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Milk vs. Soy vs. Coconut vs. Almond

MERia1
MERia1 Posts: 2
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I always hear that switching to a milk alternative is a healthier choice. I have two questions.

1. Is there any reason why milk should be avoided if there is no aversion to animal products, no allergy present, and you buy organic to avoid the hormones etc...? I have to be honest, I bought some original soy milk and nutritionally it seems pretty comparable to skim milk. I was fine with the taste so I could go either way (didn't love the cost)

2. What are the differences between soy, coconut and almond milk? Is one considered superior to another? Is selection based solely on taste preference? I imagine not.

I am interested to hear more about this topic. Thanks! :smile:

Replies

  • heatherpg47
    heatherpg47 Posts: 211 Member
    If you search the message boards there was a really good discussion about this not too long ago. As far as why not to drink milk... I am not a PETA person, as a disclaimer, but get on their website and look at the milk video which is on there, very disturbing. I enjoy almond milk and soy milk, but some people stay far away from soy milk due to extra estrogen in the milk. :)
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
    To you first question: No there is no reason to avoid milk besides the reasons that you listed. If you like the price of cow's milk and enjoy drinking it then no reason to change :D

    Second: I drink almond milk because unsweetened original is only 35 calories per cup, and I really like the taste more since it is very creamy to me. Same with coconut milk. All fat and very creamy. I avoid soy completely. I had problems with cow's milk in the past so I just avoid it xD
  • Laurej
    Laurej Posts: 227
    reg milk has a lot of downsides, my husband's dr suggested he cut out milk for his cholesterol....I am totally for PETA ( People Eating Tasty Animals) :happy: I just can't indulge in it right now. :sad: Tried a bunch of alternatives and have found the almond milk that comes in the refrigerated section not the shelves is really good!
  • _the_feniks_
    _the_feniks_ Posts: 3,412 Member
    For me, there are two reasons. Humans are the only species on the planet that drink the milk from another species. Second, cow's milk is made to grow a newborn calf into a 1660 pound animal.

    I try to avoid soy as well as it is the most genetically modified crop on the planet. That and it is high in estrogen. I prefer almond milk to coconut because I feel its less sweet than almond milk and has more of the consistency of the cow's milk I used to drink.
  • Nigerianebony
    Nigerianebony Posts: 182 Member
    I agree with SergeantSunshine. I also think the alternatives are lower calorie options. So my lower calorie option is Almond milk. And it taste so good with cereal. It is also good for baking.
  • ak_in_ak
    ak_in_ak Posts: 657 Member
    Some people find milk can cause acne and flem build up. I stopped drinking it for ethical reasons and it went bad before I could finish a half gallon. Coconut is the best tasting to me. It is creamier and doesn't have the nut taste almond milk does.
  • Nigerianebony
    Nigerianebony Posts: 182 Member
    Coconut is the best tasting to me. It is creamier and doesn't have the nut taste almond milk does.

    It is also great to make sauces.... yum yum
  • zellagrrl
    zellagrrl Posts: 439
    Dairy messes with my skin (eczema)… so I try to avoid it mostly (except ice cream :P and the occasional coffee). I prefer almond in my smoothies, and soy as a treat (it's weird, from when I was a kid). I'm kind of meh on coconut and hemp. Rice milk is also just okay in my book.
  • becoming_a_new_me
    becoming_a_new_me Posts: 1,860 Member
    To you first question: No there is no reason to avoid milk besides the reasons that you listed. If you like the price of cow's milk and enjoy drinking it then no reason to change :D

    Second: I drink almond milk because unsweetened original is only 35 calories per cup, and I really like the taste more since it is very creamy to me. Same with coconut milk. All fat and very creamy. I avoid soy completely. I had problems with cow's milk in the past so I just avoid it xD

    ^^^ ditto here. I mix almond with coconut milk so I get the healthy multi chain triglyceride fats and the protein. I stay full waaaaay longer and love the taste. And cow milk makes me have really bad clear the room gas, so my co-workers thank me. :)
  • Jill_newimprovedversion
    Jill_newimprovedversion Posts: 988 Member
    I use unsweetened almond milk ( add Truvia and imitation vanilla if I wish) in smoothies

    AND in making instant puddings - mainly to save sugar

    Also just recently found coconut/almond milk- that's a fun alternative too

    I avoid the soy (first off, I don't care for the taste at all) because it cause breast tenderness for me.

    However It won't replace milk for me if I'm pouring a glass to drink
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Each alternative has its own plusses and minuses. Soy milk is the only one with comparable protein to milk. The downsides are the whole soy/phytoestrogen issue and I personally think it tastes the worst of the alternatives. Coconut milk is delicious and full of good saturated coconut fattiness. Almond milk is very low cal and at least silk brand makes it have twice the calcium as milk. I think its perfect for protein shake mixing. All the alternatives come in sweetened, very palatable versions which of course have added sugar in them. Picking one is hard. I will frequently have 2 or 3 different ones! If I had to pick one though, it would be unsweetened almond milk.
  • Jill_newimprovedversion
    Jill_newimprovedversion Posts: 988 Member
    double post sorry
  • pdworkman
    pdworkman Posts: 1,342 Member
    Milk really affects the moods of my husband and son (who are incidentally not blood related). Hubby still drinks it in moderation, DS reacts even with cross-contamination and it lasts for several days.

    Me, I don't like milk, I react to it, and I don't like the ethics. Allergic to almonds. I haven't tried any of the cartons of coconut milk sold as dairy replacements, I know a lot of them have additives that I can't have. But I do use canned coconut milk in curries, desserts, etc. I have chocolate soy milk occasionally (like maybe, once a quarter), only like one brand, and again, a number of them have additives that I am allergic to.
  • missallenxox
    missallenxox Posts: 175 Member
    i have a very bad issue with blaoting at times. i decided to cut back on milk to see if it would help. Since i have atleast one protein shake a day it can add up. i use light soy milk or almond milk for my shakes, if i want a glass of milk ill have it. I have tried each type. I found soy and milk are the best for me nutritional wise.. coconut milk was useless in my opinion. it is higher in fat and doesnt have barely any nutritional value from what the bottle said.
  • Shfiftyfive
    Shfiftyfive Posts: 261
    I drink unsweetened almond milk for low calories sometimes. I drink regular milk (used to be skim, but I much prefer 1% or 2%) because it tastes a lot better and actually has some protein in it.
  • fmbomzo
    fmbomzo Posts: 382 Member
    I have cow's milk, soy and almond in my house all the time. One person drinks cow's milk, my youngest has eczema so she has soy, I like the lightness of almond milk and I'm trying to get my daughter off the soy because of the hormones. She actually has enlarged breast tissue as an infant because of the soy formula.

    Most of my family is lactose-intolerant. So we use it in moderation.
  • Tink_889
    Tink_889 Posts: 244 Member
    I can't drink dairy milk and so for years I have used soya. I've recently bought Almond milk as well so going to try that next time I have cereal.
  • mystinamarie
    mystinamarie Posts: 51 Member
    I've watched a few food documentaries on Netflix and some of the reasons given for avoiding cow's milk were: fat, cholesterol, as your body gets older it gets harder and harder for you to digest the enzymes in it, it makes for an acidic state in your body (which can actually deplete calcium in an attempt to be not so acidic), and I've also heard something about the enamel on your teeth being damaged? Don't remember the specifics of that one.. sorry.

    I keep skim milk on hand, though b/c it's cheap and easy and I'm not a big milk consumer. I've also been purchasing unsweetened almond milk- the stats on it are great!
  • MERia1
    MERia1 Posts: 2
    Wow! Thanks for all of the information. I have a lot to think about. Now I remember I did hear something about soy being genetically modified but I had forgotten, and I have never heard about the estrogen comments some of you made, so I will need to look into that. I think I will try the almond next time - I ended up choosing the soy because of the protein. Thank you!!!:smile:
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