{"id":9482,"date":"2023-12-16T07:14:12","date_gmt":"2023-12-16T00:14:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=9482"},"modified":"2023-12-16T07:14:12","modified_gmt":"2023-12-16T00:14:12","slug":"an-overview-of-the-healthiest-milks-from-cows-to-crops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=9482","title":{"rendered":"An Overview of the Healthiest Milks: From Cows to Crops"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div itemprop=\"articleBody\">\n<p>As kids, we were mesmerized by ad campaigns for the latest, greatest \u2014 most sugary \u2014 breakfast cereals. Today, we know those <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/ultra-processed-foods\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">processed<\/a>, artificially dyed flakes and rings are to be avoided like homework. Ironically, we\u2019ve been beset by another kind of breakfast hype \u2014 this time over the healthiest milks.<\/p>\n<p>For decades, the recommendation was simple: skim all the way. Then came the headlines that\u00a0full-fat dairy was superior\u00a0for satiety and nutrition.<\/p>\n<p>But then goat milk started showing up on more shelves \u2014 could it be better than both? At the same time, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/almond-milk-nutrition\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">almond milk<\/a> devotees raised an eyebrow as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/oat-milk-nutrition\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">oat milk<\/a> started fighting for space in the dairy case alongside <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/coconut-milk-benefits\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">coconut<\/a>, rice, and other relative newcomers like pea and hemp.<\/p>\n<p>Whether your milk consumption is a splash in your morning coffee, a base for cereal or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-superfood-smoothie\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">smoothies<\/a>, or a regular glass or two with meals \u2014 it\u2019s always a good idea to re-evaluate whether you\u2019re making the healthiest choice, according to the latest science.<\/p>\n<p>We talked with two experts and compared the nutritional stats of the most popular dairy and non-dairy milks to answer the question:<\/p>\n<h2>What Is the Healthiest Milk?<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/04130909\/healthiest-milks-600-pour.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-168075\" src=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/04130909\/healthiest-milks-600-pour.jpg\" alt=\"pouring milk into grains | Healthiest Milks\" width=\"601\" height=\"401\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>So how do you determine if a milk is healthy, anyway?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFirst, as a scientist, I look to the literature and see what it has to say about the healthfulness of various milks,\u201d says\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ph.ucla.edu\/faculty\/hunnes\">Dana Hunnes, Ph.D. MPH, RD<\/a>, senior dietitian at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. \u201cThen as a human and as an environmentalist, I look to see what is best for both me and the environment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>What about those rumblings that dairy milk is for babies, and adults don\u2019t need it? Science and nature say there\u2019s something to that argument.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think all too often, we\u2019re brainwashed to believe cow\u2019s milk and dairy products are needed for good health, but in the developed world, we don\u2019t require another animal\u2019s milk for good health,\u201d says Hunnes. \u201cIn fact, we are the only species on the planet that knowingly, purposely drinks another species\u2019 milk. Many people the world over become lactose intolerant with age, because we\u2019re not meant to drink milk past the age of weaning.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Healthiest dairy milk<\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019re going to drink dairy milk, \u201cProbably whole milk is healthiest,\u201d says Hunnes. \u201cYes, it has saturated fat, but it also has certain <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/are-you-eating-enough-healthy-fats\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">types of fats<\/a> in it that may be protective as well.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But the \u201chealthiest dairy milk\u201d might be an oxymoron.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt depends on the individual, but I\u2019m not a huge proponent of dairy milk for everyone,\u201d says\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/realnutritionnyc.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, CDN<\/a>, a registered dietitian with Real Nutrition NYC. \u201cIf you\u2019re not consuming <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/organic-milk-vs-regular-milk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">organic milk<\/a>, you\u2019re getting hormones or possibly antibiotics. And in my clients, I find that after a certain age, everyone has a hard time digesting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/do-you-need-lactose\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lactose<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Is skim milk OK?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt depends on what the rest of the makeup of your diet is,\u201d says Hunnes. \u201cIf you are getting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/are-you-eating-enough-healthy-fats\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">healthy fats<\/a> from other sources, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/6-benefits-eating-nuts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">nuts<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/healthy-seeds\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">seeds<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/avocado-nutrition-facts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">avocados<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/is-olive-oil-good-for-you\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">olive oil<\/a>, you probably don\u2019t need full-fat dairy, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/dairy-free-diet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">any dairy at all<\/a>. But if you\u2019re eating mostly high saturated-fat foods, you might be better off with skim, or my preference: no real dairy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>People who don\u2019t consume dairy, however, should make it a point to find those nutrients (mostly calcium) in other sources.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSkim is kind of off the table,\u201d says Shapiro. \u201cI always say it\u2019s like drinking sugar water. If you put milk in your coffee, just use a splash of whole milk. You\u2019ll use less. If you\u2019re drinking a cup of it every day, I would say go down to 2% or 1%.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Healthiest non-dairy milk<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/19131442\/healthiest-milks-600-glasses.jpeg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-166673\" src=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/19131442\/healthiest-milks-600-glasses.jpeg\" alt=\"Image of Glasses of Milk and Substitutes with Sources | Healthiest Milks\" width=\"600\" height=\"401\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>When choosing a non-dairy milk, go with unsweetened varieties \u2014 you\u2019ll save a lot of unnecessary <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/is-sugar-really-that-bad-for-you\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sugar<\/a> and calories.<\/p>\n<p>Be aware that some people are sensitive to carrageenan, which is used as a thickener in some non-dairy milks and can cause stomach upset and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/10-possible-causes-of-bloating-and-what-you-can-do\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">bloating<\/a>. If one variety doesn\u2019t agree with you, you might need to try another.<\/p>\n<p>A big advantage of non-dairy milks is that they provide a tasty alternative for people with lactose intolerance or dairy allergies. But in terms of the \u201cbest\u201d variety, Hunnes says it depends on what your personal needs and desires are.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI personally drink\u00a0organic\u00a0unsweetened soy milk,\u201d she says. \u201cI think it has the creamiest, best flavor and the most protein per cup. Other non-dairy milks, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/coconut-milk-benefits\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">coconut milk<\/a>, are creamy but have little protein.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As for Shapiro, \u201cUsually, I go for unsweetened <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/almond-milk-nutrition\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">almond milk<\/a>, because it\u2019s benign and mild in flavor. It\u2019s very low in calories, and that\u2019s important when people are adding milk to smoothies or other things. You don\u2019t need all those calories and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/what-are-carbs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">carbs<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But she advises reading the label when purchasing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/oat-milk-nutrition\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">oat milk<\/a>, because some brands include rapeseed oil \u2014 most other milk options don\u2019t include oils.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m also not a huge advocate of rice milk, unless it\u2019s for people who have allergies,\u201d says Shapiro. \u201cRice really has minimal nutritional value.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Milk Nutrition Facts<\/h2>\n<p>So what\u2019s the healthiest milk? The answer may vary, depending on your individual nutritional needs. But overall, if you drink dairy milk, make it full-fat and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/organic-milk-vs-regular-milk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">organic<\/a>; if you go for non-dairy milk, make it unsweetened, and opt for soy, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/almond-milk-nutrition\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">almond<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beachbodyondemand.com\/blog\/cashew-milk-nutrition\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cashew<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/19131146\/healthiest-milks-600-pin.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-166670\" src=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/19131146\/healthiest-milks-600-pin.png\" alt=\"Pin Image of milk alternatives with BODi logo | Healthiest Milks\" width=\"450\" height=\"675\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As kids, we were mesmerized by ad campaigns for the latest, greatest \u2014 most sugary \u2014 breakfast cereals. Today, we know those processed, artificially dyed flakes and rings are to be avoided like homework. Ironically, we\u2019ve been beset by another kind of breakfast hype \u2014 this time over the healthiest milks. For decades, the recommendation &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":9483,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9482","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9482","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9482"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9482\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9483"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9482"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9482"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9482"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}