Vegetable milks: Do they really replace normal milk?

Since a long time ago I have been doubtful if we can really call milk the vegetable drinks (oats, soy, coconut, almond, rice and hemp) that the market offers us, and worse if it will be correct to use them as a perfect substitute for regular milk, just as many people do.

Are we once again being victims of the commercial deception of trademarks?

Regarding that I had this long conversation with Dr. Mariángel of Nutrición Atlética in which she shared with me some super interesting information that everyone should know about, especially those who love to consume this type of products without even paying attention to the important part of the box where all the nutritional information is detailed.

First, although R.A.E (Real Academia Española) incorporates in one of the definitions of milk that it can be a white juice obtained from some plants, fruits or seeds, it should be clarified that the nutritional composition of vegetable milk DOES NOT REPLACE to traditional milk (that obtained from the breasts of female mammals to feed their babies).

Proof of the above is in the following summary table of some milks and vegetable drinks where they show remarkable nutritional differences.

Generally vegetable drinks have a higher content of calories, carbohydrates and fats, and a lower protein concentration if compared with normal milks. However, there are exceptions to the rule, which is why it is important to pay attention on what you are taking, especially if you are following a nutritional plan.

It is recommended that you CHECK the nutritional information to verify the sugar levels, as well as a variety of preservatives and artificial sweeteners.

If you are going to consume vegetable milks, try to look for those that DO NOT CONTAIN sugar or corn syrup. However, if all the options you have at your disposal contain sugar, avoid the ones that have more than 10g per cup.

Additionally consider that if you are allergic to any of the components (soy or almond) you should not ingest it, nor take soy beverages with hypothyroidism medications as it could affect their absorption.

Despite nutritional differences, vegetable beverages are still a good choice for people who are lactose intolerant, allergic to casein, or for vegetarians and vegans.

Soon I will be posting info about each of these vegetable drinks so that you have a broader picture of which can cause more or less harm to your nutritional plan.

#english