Substituting Milk

I’ve never really been one for drinking milk, but there is a time and place for it in cooking or on your cereal. Even those who aren’t necessarily interested in a vegan diet are looking at milk substitutes, as more and more people seem to be lactose intolerant, or are looking for a lower calorie option.

There are a few options to choose from, but I’m sure you’ll find the right solution for you.

Soy Milk

The old lactose intolerant classic. I think soy milk has a bad reputation these days and I’m not sure if it is because it didn’t taste good when it first came out, or because people are just generally afraid of things that are different. Soy milk comes in a range of variations, from original soy milk to vanilla and chocolate. I think original soy milk is sweet on its own, so I really don’t understand why anyone would want to drink vanilla. But I also just don’t like vanilla. Soy milk is more like skim milk than whole milk but just slightly sweet. For this reason I’ve always loved to put it in my coffee. It’s a great idea for someone who wants a little something without adding sugar or a lot of calories.

Silk Soy Milk

Vanilla 100 cals, 45% of your daily calcium 6g protein
Chocolate 140 cals, 30% of your daily calcium 5g protein
Original 90 cals, 45% of your daily calcium 6g protein

Almond Milk

This is going to be a biased summary, because I love almond milk. It also comes in a variety of flavors. There’s original, unsweetened, vanilla, and chocolate. I stick to unsweetened, but I just generally don’t like to drink anything sweet.  I love almond milk because it’s even lower in calories than soy milk, and has more calcium than regular milk.

Silk Almond Milk

Original 60 cals. 45% of your daily calcium 1g protein
Vanilla 90 cals, 45% of your daily calcium 1g protein
Dark chocolate 120 cals, 45% of your daily calcium 1g protein
Unsweetened 30 cals, 45% of your daily calcium 1 g protein

Coconut Milk

I have yet to try coconut milk, but coconut does seem to be pretty popular right now. I’ve had ice cream made with coconut milk, so I’d be willing to give it a try. Anyway, here’s the stats on coconut milk, for comparison sake.
 

Silk Coconut Milk

Original 80 cals, 45% of your daily calcium 1g protein
Vanilla 90 cals, 45% of your daily calcium 1g protein

Overall comparison

These are all the same brand, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that they all basically offer the same amount of calcium. Soy milk obviously offers more protein and almond milk is low in calories. In all, it really is up to your personal preference.