Skim, coconut, cashew, almond, oat, soy — store shelves are rich with milk options these days.
Now, an NYC-based registered dietitian is revealing the two types of milk that are legen-dairy for their health benefits — cow’s milk and soy milk.
“Cow’s milk tops the list in terms of nutrition,” Natalie Rizzo, author of “Planted Performance,” wrote Wednesday for Today.com. “One eight-ounce glass of milk has eight grams of protein, as well as 13 other essential vitamins and minerals.”
Rizzo pointed out that cow’s milk is a good source of calcium and vitamin D — key for healthy bones — as well as B vitamins, vitamin A, and potassium, which play important roles in the body.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming three servings of dairy a day, preferably in fat-free or low-fat forms.
The different types of cow’s milk contain the same amount of protein but vary in calories and fat. Skim has no fat and the fewest calories, while whole milk has the greatest amount of both. 1% and 2% fall in between.
About 90% of the US population does not get enough dairy — for those who can’t digest lactose, the sugar in milk, the US Department of Agriculture advises consuming fortified soy beverages instead.
“Soy milk tops the list of healthiest non-dairy milks,” Rizzo wrote for Today.com. “It stacks up to cow’s milk in the protein department, with 8 grams of protein per 8 ounces.”
She suggests shaking soy milk before drinking it to mix the contents and pouring it in cereal, smoothies, or oatmeal. Make sure you don’t have a soy allergy before consuming.
Other healthy milks that Rizzo touts include: “surprisingly creamy” pea milk (“similar nutrition stats as soy milk”); unsweetened almond milk (“low in calories”); and hemp milk (“hefty dose of calcium”).
She appears to have soured on oat milk, however.
“All in all, it’s higher in calories than many other milks and only offers a little bit of fiber and calcium,” Rizzo wrote. “If you like oat milk for the taste, go for it, but it’s certainly not the healthiest milk around.”
NYC-based registered dietitian Marissa Meshulam also said oat milk is “not the most nutritious option.”
“From a nutrition standpoint, one cup of oat milk provides the same amount of carbohydrates as a slice of bread, about 15 grams,” Meshulam told HuffPost in January. “And then when oats are processed into oat milk, the starches in oats are broken down to simple sugars.”
Oat milk fared better on EatingWell’s 2023 list of the healthiest milks, placing fifth for its fiber content.
Cow’s milk, soy, almond, and coconut topped the rankings, respectively, while hemp and rice milk were the bottom two.