Coconut milk? Almond? Soy? Dairy?

13

Replies

  • MarziPanda95
    MarziPanda95 Posts: 1,326 Member
    Cow milk or nothing, for me. I tried soy milk once and it was okay but watery. It was a lot of calories too. The unsweetened one with less calories isn't very nice imo. I don't like nut milks either since I'll dislike it if I even taste a small hint of nut flavour, yuck. So I've stuck to semi-skimmed which is what I've been drinking my whole life.
  • lulucitron
    lulucitron Posts: 366 Member
    For coffee I use 5 or 10% cream. I only have 3 cups and 3tbsp of creamer does nothing bad to me. For oatmeal and shakes I use almond milk. It has less carbs and sugars than milk and just as much calcium plus has potassium which isn't in milk. Milk does have more protein but I add in protein powder and eat plenty of other high protein foods, so it's good. I'd rather have the less sugar.
  • JazzyKat30
    JazzyKat30 Posts: 2 Member
    I personally prefer unsweetened original almond milk. I use it in my coffee, to make cold coffee, in my cereal, to cook with! I personally can't drink regular milk bc I have IBS & it makes me sick. My next preference is original unsweetened soy milk. I HATE the vanilla in either one unless I am exclusively using it to make cold coffee.
  • 32sami
    32sami Posts: 380 Member
    I like almond
  • fr3smyl
    fr3smyl Posts: 1,418 Member
    I have soy, dairy, and almond allergies do it's coconut for me. Although I do like the taste of soy milk and almond milk.
    My daughter likes soy then almond.
    My husband's like organic dairy.
    It depends on what they are using it for.
  • LovingLifeInCalifornia
    LovingLifeInCalifornia Posts: 9,362 Member
    I was drinking unsweetened almond milk....UNTIL the stores started carrying cashew milk. YUM. So much better.

  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    I developed lactose intolerance this past year, and out of the non dairy milks we have tried, Silk brand soymilk is the house favorite. We use it in coffee and cereal, and my 3 year old enjoys Silk's chocolate soymilk in her sippy cup.

    Despite what some quacks/bloggers say about soy, its perfectly healthful.

    Taste wise, i like rice milk, but I was outvoted!
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,009 Member
    I was drinking unsweetened almond milk....UNTIL the stores started carrying cashew milk. YUM. So much better.
    Of all the nut-milks cashew is my favorite too...
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited June 2015
    I like dairy for protein and enjoy the way it tastes, so nut milks are a terrible substitute. Soy is better, but doesn't taste as good, IMO (and besides I normally use it in yogurt and cottage cheese and haven't seen any great soy versions of those), and although I'm not on the anti soy bandwagon I'm suspicious of adding a huge amount to my diet and prefer to eat it as tofu as an alternative to meat/yogurt/cottage cheese on occasion, rather than adding in a bunch of soy milk and soy based meats for no personal purpose (as my body seems to react well to lactose--if anything I feel better when I'm eating more dairy).

    But people should eat what they like and what fits their macros. All are fine.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,009 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    But people should eat what they like and what fits their macros. All are fine.
    This can not be stressed enough...

  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    cnekniher wrote: »
    Whats the scoop? What's the best and worst? What should I choose?

    Such a vague question. Best or worst in what way?

    Barring personal allergy or intollerance none of them are unhealthy. How healthy they are would depend on how they fit into your diet as a whole. Drink whatever you like.
  • vgrezzy
    vgrezzy Posts: 31 Member
    almond milk is my absolute favorite- i drink it plain and in cereals, oatmeals, smoothies, fruit bowls etc. i typically get a container of the unsweetened, and sometimes either the chocolate or vanilla depending on what i'm in the mood for but the original is fine because i don't like it super sweet and it's much lower in calories and sugar than the flavored or cow's milk. if it's not your thing, i'd go for coconut milk. cow's milk just makes me bloated.
  • mcamer
    mcamer Posts: 10 Member
    I am loving this almond/coconut milk blend! soo tasty.
    I try to avoid soy because it is estrogen dominant, it can throw off your hormone balance.
  • StacyChrz
    StacyChrz Posts: 865 Member
    I have hypothyroidism, polycystic ovarian syndrome and am sensitive to gluten. I have learned that having too much soy makes me feel tired and sluggish and I can't tolerate the hormones in dairy milk. It will actually cause me to stop ovulating. I like the flavor of almond milk, Silk Unsweetened Vanilla. I realize it has very little actual almond in it but I like the taste and the added calcium and vitamin D help a lot. I have been buying it in the 2-1/2 gallon pack which makes it a little less expensive. I agree that in this case making my own would be better but this is one place where I choose to take the easy way out.
  • punkrockgoth
    punkrockgoth Posts: 534 Member
    I love almond milk and rotate unsweetened vanilla, chocolate and coconut almond blends. I also recently tried cashew milk and it was delicious!
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
    Home made: 1. cashew milk, 2. almond and 3. coconut. Nothing beats homemade.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    This is a preference thing, or perhaps an emotional thing if people are concerned about the treatment of cows or about industrial production generally. Keep in mind that the dairy substitutes are typically lower in protein. Because of my dietary requirements (no fluids at dinner, concern I get enough protein) I have nearly replaced all my milk with Greek yogurt.

    Attached is a table I made up today comparing selected nutritional requirements including almond, cashew, coconut, soy, dairy (various fat levels), heavy cream, buttermilk, yogurt and Greek yogurt.

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1USAzjWFHRPPZNJNm_rfNZqfUbLyMm-obA-aadT7kydk/edit?usp=sharing

    A word to vegetarians who are also preparing their own milks or milk substitutes. Make sure you are getting sources for vitamin A.
  • JessicasGold
    JessicasGold Posts: 25 Member
    I LOVE unsweetened plain almond milk in my coffee. So much so, that I completely dislike cows milk in my coffee now. If I can't make my own almond milk, I get Silk because it at least doesn't have carrageenan in it.
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member
    2% mootopia chocolate if I'm just going to drink it straight.

    Coconut milk would be my choice for an alternative to dairy though.
  • markiend
    markiend Posts: 461 Member
    they're all good
  • Elle_Bronwyn15
    Elle_Bronwyn15 Posts: 296 Member
    I've tried them all, I like cow's milk and Almond milk best, some soy is good but most is chalky..
  • governatorkp
    governatorkp Posts: 89 Member
    edited June 2015
    J72FIT wrote: »
    dairy milk is terrible- humans can't absorb the calcium and it actually proven to leak calcium from bones. better get calcium from other sources like plants etc
    Nonsense...

    Actually I'm quite sure I've read something among the same lines.

    Although it was about store-bought dairy.
    Due to the the diet the animals are given, there's more omega-6 than there is omega-3 in the milk.
    Organic milk also has a more favourable balance of the two fatty acids than conventional milk.

    Long-term high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio has been proven to result in a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases.
    (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12442909)

    However the leaking of calcium (and depositing it in soft tissue instead of bones) I believe occurs when there's a deficiency of Vitamin D.. So not because of milk.
    I did read about it before but don't remember the details.

    I think this person read these 2 truths and got confused, but yes, their statement isn't correct.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    Who needs milk when there is a bunch of calcium in sardines and dark leafy greens...
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member
    Who needs milk when there is a bunch of calcium in sardines and dark leafy greens...

    well, you can just go to kale...I prefer milk.
  • GBrady43068
    GBrady43068 Posts: 1,256 Member
    cnekniher wrote: »
    Whats the scoop? What's the best and worst? What should I choose?

    It depends on what you mean by "best" and "worst"..judging by overall calories? Texture? Flavor? Nutritional content balance? Fat? etc etc.

    I'll say that we were not big fans of soy milk tastewise (even if flavored with vanilla) but have enjoyed coconut milk and almond milk.

    Lately we've been stuck on cashew milk...quite creamy (my wife has lactose-issues and says the Cashew milk "ice cream" is as close as she's gotten to the real thing so far)..use plain for cooking and vanilla or chocolate for drinking.
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  • VeggieStef
    VeggieStef Posts: 54 Member
    Silk Unsweetened Soy Milk is my favorite and is the most "milk like" to me. I know a lot of people that love almond milk, but it has a less creamy consistency in my opinion.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,009 Member
    Who needs milk when there is a bunch of calcium in sardines and dark leafy greens...
    Why not sardines, dark leafy greens AND milk?
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    J72FIT wrote: »
    Who needs milk when there is a bunch of calcium in sardines and dark leafy greens...
    Why not sardines, dark leafy greens AND milk?
    Milk is estrogenic.
  • santiac217
    santiac217 Posts: 6 Member
    For me, Almond milk that's what I used
This discussion has been closed.