On Non Milk Milk

I’ve been meaning to write this post for a while.  Part of the issue for many people trying the Paleo diet or any diet that’s similar is the ditching of dairy.  I haven’t found it to be a huge issue for me, but I thought I’d throw out my thoughts on the popular alternatives that are currently available.

Raw Milk
Ok so this isn’t really a milk alternative, but it is an alternative to regular milk and having tried it I thought I had to write something.  Picked up a half gallon at Sprouts for the cool price of 8 bux…yes that’s a dollar per glass of milk (8 fl ozs).  It wasn’t as separated as I thought it’d be and didn’t differ a whole lot from regular whole milk.  The flavor difference is there but slight.  Supposedly the raw milk is supposed to be ok for people who don’t tolerate lactose well.  My stomach generally only has minor issues with milk, but I suffered no ill effects with this milk.  They also sold colostrum (thinned out).  For you mothers out there I know you’re giving me a funny/disgusted look.  No it’s not orange and was thicker than the raw milk, but nowhere near as thick as you think haha and no I haven’t tried it.  Maybe some day.

Soy Milk
Probably the most well known milk alternative out there.  Soy milk is pretty close texture-wise to milk.  There flavor will vary greatly depending on what you get.  I actually prefer the slightly sweetened versions to the unsweetened soy milk.  One of the downsides of soy for me is that it’s not paleo compatible.  Why you ask?  Well here’s an answer.  From what I understand the basic Paleo idea is soy (and other grains and legumes) contain phytates that prevent absorbtion of minerals (thus the anti nutrient argument).  It’s also poisonous when not processed, contains estrogen, etc etc.  Make your own decisions =)

Almond Milk
One of the popular choices for people following the paleo diet.  It’s a little bit thinner than regular milk, but I think the flavor is light and for that reason I think it’s actually a closer flavor to actual milk.  It’s still sweeter, but I like it a lot as a milk substitute.  I use it for my coffee in the morning =)  If you’re really going for points it’s easy to make your own almond milk.  Search online and you’ll see tons of recipes of varying degrees of difficulty.  Basically it’s Peel/Don’t Peel the almonds, blend them up with some amount of water (based on the consistency you like), strain/don’t strain.

Coconut Milk
Also a popular choice, but slightly harder to find.  The consistency of coconut milk is thicker than milk and the flavor is not my favorite however from a nutrition standpoint coconut milk might be the best milk alternative.  It’s also going to be the highest calorie content from the group here, but coconut apparently has many health benefits.  Since it can be harder to find there are a couple other ways to get your coconut milk fix.  Some people will buy the thick canned version and thin it with water themselves.  You can also make your own from scratch.  The process is relatively easy and is basically the same as making almond milk.  Get your coconut meat from a mature coconut, blend it up with water (usually hot), strain.