Considering Protein when Comparing Milk Options
With so many “milk” options available, IHG Nutritionist, Nicole Moretta MS, RD, CDN, shares some considerations on how protein content may steer your choice of creamy beverage. One universal tip when perusing traditional dairy & plant-based mink options is to avoid milks with added sugar. Reaching for unsweetened milks & striving for balanced meals can benefit our health & wellbeing.
With so many “milk” choices out there let's, compare traditional milk vs non-dairy milks. There are two important questions to ask yourself when choosing which type of milk to use.
- How much dairy do you consume a day?
- What else is being consumed at the meal/snack?
We always want meals and snacks to be balanced, which means we want to include some carbohydrate and some protein. While milk is a good source of protein, not all “milks” are created equal. Let's start with almond milk. Unless it is fortified, it does not contain protein. If you were to have a bowl of heart healthy cereal with almond milk, you still need some protein. In that case, I would suggest consuming regular milk for that meal. However, if you were having a delicious egg and veggie frittata then feel free to enjoy an unfortified dairy-free beverage like almond milk. Your protein is coming from the eggs, so any dairy-free milk would be a great choice.
A dairy-free milk is a nice way to add some healthy fats into your diet and the perfect alternative for anyone that cannot have dairy. Experiment with all the different milks out there and see what you like best. Just make sure you are balancing out that meal with some protein.
One last tip:
Steer clear of sweetened milks. The label should clearly state if it is sweetened or unsweetened so be sure to grab the unsweetened version.