Veganism is becoming more common around the world, and we love to see it! But it’s not just meat-free meal alternatives that are rapidly gaining popularity – foodies around the world are looking for healthy, delicious, and eco-friendly milk alternatives to add to their diets.
If you’re looking to ditch cow milk, these are the first vegan milk substitutes you need to try!
1. Soy Milk
Today soy milk is one of the world’s most popular milk alternatives. It’s a sweet, creamy plant-based milk that is perfect for cereal, coffee, baking, and more. Made from soaking and grinding up soybeans, it has been a popular product in Asian countries in particular for decades. In recent years it has gained immense popularity around the world.
Soy milk is high in plant protein, at 7g per cup, as well as riboflavin and vitamin B12.
2. Rice Milk
One of the lesser-known vegan milk substitutes, rice milk is made of rice grains strained with water that is then sweetened and fortified. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavor with a much thinner consistency compared to dairy milk and some other types of plant-based milk.
Rice milk is rich in B vitamins and antioxidants and contains zero saturated fats. It is also an excellent milk substitute for people who are lactose intolerant or allergic to soy and nuts.
3. Almond Milk
If you’re looking for an ultra-healthy vegan milk alternative, or you are on a diet, almond milk is another great choice. It’s very low-calorie, with only 39 calories per cup of unsweetened almond milk, less than half the caloric content of dairy milk.
It’s low in carbs and high in vitamin E, and is frequently fortified and enriched with vitamin D, which is important for heart and immune function, and calcium. According to Medical News Today, almond milk is the most popular plant-based vegan milk in the US.
4. Coconut Milk
This next vegan milk substitute is already used in countries around the world, a staple ingredient in many Asian, Pacific, South American, and Caribbean nations. It has the thickest and richest consistency of any plant-based milk, and even more so than dairy milk. It is made from grated coconut flesh strained with water.
While coconut milk is healthy, delicious, and versatile as a cooking ingredient, it is also high-calorie compared to other plant-based milk. It can contain as many as 30 calories per tablespoon.
Coconut milk can contribute to heart health and antioxidant protection, and is usually fortified with calcium and vitamins A, B12, and D2.
5. Oat Milk
Rich and creamy oat milk is not only a delicious addition to your coffee and cereal, but it’s much better for the environment. Oat milk production uses significantly less water compared to most vegan milk substitutes and has one of the lowest greenhouse gas emissions.
Oat milk is also rich in vitamins A, B, and D, dietary fiber, and contains no saturated fats. A single cup of oat milk provides 3g of protein.
6. Hazelnut Milk
While hazelnut isn’t as common as its plant-based milk counterparts, it is a creamy and tasty addition to your vegan or vegetarian diet that is especially good in cereal, coffee, and other beverages.
Hazelnut milk is rich in antioxidants including vitamin E, magnesium, and zinc. It is a little higher in calories than a lot of other vegan milk substitutes, with between 70-100 calories per cup and 3g of protein.
While hazelnut milk is a delicious treat, it is also one of the most expensive types of plant-based milk, which is something to be mindful of when you’re looking for vegan milk products.
7. Cashew Milk
Cashew milk is another excellent addition to the growing coterie of vegan milk products. It has a creamy texture and a mildly nutty and even buttery flavor that does very well in hot and cold milk-based beverages, desserts, and savory dishes such as pasta and soups.
Like almond milk, cashew milk is perfect for people who want to stick to a healthy low calorie diet. At only 25 calories per cup of unsweetened cashew milk, it has the lowest calorie count of plant-based milk products. It is also packed with healthy fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
Whether you’re simply looking for more healthy and low-calorie alternatives to milk, or you are moving to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, one of these vegan milk substitutes is sure to fit your needs.