Three years ago I turned my back on cow’s milk. It was purely an issue of taste, but for millions of adults across the UK, dairy can wreck havoc with their digestive systems. 10 or 20 years ago, if you wanted to ditch the dairy your options were limited, but times have changed and the choices are now plentiful. Here are just a few of my favourite cow’s milk alternatives I highly recommend trying.
Soya Milk
I often choose soya milk because it’s so easily available and usually the cheapest. Most supermarkets now stock an ‘own-brand’ long-life soya milk which is cheap and handy if you only have access to a smaller, local supermarket. Soya milk is also very mildly flavoured, there’s really not much to like nor dislike about it!
Almond Milk
If I can get to a bigger supermarket, I’ll usually go for sweetened almond milk. It has a slightly nutty back taste and the sweetness means there is never a need to add any sugar to cereals. Almond milk is also low in calories and saturated fats so beneficial to anyone trying to monitor their weight. Most almond milks are also fortified with calcium in the process which mean by the time it reaches your cereal bowl it contains more of the mineral than cow’s milk!
Oat Milk
It may sound over the top, but even if I already have another dairy alternative, whenever I can I will always try and have an oat milk carton in my fridge. This is because I believe it goes best in a hot beverage: especially tea! Where soya milk splits and almond goes watery, oat does the trick and makes for a delicious warm drink. It’s also high in protein and can help lower cholesterol; what’s not to like?
Coconut Milk
My final place on the list goes to coconut. Whilst I’m personally not a fan of the flavour I know so many people who are, especially in a milky drink. It can also be a great alternative when baking as not only does it add coconut flavour, of all the milks it’s texture most resembles that of dairy milk.
image: Saskia Peach