Page 59 - How to Be a Conscious Eater - Making Food Choices That Are Good for You

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FROM SOY TO NUTS,

PLANT-BASED “MILKS”

lant-based milks have blossomed on grocery-store
shelves in recent years—from almond to soy, oat to flax—
Pand that’s good news, because regular dairy milk isn’t the
be-all and end-all. So, if you’re already there with an “alt milk”
(as about 40 percent of a nationally representative sample of
Americans who buy milk products are), or you’re thinking
about getting on board, here’s what you need to know.

HEALTH
Nutritionally, plant-based milks vary by product, and though
not a complete match with dairy milk’s nutritional profile, for
the most part, plant-based milks are on par. Traditionally, cow’s
milk has been the teacher’s pet of the nutrition community: It’s
got lots of calcium, vitamin D, folate, and other vitamins and
minerals, plus a good amount of protein. But most Americans
get more than enough protein by eating a variety of foods
throughout the day (granted, they’re getting that protein from
mostly animal products), so milk needn’t be viewed as the
source. Plus, cow’s milk and cheese are high in saturated fat
and calories (facts that, as a full-blown cheeseaholic, I hate to
admit). Often they come from dairy cows pumped with hor-
mones like estrogen and insulin-like growth factor, which have
been linked to risks of several types of cancer. There are plenty
of other ways to get your calcium needs.
For your health, soy, almond, and hemp milks are largely
considered the best of the popular plant-based choices, and oat

48 how to be a Conscious Eater