I get this question from clients and friends A LOT. “Is dairy bad? Is soy bad? Why is almond milk so watery?”
Here’s the short answer: Experiment and drink what works for you.
The longer answer? People choose different types of milk for different reasons: taste, allergies, intolerances, pre-existing health conditions (like breast cancer), etc. Here are some things to consider as you choose among the three most common milk options.
Dairy (ie, cow’s milk)
Dairy is perfectly fine for some people. They grew up on it. They like it. It doesn’t bother them in any noticeable ways, so they drink it. Cool.
Others find that lactose – the sugar in milk – causes digestion issues. If this is the case with you, but you love dairy, you might consider raw milk products. Some people with lactose intolerance aren’t bothered by raw milk. Trick is that raw dairy (with the exception of raw milk cheese) is illegal to sell commercially in the US due to concerns about bacterial contamination, ie, raw milk is unpasteurized. (I could write an entire post on that issue, but I’ll save it for later.) If you want to try raw dairy, contact a local farm to see if they have a cow-share (seriously…I know it sounds like a joke, but it’s not). I’ve never done this, but I dig the idea…what could be better than getting your milk literally right off the farm? (Oh, and by the way, if you’re lactose-intolerant, yogurt shouldn’t bother you. It’s more easily digested than milk, and the active cultures create lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose.)
Soy
Ahhh, soy. The magic health food, right? Well, not exactly. There doesn’t seem to be a consensus in the medical community on the health benefits of soy, and there are some dangers to consider as well.
The phytoestrogens in soy have been linked to increased breast cancer risk in women and to lower testosterone levels and decreased quality/quantity of sperm in men. They’ve also been indicated in thyroid issues.
In addition, most of the soy products marketed as healthy have heavily processed soy in them. Believe it or not, soy milk is one of the most heavily processed foods out there. The food industry would have us believe that Asian cultures eat soy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and are healthier because of it. The reality is that the soy products that we consume in this country – soy milk, soy-based protein bars, etc. – are a far cry from the fermented soy products consumed in traditional Asian cultures. Fermented soy products include things like tofu, miso, and tempeh and are used primarily as condiments in these cultures.
So, bottom line with soy? Consider whole soy products like tofu, miso, tempeh vs. processed ones like soy milk. And consume them in moderation. For more info on the benefits and dangers of soy, check out Dr. Kaayla Daniel’s site (and book), The Whole Soy Story.
Nut milk
Unless you’re allergic to nuts, I’m not aware of any concerns around nut milk. Some people feel that the consistency is too watery. Try making your own – that way, you can control the consistency with the amount of water and by straining less/more. It’s actually pretty simple as long as you have a good blender. My recipe for nut milk is at the bottom of this post for those interested.
Hope that helps! Happy milk drinking! 🙂
P.S. News flash: You don’t need dairy to get enough calcium in your diet. Leafy greens like spinach, broccoli, and kale have plenty as do legumes (lentils, black beans, garbanzo beans, navy beans, pinto beans – to name a few.).
Lara’s Nut Milk Recipe
Not hard or particularly time consuming once you get the hang of it. All you need is a good blender – Blendtec makes high end blenders worth the investment, but any will do – a fine mesh strainer, a big bowl, and a container in which to store the finished milk. I’ve settled on using cashews (I also tried almonds) because they seem to produce less sediment, which means less time straining.
Ingredients:
1 lb. bag organic raw or roasted nuts
12 c. filtered water
Directions:
- Soak the nuts in water for at least 3 hours. Drain and discard water after soaking.
- Blend nuts and water for about 3 minutes. (Depending on your blender size, you may have to do this in 2 – 3 batches. Invest in a large blender if you can – it will make your life much easier!)
- Strain frothy milk mixture using a fine mesh strainer.
- Store milk in refrigerator for up to a week.
Makes about 96 oz. of milk.
Note: If you’ve never had nut milk before, just know that it – like soy milk – separates when left sitting (ie, the leftover nut particles settle to the bottom). For richer flavor, remember to give it a shake before using.
xo,
