21 replies to this topic

[Skötkonung]

If you're anything like me, you probably grew up consuming a hefty amount of dairy products. I can fondly remember my mother giving me a small glass of whole milk with mesost and green apple slices as a child. After my family moved to America, I realized that here to milk is also an important dietary staple -- forming part of the American pastoral fantasy. However, more than just emotional association, milk also provides a liquid medium for protein, fats, and fat soluble vitamins. It is a great liquid base for green smoothies and post workout nutrition. Given this, I was quite disappointed when I heared that milk (and to a larger extent, other dairy products) were not particularly good for longevity.

The problems with traditional cow's milk are multiple:
- Casein: Stimulates production of IGF1. Negatively modifies function of phenolic compounds. Disrupts cellular tight junctions. Allergy or irritant to some individuals. Possible carcinogen according to T Campbell.
- Lactose: Breaks down into galactose and glucose, neither of which are terribly great for regulation of glycation when present in high quantities. Allergy or irritant to some individuals.
- Contaminants: rBGH, bacterial contamination (or remnants of) from mastitis and other infections, glycotoxins (AGEs) from homogenization process, industrial pollutants such as dioxin.
- Carbohydrate content: Milk, while not as bad some juices, is a little high on carbohydrate. If one is looking for a fat source to enhance the absorption and add taste to a green / berry smoothie, the last thing you need is additional carbohydrate spiking blood glucose.

Regardless of whether you subscribe to a paleo type diet, it seems obvious enough that there are better foods available than milk, especially when considering longevity. With that in mind, I have been trying various milk replacement foods for the last two weeks. I was also hoping other people might provide some input on which type of milk replacement they personally use.

With any faux food, it is good to be concerned about the ingredients. These are the brands I tried and their ingredients:

Unsweetened Coconut Milk - SO Delicious
- Coconut cream (water, coconut, guar gum), calcium phosphate, magnesium phosphate, carrageenan, vitamin A palminate, Vitamin D2, L-Selenomethionine (selenium), zinc oxide, folic acid, vitamin B12
- Per 240ml (1 cup): 50 calories, 1g carbohydrate, 5g fat (all saturated), 1g protein, 15mg sodium.

Plain Soy Milk - Silk
- Filtered water, whole organic soy beans, organic evaporated cane juice, calcium carbonate, sea salt, natural flavors, carrageenan, vitamin A palminate, vitamin D2, riboflavin (B2), vitamin B12.
- Per 240ml (1 cup): 100 calories, 8g carbohydrate (6g sugar, 1g fiber), 4g fat (.5g saturated, 1g MUFA, 2.5g PUFA), 300mg sodium.

Almond Milk - Blue Diamond's Almond Breeze
- Purified water, almonds, tapioca starch, calcium carbonate, sea salt, potassium citrate, carrageenan, soy lecithin, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, d-alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E).
- Per 240ml (1 cup): 40 calories, 2g carbohydrate, 3g fat, 1g fat (no SFA, rest not specified on packaging), 180mg sodium.

My first observation was that the Soy milk had the most sodium, sugar (from cane juice), and total calories. It also likely has the most PUFAs (the packaging indicates some n-3s), which as has been discussed, could be linked to increased glycation. It also has isoflavones, which could be good for lowering DHT and perhaps free testosterone. Finally, it has the highest protein concentration. Soy protein has been rated as having a high biological value.

The almond milk also had a surprising amount of additives...I wasn't crazy about the soy lecithin being used as an emulsifier being that it is a waste product, however to it's merit, there has been some studies indicating soy lecithin's role in lowering cholesterol. I surmise the PUFA content on the almond milk was also high, but it wasn't specified on the packaging.

Over all, the coconut milk seemed to have the best fatty acid profile (primarily SFA, mostly lauric), lowest sugar (and carbohydrate) concentration, while also providing a nice blend of added nutrients. As a word of caution, both the almond and coconut milk had carrageenan, which has been linked to certain cancers and macrophage malfunction. Although the publications I was able to find on this food additive are old, which indicates to me that later research may (hopefully) indicate little to no risk.

Utimately, I wouldn't recommend drinking too much milk substitute of any kind. There are just too many added components (such as the carrageenan) and processing, which are questionable. However, one glass a day probably won't harm you.

Hopefully this was helpful to someone

Edited by Skotkonung, 06 December 2009 - 10:08 AM.

[immortali457]

I love the Blue Diamond almond milk. Been drinking it for some time now. Love it in my green smoothie.

[JackChristopher]

Are alternative animal milks inaccessible? Have you considered goat/buffalo milk etc.? Almost all coconut milks I've tried (canned or cartoned) have carrageenan or potassium/sodium bisulfite. I'm not sure which is the healthier preservative.

BTW, what micro nutrients does coconut milk have? Are are you only talking about So Delicious brand? I've see that one a lot but never tried it.

[spaceistheplace]

I think it's important to keep in mind that the milk most likely used for those studies came from sick animals fed corn and soy, shot up with hormones, and then homogenized and pasteurized.

[ajnast4r]

get yourself one of these and make your own nut/grain/bean milks

[Ron]

Might also add hemp milk as an option:
Living Harvest
Hemp nut base (filtered water, hemp nut [shelled hemp seed]), brown rice syrup, organic evaporated cane juice, tricalcium phosphate, carrageenan, sea salt, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, riboflavin, vitamin B12.
Per 240ml (1 cup): 100 calories, 10g carbohydrate (6g sugar, 0g fiber), 6g fat (.5g saturated, 1g MUFA, 4.5g PUFA), 25mg sodium.

[TheFountain]

Almost all coconut milks I've tried (canned or cartoned) have carrageenan or potassium/sodium bisulfite. I'm not sure which is the healthier preservative.

I do not know either but I know thai brand coconut milk contains nothing but coconut milk and guar gum (plant based thickening agent).

[TheFountain]

<br />I think it's important to keep in mind that the milk most likely used for those studies came from sick animals fed corn and soy, shot up with hormones, and then homogenized and pasteurized.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Organic milk is not much healthier is it? I mean it's still heated up toward the end of the process which forms, presumably, glycotoxins.

[niner]

<br />I think it's important to keep in mind that the milk most likely used for those studies came from sick animals fed corn and soy, shot up with hormones, and then homogenized and pasteurized.<br />

Organic milk is not much healthier is it? I mean it's still heated up toward the end of the process which forms, presumably, glycotoxins.

There's a farm not terrifically far from me where I can get raw milk from grass-fed cows. I consider it to be the best I can do as far as cow's milk goes, but I don't drink enough milk to justify the travel and expense. Also, my wife is freaked about it being non-pasteurized, though I don't have a problem with that.

[TheFountain]

<br />

&lt;br /&gt;I think it's important to keep in mind that the milk most likely used for those studies came from sick animals fed corn and soy, shot up with hormones, and then homogenized and pasteurized.&lt;br /&gt;

<br />Organic milk is not much healthier is it? I mean it's still heated up toward the end of the process which forms, presumably, glycotoxins.<br />

<br />There's a farm not terrifically far from me where I can get raw milk from grass-fed cows. I consider it to be the best I can do as far as cow's milk goes, but I don't drink enough milk to justify the travel and expense. Also, my wife is freaked about it being non-pasteurized, though I don't have a problem with that.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

I wonder what the real statistical chances are of bacterial infection from non-pasteurized dairy.

[hyper_ventriloquism]

Whole Foods brand coconut milk (regular and light) in the cans is organic and it's cheaper than the Thai Kitchen brand. The ingredients are just coconut milk, purified water, and guar gum. It's tasty too

[rhodan]

Lately, I use Oatly H (Oatly website)

Their organic H has :
Per 240ml (1 cup): 84 calories, 2.4 g protein, 15.6 g carbohydrate (9.6 g sugars, 1.92 g fiber), 1.68 g fat (0.24 g saturated, 0.72 g MUFA, 0.72 g PUFA), 120 mg sodium

It tastes like skimmed milk. I use it as a base, adding whey and/or coconut milk or cream (no casein, no lactose).

[TheFountain]

Lately, I use Oatly H (Oatly website)

Their organic H has :
Per 240ml (1 cup): 84 calories, 2.4 g protein, 15.6 g carbohydrate (9.6 g sugars, 1.92 g fiber), 1.68 g fat (0.24 g saturated, 0.72 g MUFA, 0.72 g PUFA), 120 mg sodium

It tastes like skimmed milk. I use it as a base, adding whey and/or coconut milk or cream (no casein, no lactose).

That's a lot of sugar.

[Forever21]

<br />I think it's important to keep in mind that the milk most likely used for those studies came from sick animals fed corn and soy, shot up with hormones, and then homogenized and pasteurized.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Organic milk is not much healthier is it? I mean it's still heated up toward the end of the process which forms, presumably, glycotoxins.

and its dairy (casein)
say goodbye to the nutrients of tea, veggies and berries.

so, what do you use? thai cocos?

i use the same

[TheFountain]

<br />I think it's important to keep in mind that the milk most likely used for those studies came from sick animals fed corn and soy, shot up with hormones, and then homogenized and pasteurized.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Organic milk is not much healthier is it? I mean it's still heated up toward the end of the process which forms, presumably, glycotoxins.

and its dairy (casein)
say goodbye to the nutrients of tea, veggies and berries.

so, what do you use? thai cocos?

i use the same

For the most part, but some days I really go crazy and consume the entire can. 70 grams of fat and 800 calories in just one can of coconut milk! How long does it take you to go through a single can?

[rhodan]

Lately, I use Oatly H (Oatly website)

Their organic H has :
Per 240ml (1 cup): 84 calories, 2.4 g protein, 15.6 g carbohydrate (9.6 g sugars, 1.92 g fiber), 1.68 g fat (0.24 g saturated, 0.72 g MUFA, 0.72 g PUFA), 120 mg sodium

It tastes like skimmed milk. I use it as a base, adding whey and/or coconut milk or cream (no casein, no lactose).

That's a lot of sugar.

In fact, it is not enterely "sugar", but "sugars" as carbohydrates. The real sugar part is minimal, other is starch (complex).

Btw, I cannot find an exact breakdown of the type of carbs in oat. If someone has a link, thanks.

[Forever21]

<br />I think it's important to keep in mind that the milk most likely used for those studies came from sick animals fed corn and soy, shot up with hormones, and then homogenized and pasteurized.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Organic milk is not much healthier is it? I mean it's still heated up toward the end of the process which forms, presumably, glycotoxins.

and its dairy (casein)
say goodbye to the nutrients of tea, veggies and berries.

so, what do you use? thai cocos?

i use the same

For the most part, but some days I really go crazy and consume the entire can. 70 grams of fat and 800 calories in just one can of coconut milk! How long does it take you to go through a single can?

a can a day. (200 calories)

[gregandbeaker]

I used to drink a LOT of cow milk, but since going paleo I never do. The best alternative for me has ended up being the So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk. Reasons are cost, availability, and usability. I really like the Living Harvest Hemp Milk, but it gets very expensive if you are making protein shakes out of it every day. Bonuses of using coconut milk are that it can be used in cooking quite a few different ways, not the least of which is curries, which I love to cook.

[TheFountain]

<br />I think it's important to keep in mind that the milk most likely used for those studies came from sick animals fed corn and soy, shot up with hormones, and then homogenized and pasteurized.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Organic milk is not much healthier is it? I mean it's still heated up toward the end of the process which forms, presumably, glycotoxins.

and its dairy (casein)
say goodbye to the nutrients of tea, veggies and berries.

so, what do you use? thai cocos?

i use the same

For the most part, but some days I really go crazy and consume the entire can. 70 grams of fat and 800 calories in just one can of coconut milk! How long does it take you to go through a single can?

a can a day. (200 calories)

Oh, you must consume lite coconut oil then.

[TheFountain]

I love the Blue Diamond almond milk. Been drinking it for some time now. Love it in my green smoothie.

Do you think the preservatives listed in it are safe for long term consumption? Plus it seems very scarce on calories. The Coconut milk I drink is 130 calories per serving. Good for someone like myself who has a hard time keeping weight up.

[immortali457]

I love the Blue Diamond almond milk. Been drinking it for some time now. Love it in my green smoothie.

Do you think the preservatives listed in it are safe for long term consumption? Plus it seems very scarce on calories. The Coconut milk I drink is 130 calories per serving. Good for someone like myself who has a hard time keeping weight up.

I'm not concerned with it. Plenty of calories once I add other goodies to my smoothie. I'd look into coconut milk if it were readily available around here.

[cherrysilver]

I've been using a coconut cream concentrate which has no additives and is 100% coconut. It's about 31 calories per tsp. (2.7g sat fat, 1.1g carbs, .3g protein). It lasts forever in the closet and all I have to do is add a little to water to make my coconut milk. It works great with my smoothies and I can eat it by the spoon because it tastes so good! The nice part is that you can add as much or as little as you like to taste or really tweak for your dietary needs.