Food & recipes

Nutrition: Healthy Milk Alternatives

Is milk nectar of the gods or the devil’s juice? Nutritional therapist Susie Keerley investigates

Is milk nectar of the gods or the devil’s juice? Nutritional therapist Susie Keerley investigates

So everybody knows that milk is a great health food – right? Wrong. Milk is a controversial area, and the historical presumption that humans drinking cows’ milk is healthy – accepted by generation after generation throughout most of the 20th century – is now being challenged by an ever-increasing number of scientific studies showing that it’s not quite that simple. Intolerances to cows’ milk are increasingly being linked to a variety of auto-immune diseases, and studies have also linked milk to diabetes and cancer – making some people think twice about how much they consume.
There are numerous studies that come out in favour, or against cows’ milk. Last year, a study by Otago University in New Zealand claimed that milk protects against bowel cancer while T Colin Campbell detailed research in his book The China Study that showed milk could trigger the onset of certain types of cancer. So is milk good or bad? What about the alternatives? Let’s take a look…

Intolerances to cows’ milk are being linked to auto-immune diseases, diabetes and cancer

What’s the best choice for good health?

There are certain nutrients which are essential for good health. Calcium is important for strong teeth and bones, and vitamin B12 is essential for proper immune function, brain function, energy levels, and healthy membranes. A plant-based diet provides plenty of calcium but plants alone do not provide vitamin B12 which is only reliably available from meat, fish and dairy products. Vegans can supplement vitamin B12, but it is not always well absorbed and I would always recommend getting nutrients through your foods, rather than relying on supplements (which are fine as a top-up). Milk is a source of iodine which is beneficial for your thyroid and of vitamin D which is good for your bones.

Milk is mucus-forming and can be problematic for sufferers of asthma, who may find soy or rice milk more acceptable, but everyone is an individual with their own health requirements and taste preferences.

How do different milks compare?

All dairy milk options are nutrient rich and provide plenty of calcium. Cows’ milk is notoriously problematic for people with allergies and some people are better able to tolerate goats’, sheep or donkey milk. They all contain lactose (milk sugar) so those with a lactose intolerance may prefer soya or rice milk, which contains no lactose – or you can buy lactofree cows milk which has had the sugar removed.

Some people who cannot tolerate cows’ milk are fine with goats’ or sheep milk. Researchers at the University of Granada go some way to explaining this. They argue that goats’ milk is nutritionally superior to cows’ milk and published a study in the summer that found that goats’ milk contains less casein alpha 1 which is responsible for most allergies to cows’ milk: For this reason, in some countries it is used as the basis for the development of infant formula in place of cows’ milk.

COWS’ MILK

Cows’ milk contains calcium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium as well as iron, iodine, and some vitamin C. On the downside, it has a higher level of casein alpha 1 which can cause allergies.

GOATS’ MILK

Goats’ milk is a good source of calcium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium, essential fatty acids and oligosaccharides – prebiotics which support the immune system. It typically contains slightly higher levels of many of these nutrients than cows’ milk.

SHEEP’S MILK

Sheep milk contains many of the same nutrients, at a higher level than goats’ or cows’ milk. This places sheep milk very high on the scale of nutrient-rich milk options.

HORSES’ MILK

Dr Clare Mills of the Institute of Food Research argues that horse milk is a better choice. In 2007, she wrote a report stating: “Proteins in horse milk are up to 66 per cent identical to human milk proteins, while known allergens from cows and goats are all less than 53 per cent identical to corresponding human proteins.” Mare’s milk contains good levels of potassium, calcium, iron and phosphorus, as well as vitamins A, B, C and K.

DONKEYS’ MILK

Donkey milk contains much less casein than cows’ milk, but it contains more lactose. It has higher levels of eight essential amino acids than mare or cows’ milk and is naturally much lower fat and a little bit more alkaline than cows’ milk. It is quite close to human milk in some respects, although human milk contains more fat, and some of the proteins are quite different in proportion.

OTHER SOURCES?

Milk might be a good source of calcium but there are other plant-based alternatives out there Media hype around milk would have you believe it is the only good source of calcium in our diet. This is simply not true. According to Dr Robert O Young, author of the seminal PH Miracle, milk is acid forming so you need more calcium in your diet to buffer the excess acid. In contrast, a vegan diet reduces the body’s need for high levels of calcium, as there is less acidity in the body, so less wear on the bones. A study published in Osteoporosis International showed that vegans have the same bone density levels as their meat and dairy eating counterparts. Good plant-based sources of calcium include leafy green vegetables of every variety, soya, almonds, peanuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and dried fruit. Plant-based milk alternatives provide calcium to varying degrees.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE ALTERNATIVES:

Soya milk only has about a quarter of the calcium of cows milk. eat plenty of other sources, or you can get calcium-enriched soya milk if you are worried. Soya has the added benefit of being rich in B vitamins, a source of omega 3 essential oils, and contains the following minerals: iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. On the down side, quite a lot of people are allergic to soya products, and some people avoid them because the heavy processing can result in trace aluminium in soy products. It also contains phytic acid which can reduce the absorption of other nutrients. Take care if you switch to soya and see how you react to it.

TRY: Soya milk unsweetened, £1.15 which is free from dairy, gluten and lactose. Available from Holland & Barret.

Oat milk provides some fibre and a little protein. It also contains potassium, a little calcium, iron and vitamins A and C.

TRY: Oatly oat drink organic, £1.39, which provides protein, carbohydrate and fibre. Available in Waitrose.

Coconut milk is a fair source of vitamin C and iron, although it does contain a lot of fat, considerably more than milk, and most of that fat is saturated.

TRY: Kara Dairy Free milk is naturally free of cholesterol, lactose, soya and dairy protein, and has total fat and calcium levels matched to semi-skimmed milk. Costs £1.39, from karadairyfree.com

Rice milk is available as a calcium-enriched formula and is the least likely of all the milk alternatives to give you an allergic reaction. It is low in fat, high in sugars, and not particularly nutritious, but this needn’t matter if your wider diet is nutrient dense.

TRY: Rice Dream Organic rice milk, £1.99. it’s naturally low in fat and soft on sensitive stomachs. From ricedream.co.uk

Hemp milk is a good source of beneficial omega 3 oils, providing more omega 3 than soya milk. It is a healthy alternative which provides your RDA of omega 3 in just one serving.

TRY: Good hemp, £1.79. A 250ml glass contains 50 per cent of the omega 3 needed each day. From goodwebsite.co.uk

Almond milk contains vitamin A and some calcium. It is a low fat healthy alternative.

TRY: Ecomil Almond milk, £3.49. it’s rich in monosaturated fatty acids, as well as high quality proteins.

Article by

Susie Keerley

Nutritional therapist

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Article by

Susie Keerley

Nutritional therapist

Discover more