Milk versus plant-based beverages, it’s quite the trendy topic these days! It may feel overwhelming as there seems to be a new milk alternative on the market regularly – so how do you decide which is best for you? People choose milk alternatives for diverse reasons – allergies, intolerances, personal preferences, concerns regarding their environmental impact, or ethical reasons.
In our dining halls we serve:
Dairy Beverages: 2% milk, skim milk, chocolate milk, and lactose free 0% skim milk
Soy Beverages: Unsweetened organic soy beverage, original organic soy beverage, vanilla organic soy beverage, and dark chocolate soy beverage
Oat Beverages: Unsweetened oat beverage and plain oat beverage
Let’s breakdown their differing nutrient profiles and highlight distinct safety factors so that you can make an informed decision on what you want/can drink for breakfast or splash into your daily coffee. There is something right everyone’s needs and preferences!
Nutrition & Safety Breakdown:
Are the plant-based alternatives nutritionally equivalent to cow’s milk? Let’s see!
Cow’s Milk
2% Milk:
Cow’s milk is a balanced nutritious food for those who can tolerate it. In a 1 cup (250 mL) serving it packs 130 calories, 5g of fat, 12g of carbohydrates, and 9g of protein! It is also a good source of vitamin A and an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D.
Highlights
- High in protein!
- Good source of vitamin A
- Excellent source of calcium and vitamin D
- No-Gluten friendly
- NOT dairy allergy or lactose intolerant friendly
Neilson Lactose Free 0% Skim Milk:
Lactose-free milk is a lactose intolerant friendly product. Lactose is the sugar found in dairy products and requires the enzyme lactase to break it down. If you have an impaired ability to digest lactose but love milk this is the product for you! Lactase is added into the milk during production to breakdown the lactose so you can safely enjoy a glass. In a 1 cup (250 mL) serving there are 90 calories, 0g of fat, 13g of carbohydrates, and 9g of protein! This product is also an excellent source of calcium, vitamin D, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin B12, and phosphorus.
Highlights
- High in protein!
- Excellent source of calcium, vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin B12, and phosphorus
- Free of lactose
- NOT dairy allergy friendly
Soy Milk
Silk Organic Soy Beverage: Soy milk is made from soybeans and filtered water. It is the most comparable alternative nutrition wise to cow’s milk as it has the highest protein content of all the plant-based milks. In a 1 cup (250 mL) serving it provides 100 calories, 4g of fat, 8g of carbohydrates, and 7g of protein. It is fortified with vitamin and minerals; therefore, it is a good source of calcium and an excellent source of riboflavin (vitamin B2), and vitamin B12.
Highlights
- Source of high-quality plant-based protein!
- Good source of calcium
- Excellent source of riboflavin and vitamin B12
- Free of dairy, lactose, and gluten
- Vegan friendly
- NOT soy allergy friendly
- Creamy milk-alternative!
Oat Milk
Silk Original Oat Beverage:
Oat milk’s popularity has been on the rise over the past few years. It is made from rolled oats and filtered water. If you haven’t tried this product yet, it’s a naturally creamy and sweet option for dairy-free, lactose-free, and/or soy-free folks. In a 1 cup (250 mL) serving you will get 80 calories, 3.5g of fat, 12g of carbohydrates, and 2g of protein. Like soy milk, this product has also been fortified with vitamins and minerals making it a good source of calcium and an excellent source of riboflavin (vitamin B2), and vitamin B12.
Highlights
- No cholesterol
- Low in saturated fat and protein
- Good source of calcium
- Excellent source of riboflavin and vitamin B12
- Free of dairy, soy, lactose, or carrageenan
- Vegan friendly
- Creamy milk-alternative!
If you need additional help navigating what milk and/or milk-alternative products may be best for you, please reach out to our friendly on-campus dietitian Rai-Lee at Dietitian@Dal.Ca.
There are also many other milk-alternatives out there: Almond, rice, hemp, coconut, pea milk and many more! Have you tried plant-based milk alternatives? What’s your favourite? Are you happy with the options in the dining hall? Please let us know in the comments section below!
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