamy, but it has little protein, about a gram per cup, so it's best as a splash or for light use.
Chuck Gaidica:
If you're adding it in places where you'd usually put cream or milk, french toast with oat or almond milk, just add it to the eggs and still get the protein from the egg. There are ways to use it where you're blending it with other things, and it seems to work fine.
Shanthi Appelo:
Yes, like in smoothies. Then there's coconut milk, we don't hear as much about it for drinking because it's high in saturated fat. Just because it's plant-based doesn't mean it can't have a negative effect on heart health. The saturated fat is evident when you see it solid at room temperature, with liquid at the end of the can. It's great for cooking, like curries, but something to be cautious about.
Chuck Gaidica:
That's funny, since coconut water has become so popular. You'd think coconut milk would be, too, but it's not.
Shanthi Appelo:
Coconut water is consumed more for its electrolytes, it's had much of the fat extracted.
Chuck Gaidica:
Is there any milk we're missing? You mentioned pea protein milk, but that's not such a big product, is it?
Shanthi Appelo:
Not really. There's also cashew milk and rice milk. Sometimes it's a matter of allergies, just check what makes sense for your lifestyle.
Chuck Gaidica:
As we wrap up, let's talk about this balance again. We are inundated, it's a wall of milk now.
Shanthi Appelo:
When it comes down to it, we need to think about the nutrients we need daily, a lot of which can come from milk. We need calcium for strong bones; women over 50 tend to need more. Vitamin D helps us absorb calcium and provides energy. We need protein to help keep us full, and milk is a great way to get some without overdoing it with protein bars. Milk fits into common foods, smoothies, coffee, and more. It comes down to reading labels to make sure we're not over-consuming saturated fat or added sugar.
Chuck Gaidica:
Start reading labels. OK, that's my charge, to keep reading labels. Thanks. Good to see you, Shanthi. Thank you.
Chuck Gaidica:
And thank you for joining us on a Healthier Michigan Podcast, brought to you by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. If you like our show and want to know more, check us out at ahealthiermichigan.org/podcast. You can give us a rating, share the podcast, leave comments, and let us know what you'd like us to talk about next. Subscribe and favorite us wherever you listen, and check us out on YouTube, too. We hope we gave you a tip today to stay healthy.
Chuck Gaidica:
Until next time, I'm Chuck Gaidica. Be well.
