I’m a dietitian — these are the healthiest milks on store shelves
Skim, coconut, cashew, almond, oat, soy — store shelves are rich with milk options these days.
Now, a registered dietitian is naming which ones have the most legen-dairy health benefits — cow’s milk and soy milk.
“Cow’s milk tops the list in terms of nutrition,” Natalie Rizzo, author of “Planted Performance,” wrote Wednesday for Today.com. “One 8-ounce glass of milk has 8 grams of protein, as well as 13 other essential vitamins and minerals.”
Rizzo pointed out that cow’s milk is a good source of calcium and vitamin D — key for healthy bones — as well as vitamins A and B and potassium, which play important roles in the body.
The Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming three servings of dairy a day, preferably in fat-free or low-fat forms.
The different types of cow’s milk contain the same amount of protein but vary in calories and fat. Skim has no fat and the fewest calories, while whole milk has the greatest amount of both. The variaties known as 1% and 2% fall in between.
About 90% of the US population does not get enough dairy. For those who skip it because they can’t digest lactose (the sugar in milk), the USDA advises consuming fortified soy beverages instead.
“Soy milk tops the list of healthiest non-dairy milks,” Rizzo wrote. “It stacks up to cow’s milk in the protein department, with 8 grams of protein per 8 ounces.”
She suggests shaking soy milk before drinking it to mix the contents, then pour it in cereal, smoothies or oatmeal. Make sure you don’t have a soy allergy before consuming.
Other healthy milks that Rizzo touts include “surprisingly creamy” pea milk (“similar nutrition stats as soy milk”); unsweetened almond milk (“low in calories”); and hemp milk (“hefty dose of calcium”).
She appears to have soured on oat milk, however.
“All in all, it’s higher in calories than many other milks and only offers a little bit of fiber and calcium,” Rizzo wrote. “If you like oat milk for the taste, go for it, but it’s certainly not the healthiest milk around.”
Another New York dietitian, Marissa Meshulam, also said oat milk is “not the most nutritious option.”
“From a nutrition standpoint, 1 cup of oat milk provides the same amount of carbohydrates as a slice of bread, about 15 grams,” Meshulam told HuffPost in January. “And then when oats are processed into oat milk, the starches in oats are broken down to simple sugars.”
Oat milk fared better on EatingWell’s list of the healthiest milks, placing fifth for its fiber content.
Cow’s, soy, almond and coconut milks topped the rankings, in that order, while hemp and rice milks were the bottom two.