An updated guide to soy, rice, nut, and other non-dairy milks

Vegetarian Journal, Jan-March, 2008 by Stephanie Gall

Summary

The non-dairy milk you choose is entirely up to your own preference. Some may choose soymilk for its isoflavone content, while others may want to limit their use of soy. Almond milk provides a healthful alternative milk for baking, cooking, and drinking, but nutritionally, you're perhaps better off eating the almonds. Rice milk is largely a source of carbohydrates, but it can give you something to use with your meals and for baking if you like the taste. Other types of milks--hemp, oat, and some others--can be beneficial for your diet, but they are largely unstudied or unavailable commercially at this time.

Many consumers will opt to use fortified non-dairy milks as a convenient source of key nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin [B.sub.12]. Not all products are fortified with all three of these nutrients, so label reading is important in choosing the right product for your needs. Be sure to check the Nutrition Facts label regularly since nutrient values can change.

Our choices for the best products to deliver calcium and vitamin D (providing at least 300 milligrams of calcium and 3 micrograms of vitamin D or more per serving) are 365 Organic Soy, Natur-A Soy, Organic Valley, Pearl, Silk, Trader Joe's Soymilk, Yii Soy, Natur-A Rice, Trader Joe's Basmati Rice Milk, and Yu Basmati Rice. Good sources of calories for growing children and active adults (providing at least 130 calories per serving of the original or plain flavor) are Trader Joe's Soymilk Extra, Westsoy Plus and Westsoy Organic, Edensoy Extra, Edensoy, Yu Basmati Rice, Pacific Organic Oat, Pacific Low Fat Rice, Living Harvest Hemp Milk, and Natur-A Rice. If getting enough calories is your concern, you may want to try switching to flavored non-dairy milk, as these products generally have more calories than their regular counterparts. Top choices of non-dairy milks that provide good-quality protein to your diet (8 grams or more per serving) are Edensoy (Original and Extra), Pacific (UltraSoy and Organic Unsweetened), Trader Joe's Soymilk Extra, Vitasoy Classic, Westsoy (Organic and Unsweetened), and Yu Soy.

A few brands of soymilk contain algae-derived docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Odwalla, Silk Plus Omega-3 DHA, and ZenSoy on the Go are all fortified with this fatty acid, which is usually found in fish oils. Hemp-based products contain alpha-linolenic acid, which humans are able to convert to DHA to some extent.

Key considerations for many will be personal preference and taste. Check out the different varieties of non-dairy milks out there--and be sure you're eating a wide variety of healthy foods to go along with them.

Of course, none of the non-dairy milks should be used to replace breastmilk or commercial infant formula for babies.

Reference

(1) Munro IC, Harwood M, Hlywka JJ, Stephen AM, Doull J, Flamm WG, Adlercreutz H. 2003. Soy isoflavones: a safety review. Nutr Rev 61:1-33.

By Stephanie Gall, MS, RD URG Dietetic Intern

Stephanie Gall, MS, RD, wrote this article while doing a rotation for her dietetic internship with The Vegetarian Resource Group. She is a vegan, currently resides in Colorado, and works as a dietitian in a clinical setting.