The Problem With Commercial Dairy
It’s time to rethink the commercial dairy industry and how it impacts the poor quality of dairy available to us today.
A significant portion of the world’s population is lactose intolerant, which means their bodies are unable to break down the sugars (or lactose) found in cow’s milk. After consuming any type of dairy, symptoms might include abdominal pain, gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
To understand why more people are lactose intolerant than they were decades ago, it’s important to understand today’s commercial dairy farming practices. In conventional dairy farming, just 1 cow produces over 19,000 milks per year! That is 2x more than what a healthy, normal cow should produce.
In order for just one cow to produce this much milk, they have to get fat fast. They are fed more grain instead of a natural grass diet and are pumped full of hormones that ultimately cause pus and blood in their milk.
Also, the big myth that milk is good for healthy bones has long been disproven.
Dairy Milk Alternatives
Because of all these negative effects of dairy, people are looking for milk alternatives that will allow them to enjoy their favorite foods and beverages without the harmful side effects of dairy.
Fortunately, there are tons of great milk alternatives to choose from these days. But which milk alternatives should we be drinking? Let’s break down all the top choices!
Coconut Milk
Coconut milk is extracted from the flesh of coconuts. It makes a great replacement for whole milk or heavy cream due to its thicker consistency. Many people use it in smoothies, desserts, soups, and sauces. It tasted especially good when chilled.
Additionally, coconut milk is relatively high in antioxidants and medium chain triglycerides which are super healthy fats. Overall, coconut milk can be considered one of the healthiest milk alternatives and is a staple milk choice for every day.
Almond Milk
Almond milk is another popular and widely available dairy milk alternative. It has a mild nutty flavor and a texture like dairy milk. It is typically lower in calories and sugar, making it a great option for those with chronic health conditions.
It’s a great choice for mixing into smoothies, adding to your coffee or tea, or just drinking on a daily basis. When shopping for almond milk, it is best to look for brands without sugar, additives and enriched nutrients.
It’s also super easy to make your own almond milk at home. Many commercial almond milks are watered down and have food additives, but with homemade almond milk, you’ll have a cleaner and tastier milk that maintains the nutrients normally present in whole almonds.
Hemp Milk
Hemp milk is a rarer milk alternative you might not have heard of. It does not trigger any nut allergies and is particularly good for mixing with espresso drinks.
It contains calcium, plenty of omega-3, and omega-6 fatty acids. Ultimately, hemp milk is a good choice if you want a milk alternative that doesn’t isn’t derived from nuts or oats.
Cashew Milk
If nut milk isn’t off the table for your diet, consider the nutritious cashew milk. It’s quite delicious and has a high amount of iron and vitamin K without including lactose. Therefore, it could be a good choice for women, who need a higher amount of iron than men but who might want to avoid drinking dairy products.
You can also find unsweetened cashew milk to make sure you don’t go overboard with your sugar consumption every day. If you haven’t met your health goals, it may be best to avoid cashew milk and opt in for coconut milk instead.
Alternatively, consider using cashew milk as baking milk. Its consistency and texture make it a great mixing ingredient!
Macadamia Milk
You might want to check out macadamia milk. Macadamia nuts are rich in nutrients and antioxidants. They are great support for heart, brain, and gut health and they assist in protecting against high blood sugar. It’s a great choice for those on a low-carb diet or with insulin resistance as studies show that it can aid in weight loss.
Most macadamia milk is low in calories and minimally processed. It is high in healthy fat which gives it a creamy texture making it a great choice for coffee or lattes.
Oat Milk
Lastly, oat milk is a great choice if you need non-dairy milk and are avoiding nuts. It is high in fiber and other necessary nutrients and minerals. The downside is that it generally has less fat and protein and more sugar and carbohydrates. Oat milk should only be consumed once your health goals are met. The best option is to look for one that does not contain any sugars, additional sweeteners, or toxic oils.
Summary
There are a multitude of reasons to avoid dairy in your everyday diet, the most important being that it causes discomfort. If you do choose dairy be sure it is organic and hormone-free. One of the best ways to avoid dairy is to choose sugar-free dairy alternatives such as coconut or almond milk for your daily drink and recipe needs.
