On tonight's menu from last week's cook-ahead work, another easy dinner -- chicken in BBQ sauce over brown rice. The chicken was previously cooked, chopped and added to some sautéed onions then frozen in broth. I've added some BBQ sauce and seasonings for flavor. The rice was also previously cooked and frozen. I microwave it to reheat. With the entree we had canned green beans, steamed carrots, and an eggless applesauce cake for dessert.
I would like your input on some questions about alternative milks.
You all do a lot of research yourselves on many topics. So I thought I'd turn to you to enlarge my own body of knowledge on alternative milks. As I've mentioned many times, I'm lactose intolerant. While I can "cheat" on other intolerances, dairy is the one that I just can't cheat on. I can eat hard cheeses, and I'm so glad for that. However, I can't do dairy milk.
I'm looking for liquid sources of protein and calcium that are suitable for use in smoothies, puddings, and sauces. For many years I've used soy milk. I think I've been fairly satisfied with soy milk. But I know there's controversy on soy. So, my first question for you: what is it about soy that you feel would be bad for health? Is it GMO or pesticide/herbicide use in growing soy, or is it in the processing of soy? Or is it something else about soy?
For my next question, I've been exploring other alternative milks. I used to use almond milk and occasionally rice milk. Rice milk is very low in protein, so I don't use it any more. I'm now allergic to several tree nuts, including almonds, walnuts, pecans, and cashews. So the nut milks, while a good source of protein, don't work for me either. Have you read about or tried any non-nut alternative milks that are high in protein and contain some natural calcium? Have you tried a milk that you thought had a particularly appealing taste? Have you tried one that you thought was awful?
Just to note, I'm not looking to make my own alternative milk. Instead, I'm hoping to find a ready-made milk/drink that I can buy locally and then alternate with my regular non-GMO powdered soy milk.
Your knowledge and suggestions are very appreciated. Thank you in advance.
Hi Lili, I have been reading your blog for years and am intrigued by your question about alternative plant based milks and soy products. So much so, I figured out how to comment by subscribing! Today, I made hemp milk out of bagged shelled hemp hearts from Costco. So easy to blend in my vitamix with just warm water and no need to strain. Rich, nutritious and delicious. I am of the opinion it is superior to other milks. You can also reduce the water to make hemp cream. I have refused for many years to avoid soy because of glysophate use and the possibility of potential hormone imbalance. Thank you for all you teach us!
ReplyDeleteOops I meant I have avoided soy for many years!
ReplyDeleteAs I live in Europe, situation is a bit different here, especially here in northern Europe. We have very affordable lactose-free milk and A LOT of lactose-free dairy products from youghurt to ice cream. But - it is not neccesarily lactose that is causing your problems, it might be even the actual milk protein itself (and in my experience, some people might be able to eat hard cheeses even if they can't handle other dairy products, why is this, I have no idea)
ReplyDeleteOne dairy-free milk popular here is oat milk (you might have Oatly?). On the other hand it is not 100% glutein-free, there might be traces of glutein. Many non-dairy milks here have added vitamins and minerals (like calsium) so they are close to real milk.
And furthermore, because I live in Europe, our soy products are made with soy grown here - a lot less pesticides, a lot less glyphosate and a lot less gmo (but as far as I understand, there's no more such thing as completely gmo-free soy). In the past soy has been linked to effects on hormonal balance, but later studies have found no evidence on that. Soy and soy products like tofu and soy sauce have been used thousands of years in Asia. It doesn't neccessarily mean they are safe or healthy (you know alcohol and tobacco have been udes thousands of years and they definitely are NOT healthy), but the reality is that soy is not as bad as it was told to be. Worst thing in soy production is that majority of soy is fed as fodder to beef cattle in Brazil and Argentina and Amazon area is been wiped out because of that. (sorry I'll keep quiet from now on)
Ulvmor
Fortunately, my husband and I are not lactose intolerant, so we still use cow's milk. However, my son is and of the various milks he has tried over the years, he prefers oat milk. I haven't done any research into milk alternatives.
ReplyDeleteRipple is soy-free and nut-free, made with pea protein. It works really well for smoothies and overnight oats.
ReplyDeleteI bought some of the Ripple for my little granddaughter due to her lactose intolerance. I don’t know if there is a Publix near where you live (probably not) but they put the Ripple 1/2 price which made it much more affordable.
DeleteHere in Canada we have lactose free milk,coffee cream,yogurt,margarine &cheeses which tastes so much better to me than all those alternative milks and I've tried them all.I asked my local grocery store to bring them in and they happily obliged and are usually sold out because there are a lot of lactose intolerant people.
ReplyDeleteHmm, I don't know about protein content with different milks. I am fine with drinking cow's milk, but for alternative milks, I like the taste of cashew milk and oat milk.
ReplyDeleteOat milk is my go to. That pea protein stuff makes me physically sick. If you try it, start with a small amount to make sure
ReplyDeleteThere are various issues with soy. One is that most of it is GMO. And soy crops often need a lot of pesticide/herbicides as you mentioned. Soy is also an endocrine disruptor, which can cause various problems such as hypothyroidism. I like tofu and soy milk, but I generally avoid these products. I eat fermented soy (such as miso and traditionally brewed soy sauce) occasionally and in small amounts.
ReplyDeleteMost of the plant milks don't have much calcium or protein, and some of them don't actually have a lot of nutrients in general.
If lactose is the issue, you can get lactose free dairy as others mentioned above. There is also a way to make your own yogurt that makes it virtually lactose free (basically, you have to ferment it in a yogurt maker or instant pot on the yogurt setting for 24 hours). I had to follow a lactose free diet for a while and that worked for me. But if casein is the issue, lactose free dairy isn't going to work.
I like nut milks but that's not an option for you. I have tried rice milk and oat milk but find them unpalatable. Haven't tried the pea protein or hemp milks so I can't comment on those.
Hope you find an option that works for you.
I found oat milk easy to do at home.No idea about calcium content though ...
ReplyDeleteThank you for all of your input. I will give the pea-protein a try. I have had pea protein in protein mixes before and thought it was okay. I don't recall any big issues for my digestion.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts are to alternate different milks, in order to minimize stomach issues and any potential risks while improving nutrition. I've been advised to prioritize calcium intake predominantly from food sources, but some can be from supplements or fortified foods.
Again, thank you for your thoughts today. Any further advice, please add comments.