Do you remember the days when the only non-dairy alternative on the supermarket shelves – or more commonly in the health-food shop – was soya milk? Not so long ago it was pretty exciting to find a high-street coffee shop that was forward-thinking enough to offer soya milk as an alternative to customers.
But thankfully for anyone who prefers or needs to have non-dairy milk, the market has expanded hugely, offering products made from a range of grains, nuts and seeds, including almonds, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, rice, oats, hemp, flax, peanuts and coconut, all with different flavours and uses.
Now it’s safe to say that plant-based milks are no longer a niche product. Just over one in 10 of Pret hot drinks in the UK are ordered with either organic soya milk or organic rice-coconut milk, and overall global sales of plant milks were worth £9 billion (US$12 billion) in 2019, with that figure expected to reach US$21 billion by 2026. The UK plant milk market alone has grown by 30% since 2015, boosted by a growth in vegan and vegetarian diets, according to researchers at Mintel.
Meanwhile, 1,000 dairy farms closed between 2013 to 2016 thanks to a combination of factors including concerns about the global environmental impact of dairy farming, animal welfare, health issues such as the use of bovine antibiotics and increased diagnosis of lactose-intolerance.
Greater demand has created greater choice, which is a good thing, of course, and there’s no one type of plant milk that hands-down beats the rest in terms of flavour and nutrition, it really comes down to personal preference. The only way to find your favourite is to experiment and try a few different brands, as even almond milk from one brand may taste very different to another. Some varieties are really creamy, while others are thinner and more watery; some are naturally sweet or may be artificially sweetened; some taste strongly of nuts or coconut, while others are milder or neutral in flavour.
While dairy milk is a fairly one-bottle-fits-all product, most people find they prefer one type of plant milk for their tea or coffee, but get on better with another for baking, so if you’re not keen on one variety or brand don’t give up – there are plenty more to try, and no doubt more innovations to look forward to.
While the options for simple pouring milks to use as home for cereals, hot drinks and cooking are numerous, Camilla Ainsworth, founder of M+LKPLUS nut and oat milk drinks and runner-up on The Apprentice TV show, says the ‘grab and go’ market for convenient, flavoured single-serve plant-based milks is next up to see huge growth, and believes you don’t have to define yourself as vegan to enjoy an alternative. ‘I definitely think the dairy-free juggernaut will continue to grow and create more innovative, free-from products, this trend is here to stay,’ she says. ‘I think it’s so important to realise that you don’t have to be vegan or dairy intolerant to enjoy plant-based products either, it is absolutely fine to mix and match, which is what I think a lot of people currently do.’
But can we, or should we, even call it milk? With growing consumer demand and producer innovation in this sector comes greater scrutiny and fear of competition from dairy farmers, of course, and in 2017 a ruling by the European Court of Justice banned manufacturers trading in the EU from using terms such as ‘oat milk’, ‘soya yoghurt’ or ‘vegan cheese’. Stricter new rules known as Amendment 171 have since been introduced – thanks to lobbying from the powerful dairy industry – that could prevent brands from using any terms or imagery on packaging that evoke dairy products. This would include referring to a product as ‘creamy’ or even comparing the health or climate impact of their products to dairy equivalents. The dairy industry argues that calling plant alternatives by names associated with dairy is misleading for consumers, but if Amendment 171 is adopted then manufacturers face an expensive rebranding and repackaging process. However, the strength of demand for these products means that whatever they are called in the future, people will still want to buy them.
When it comes to which plant milk to choose, taste is subjective, of course, but nutritionally speaking, plant-based milks can’t always compete with dairy milk, which is naturally high in protein. So what’s the best family-friendly option? Registered nutritionist Anita Bean says: ‘Soya milk is easily the best non-dairy option for protein content; all other non-dairy milks contain very little. For this reason, plain unsweetened soya milk is the best non-dairy option, especially for children, but it should only be used as a main drink from the age of one (from 6–12 months only breast or infant formula should be used). Bear in mind that soya and other non-dairy milks are also lower in energy than dairy milk, so you’ll need to ensure they get enough from other sources. Rice milk should not be given to children under five.’
Nut, grain and seed-based milks may sound healthy – after all, ingredients such as almonds, oats and flax, for example, are very nutritious – but as they are usually made with very small amounts of nuts the benefits are similarly small.
‘Typically they are made with less than 2g nuts per 100ml – although a few premium brands contain 6g/100g but that’s still tiny! So the overall nutritional value is minimal,’ says Anita. ‘What you’re getting is mainly water, so from a nutritional perspective it’s worth ensuring you are eating a good range of whole grains, nuts and seeds too, as then you’ll also be getting fibre – the milks contain no fibre.’
As a general rule, to boost the benefits when choosing a non-dairy alternative for both adults and children, look for varieties fortified with added nutrients. ‘I recommend always opting for brands with added calcium, and vitamins B12 and D – they contain amounts similar to those found in dairy milk – and choose unsweetened versions where possible to avoid extra sugar intake,’ says Anita. ‘Remember that while most pasteurised brands are fortified, by law, organic brands won’t be.’
Non-dairy milks are typically a little more expensive than cow’s milk, so if you use it regularly it’s worth having a go at making your own. Using oats is an easy budget option, or you can bulk-buy nuts to keep costs down. It’s surprisingly easy to make homemade milks, and it’s often a first step towards making your own vegan cheeses too.
5 non-dairy milks to try
Soya milk
Higher in protein than other alternatives and naturally half the fat of cow’s milk, this versatile, creamy milk is probably closest to dairy milk and from a nutritional perspective it’s a good all-rounder for a family. Stable at high temperatures, it’s reliably good in cooking and baking too.
Almond and nut milks
Sweet and nutty, almond milk is made from ground almonds mixed with water and is low in protein compared to soya milk. Thanks to its rich texture and naturally sweet, nutty flavour, it’s perfect for breakfasts from chia pudding to porridge, and is also delicious in smoothies, milky desserts and baking, and some like the nutty flavour in coffee too. Overall almond milk is probably one of the most popular dairy alternatives. Nutritionally similar to almond milk, cashew milk is really creamy, so it’s great with breakfast cereals but also for making sauces. Look out for hazelnut milk too, which is higher in fat and calories than other nut milks but is nutritious and makes fantastic hot chocolate and milky coffees.
Oat milk
We all know that oats are good for us, and oat milk offers some of the same nutritional benefits including iron. Made by soaking hulled oats in water, it’s low in fat and produces a creamy milk that won’t curdle or split when heated like some plant milks, so can be used for making white sauces. If you enjoy a frothy coffee, look for barista varieties as coffee lovers swear by foamable oat milks for making authentic lattes and cappuccinos.
Rice milk
Thinner and more watery than other milks, rice milk is light and non-creamy. If you find soya milk too heavy then this might work for you, as it’s quite similar to skimmed cow’s milk. It’s lower in protein and also lower in fat than other plant milks, but it can be fairly sweet, so tends to work better in desserts and for breakfast, and is often too thin to use in baking unless you add another thickening agent.
Coconut milk
Don’t confuse coconut milk (which comes in a tin and is often used in Asian curries) with coconut-based milk drinks. The canned milk is not really suitable for drinking as it’s made from the coconut ‘meat’ and is very thick and high in fat (typically around 18%). Coconut milk beverages are typically made by soaking the white flesh of coconuts in hot water, then skimming off the cream and using the milk left behind. These drinks are lower in fat than tinned coconut milk (typically 2%) and usually taste less sweet than nut-based drinks. Coconut milks may be relatively low in sugar but some people still find they taste quite sweet so it is great for making desserts, cakes and smoothies, and can also be used in cooking savoury dishes such as Thai and Indian curries.
Don’t forget about iodine
If you’re omitting all dairy products then you’ll need to find alternative sources of iodine. ‘Dairy milk is a major source of iodine in our diet whereas plant milks contain virtually none,’ says Anita Bean. ‘We need it for making thyroid hormones and it’s also important for growth in young children. Having low levels can lead to a lower metabolic rate and weight gain, and in pregnant women it’s linked to lower IQ and reading scores in their children.
‘There are very few natural sources of iodine in the diet if you don’t eat dairy, so I recommend getting your iodine from a multivitamin supplement containing the daily requirement, 150 micrograms. Although seaweed and kelp contain iodine, levels can be extremely high which carries a risk of excessive intakes.’