In terms of nutrition, soy milk is the closest non-dairy substitute for cow's milk. This is because it contains a similar amount of protein to cow's milk, but it contains half the amount of fat, calories, and carbohydrates. An average 100ml portion contains 44 calories, 1.9g of fat, and 3g of carbohydrate.
“Soy milk typically rivals dairy milk for protein content, and soy is a complete protein that contains all the essential amino acids,” says Dana Hunnes, PhD, RD, senior clinical dietitian, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
According to this guide, almond, hemp, and coconut milks may work for people with IBS. Just pay attention to your serving size. You may also want to try kefir.
Substituting for Milk
There are a number of commercially-produced cow's milk alternatives made from soy, coconut, rice, potato, oat, almond, hazelnut, cashew, hemp, flax, sunflower, and even macadamia. Most of these are available in a few different flavors (such as “original,” “vanilla,” “chocolate,” and “mocha”).
Soy Milk. Soy milk has been the most popular non-dairy substitute for decades because its nutrition profile closely resembles that of cow's milk. It's the best high-protein milk alternative. Soy milk offers about 7 grams of protein per cup, compared to cow milk's 8 grams per cup.
Substitution Tips
Soy, rice and almond milk work best as milk substitutes in recipes. Just follow a one-to-one ratio and stick to a plain or vanilla flavor for the closest match. You can add them to cold and hot cereals, coffee or hot chocolate. Use rice or soy milk to create a fruit smoothie.
There are a number of alternative foods and drinks available in supermarkets to replace milk and dairy products, such as: soya milks, yoghurts and some cheeses. rice, oat, almond, hazelnut, coconut, quinoa and potato milks.
"Coconut milk is a great option for those with digestive issues as it is easy to digest and is rich in lauric acid, which has antimicrobial properties that can help support a healthy gut microbiome," Parsad tells us. Sabat suggests going one step further and trying coconut kefir.
If you're looking for something that is closest in flavor to that of whole milk, you'll want to try oat milk or soy milk. Oat milk is thick and creamy and tends to froth a bit, with a mild flavor that closely resembles cow milk. Soy milk is a close second.
Oat milk is perhaps the creamiest of all the plant milks. Its thick creamy texture means it's one of the closest plant-based milks to resemble dairy milk. Oat milk is quickly becoming a favorite non-dairy alternative to milk with popular brands like Oatly disrupting the traditional milk industry.
Dairy-free products are made from plants, such as nuts or grains. Neither lactose-free products nor dairy-free products contain lactose. For example: Lactose-free products include LACTAID® milk and LACTAID® ice cream. Dairy-free products include soy milk, almond milk, and coconut milk.
Oat Milk: Nutrition. Overall, the main differences between almond and oat milk are energy (calories) and carbohydrates, with almond milk offering less of each. Oat milk also contains slightly higher amounts of fiber, protein, and fat than almond milk.
Milk and dairy alternatives
Generating nearly one and a half billion U.S. dollars of sales, the most popular alternative to regular milk was unequivocally almond milk. By comparison, soy milk ranked second with just under 200 million U.S. dollars' worth of sales.
(e.g., almond, rice, coconut, oat, and hemp “milks”) may contain calcium and be consumed as a source of calcium, but they are not included as part of the dairy group because their overall nutritional content is not similar to dairy milk and fortified soy beverages." Soymilk provides protein and can be a source of ...
Nondairy milk basics
Rice, almond, hazelnut, coconut-based and many other lactose-free milks are available at most supermarkets. Each option has its own flavor and nutrition profile, but here's what you can generally expect from the alternatives on the market today. Fewer calories but more ingredients than dairy milk.
Goat milk is still considered dairy, so please consult with your medical provider prior to drinking goat milk if you have a dairy allergy. Some dairy consumers choose goat milk because they're looking for a dairy product that has less lactose due to an intolerance or sensitivity.
If you're lactose intolerant, you might wonder: Does Greek yogurt have dairy? Made from cow's milk, it does. However, Greek yogurt has less than 1 gram of lactose per ounce—less lactose than milk and about half the lactose of some other yogurts.
There is currently no cure for milk allergy. Allergen immunotherapies for treating food allergies are in the works, but oral immunotherapy has not been approved for any food allergy in the U.S. to date.
OIT treatment begins with very small amounts of the allergen or the allergen's protein typically mixed in water in a controlled setting under the direct supervision of your doctor. Throughout the treatment, the amount of the allergen is increased over a period of months with at-home daily doses as well.
To avoid the uncomfortable feelings of bloating, here are the best non-dairy milks you should try: Oat Milk is a great option because it doesn't contain carrageenan which is often found in almond or coconut milk as an emulsifier.